No matter how much money it spends, science cannot find any true empirical evidence for even an infinitesimally small "fundamental particle of matter." Yet they refuse to accept the only truly logical conclusion: that there isn't one!
The irony is that the deeper they look and the more they smash matter apart looking for fools' gold, the closer they get to validating what the wise ones have known for thousands of years.
Since the 1950s, developments in the scientific metaphor known as string theory have been repeatedly mirroring the Biblical metaphor known as Genesis. The latest experiments of the Large Hadron Collider are now validating what the Bible has been telling us through metaphor since 8,000 B.E. (Before Einstein), namely that the fundamental particle of matter, from which we and everything else is formed, is best described as a "sound energy."
Once again science confirms the illusive Theory of Everything in a way that the warring factions don't wish to hear -- because it could finally reconcile science and scripture. If they had the humility to see it, the Large Hadron Collider could satisfy all points of view in the creationism debate and herald a new beginning to the equally illusive ideal of world peace.
Trouble is, they can't.
Neither faction seems willing to look behind the ancient symbols telling us of the black hole, the Big Bang, gravity, the space-time continuum, evolution, the four forces of nature, the purpose of God, the destiny of man...
Instead we have an insoluble dilemma: either we believe an explanation of the creation that defies our intelligence, reason, physical evidence and valid scientific process, or we reject the scripture. And if we reject scripture, we have another dilemma: do we also have to reject the very idea of God, or can we somehow rationalise or compartmentalise the cognitive dissonance?
This dilemma masks the real problem. Since the council of Nicea in 325 CE, our entire culture, whether we be religious, scientific or atheist, has been deeply programmed with one archaic interpretation of the Bible. The arbitrary decisions made way back then by a seemingly well-intentioned Constantine were subsequently forced upon us under threat of torture, death, genocide and excommunication -- hardly conducive to freedom of choice, thought, belief and action. Yet now we can enjoy these freedoms, the terror of heresy remains imprinted on our very DNA.
The arguments between science and religion and between different sects of Judaeo-Christianity itself are creating such clamour that few people bother to look more deeply within the scripture to divine the lost meaning.
It's not hard to understand why. The Bible is written in a very powerfully hypnotic, metaphoric language. It lures us into taking it literally, but when we do, we are blinded to the true Word of God that is the source of light behind the shadows.
The function of a metaphor (or poem, drama, literature, art, music, etc.) is to express something beyond words to bypass the logical, words-and-thought-oriented left-brain. Who hasn't struggled to communicate a profound personal experience, only to find that words fail?
As children we believed in Santa Claus. As adults we see him as a metaphor for the spirit of joy and giving. We let go of the fairy tale once it's served its purpose -- if we're wise enough.
If we have the wit to let go the old beliefs about the Bible and seek behind the shadows to the source of light itself, it becomes apparent that science and scripture are not mutually exclusive but entirely complementary. As humanity evolves, in perfectly appropriate ways, so does our awareness of the emerging truth of God's message. Both science and scripture are using the exact same vehicle to bridge the gap between the knowable and the unknowable -- metaphor and symbology. The allegory, poetry and dream-like symbology of scripture are exquisitely mirrored by, say, the mystical qualities of quantum physics and mathematical symbols like zero and infinity, which also have no real definition, and which also can beguile us to take them literally.
Where the Bible says all things came forth from a formless void, science says all matter came from a black hole. Where the Bible says the Word (waters, sound, name, voice) of God created all things, science says all matter is composed of vibrating strings of energy, like the sounds made by a violin. The latest news from the neo-light-speed hadron collisions seems to confirm string theory, the Gospel of John and also Genesis in that the energy patterns the collisions form translate into musical sounds!
Open yourself once more to the mystical message in the first so-called "day" of Genesis 1:
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form; and void. And darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
After many years of deep study, contemplation, reflection and cross-referencing, here is what the symbols and metaphors are beginning to suggest to me. I'd love to know what they say to you:
In the beginning God created an image of Itself. It was the unmanifest essence of all life. God did not yet know what could be made manifest from Its creation. Its Spirit stirred the sound of God's voice and It uttered Its divine purpose -- 'Let me know who I really am': and the knowing began. And God saw Itself reflected in the positive energy; and divided the positive energy from the negative so Its spirit could flow. It gave the positive Its True Name and the negative It called Lucifer, the light bearer. And, as the dawn of knowing arose, it revealed the first pillar of light.
These new insights into the first "day" of Genesis awaken an ancient spiritual teaching that has been sleeping for many thousands of years. It's a portal to new understandings that transcend not only science but also religion.
Please sample a detailed analysis of these symbols in my eBook draft at www.myebook/original_heresy, or email me at paul@horsejoy.com and let me know how these ideas grab you.
You can find out more about my work and ideas at www.horsejoy.com.
Follow Paul Hunting on Twitter: www.twitter.com/original_heresy
Is there any record of religious scholars stating that Genesis was historical fact prior to the scientific age? Could be, but I know none.
It has been the advances in science, early on by the religious trying to better understand God's creation, that prompted the pious to make inerrancy claims about Genesis.
As a story it is on a par with Avatar without the computer graphics.
Thank you for connecting the "dots"!
Blessings, Paul Hunting
The paradox to me is that a resolution won't be realized through mental debate. It will be found by entering the unknowable, which then leads to a knowing. That is a "place" that resides not in the mind, but in the Spiritual Heart, a place of true knowing. And once there, it isn't something that can be talked about because it is beyond words. It can only be known as an experience which you and I will describe using different words but if you have had the same experience we will meet in a knowing, "Yes. I understand. It's like..." And then we use metaphor to describe imprecisely what we can't describe.
I believe you've said this. So, once again, I admire your effort to communicate with words that which is beyond words.
As my grandmother used to say, "Rise above it..." Maybe some will, and rise to the place of unity that can only be found in diversity--a higher context of loving and accepting all the content, including all the differences and disagreements. And then zero will become infinite. No Thing will be come All Things.
And that's my mental effort to go where the mind can't go...
Is it just me or is that total gibberish. If something is unknowable you can't end up knowing it - even in your "Spiritual Heart' whatever that is. And it seems very convenient to me that something that appears to be gibberish is "beyond words" because that avoids the inconvenience of explaining what the heck you mean. As for "to describe imprecisely what we can't describe." that makes no sense. But perhaps this is all possible to someone whose mind can go "where the mind can't go" whatever that means.
How? Regular Spiritual Exercise is a good way. Look for only the good (God) in everyone and everything. Spend some time being grateful. Smile. Lose the facial hair so others can see you. Where did that come from???
And if we speak in paradox and irony long enough to those who are trying to figure out what we're saying, eventually, maybe, they will go out of their mind : )
From my point of view, it is too easy to get caught up in the discussions of right and wrong ways of interpretation, and miss the essence of a very real power that is unconditionally connecting us all. We are one humanity and we are sustained by a source that I understand as "love". But then in my experience, that source is intuited beyond the words of debate.
Quite a discussion here here nevertheless!
Blessings,
Anne
It's like when I read Exodus 20-21, now I don't see a conglomeration of laws dealing with seemingly random aspects of the daily life of the Israelites, but rather a metaphor on dealing fairly with your fellow man. All that stuff about enslaving people from neighboring countries but not your own, and selling your daughter into slavery have no real meaning.
and how about Leviticus 14. I could read it as how you should deal with leprosy by means of ineffective spells and potions, but It's clearly a metaphor in how you should trust religion to know what's best for you when you're ill. Numbers 31 could be taken literally as how God arbitrarily decided that the Midianites needed to be slaughtered, but I think it's a metaphor for how you should treat anyone who doesn't agree with your religious views. I could take Deuteronomy 28 literally where it says I'll be forced to eat my children if I disobey God, but I think it's a metaphor for how God will inflict horrible suffering on those he considers "wicked." or something....
Oh, how I could go on! But I've about hit my word limit.
“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?”
Epicurus – Greek philosopher, BC 341-270
Athiests - winning since 300 BC
You seem to believe that the depth of your conviction is an indicator of epistemological value.
In this you are as sadly wrong as generations of deluded fanatics.
Great article, however i believe the first day of Genesis actually means what it says, its would be difficult to relate it to the big bang theory if you try to interpret it to mean something else.
All the rest is commentary. What does 'heaven and earth' really mean? We have to start thinking beyond the obvious, non?
that is an ex post facto attempt to legitimize superstition and legend
The rest of us who clearly see it as metaphor, don't have a conflict.
Ironically it is those who see it as a metaphor who have the most conflict.
Not surprisingly because once you see it as a metaphor it can mean anything you want.
And guess what?
that means you are going to disagree with others who see it differently
ergo conflict.
If it is 'spiritual', 'psyche'. and 'matter', then Biblical metaphor is the psychological wisdom, soul, the mediator-between, of the ancients. Yup, folks don't know their own, or other's psyches very well, so the result is confusion.
By the way, re 'nose-picking', you had a one-liner last week that was so good that LOL didn't do it justice.
What is the abbreviation for getting snot on the screen?
Science is not in business of validating superstitions and myths
Pope John Paul II said.
Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.
Pope John Paul II