2-16-2019
Outside the Box
I’ve heard that “there is nothing new under the sun”, that Man has not thought or done before. Of course that is not true of new scientific discoveries. Still, as a man, what new creative things can I come up with? I try to have imaginative, original, progressive ideas. Even acting on my own, studying hard, thinking long and hard, I find my writings are very repetitive, limited in innovation, and boring. Maybe I don’t let myself be bold enough? Individuality can be compromised by fear of; censorship from peers, being called out of touch, being misinformed, making mistakes, or just plain looking stupid. You can also be accused of being indiscrete and tactless. Those fears may control the act of freedom to my mind. So I wonder, can I write my thoughts even if highly controversial? Do I even have the intellect, knowledge, and inventiveness to be creative? Can I allow myself to think “outside the box”? Remember that as a layman my “outside the box” is different to the privy of information the specialist have. That makes me naive, but I still have a right to speculate. The following are just thoughts, many things I always wanted to verbalize, and others just old ideas, written to allow myself to freely express speculative ideas. In many ways “outside the box” is just trying to answer questions I have, and being brave enough to just speculate.
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God is much more than Man could ever comprehend. Science reveals a creation so complex and designed it is hard to even guess at an entity capable of such genius. Being alive and human exposes an inferred sense of the wonder of God’s power. The miraculous nature of existence leaves us guessing at God’s divinity. Where would such guesses lead if I could let my mind freely and openly think?
God is the conscious source of energy; the E of E=mc2 that gets matter started, the fires of the Cosmos that light up our night, the gravity that holds us together, and the other forces of nature that shields us from chaos.
Time could be God’s way to limit Man’s arrogance. We are finite and are left vulnerable by life’s brevity. We may not exist long enough to get answers. For those who think Man will eventually have answers, be aware that it most probably won’t happen in your lifetime, or never. Time makes your “for the good of mankind” rather irrelevant. Furthermore, it is seemingly optimistic to think mankind will be around much longer.
The mystery of “life” given by God is matched by the mystery of “everlasting life” given by God through Jesus. What gives us life may be similar to what gives us everlasting life. If we can figure out what life is, may be we can visualize everlasting life better.
God is the Truth, not absolute or provable, but confirmable by the privilege of God’s guidance and your ability to trust your belief. You should recognize this is your truth, relative to you. Take ownership.
Believing in God may be the most important aspect of your life. Everything else vanishes in your death.
The human brain may be the pinnacle of God’s creation, without which, He is nonexistent and incomprehensible to us.
We may be so special that God created everything for us. Certainly, the Bible which describes the great mercy and sacrifice that God made for us seems to indicate so.
Nature or natural forces may be just a scientific word that acknowledges God as the source of creation. They are just unwilling to call it God. God may be the “natural” source of everything.
Things we think of as “natural” like oxygen forming O2 in the atmosphere, or Hydrogen + Oxygen forming water, or other chemistries may also be God’s design. All nature may be designed by God as easily seen in DNA.
Fortunate and lucky coincidences of existence are just God organizing things, an extension of fine tuning necessary for His willful means of creation.
A spiritual God allows God to be everywhere, to know where we are, and be with us. Can a spirit be so big as to encompass a cosmos?
All mystery may lead to who God is. We have no answers. Mystery certainly accents our limited mind and infers an absolute truth beyond us. A truth beyond us sounds like God.
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There are many things I think we forget to realize because we take them for granted or do not see their significance.
A photon, an eye, a brain allow us to “see” God’s creation. This sight helps us know the wonder and awe of our existence. God said, “Let there be light”, not, “let there be gravity”. Light must be special.
DNA is a key for organization and functions of life. It may be the key for abiogenesis, how life began. As DNA may give life, maybe it also can be used for everlasting life after death. It certainly represents a wonder of God’s genius. It could be the tool God uses for speciation.
Consider the role of DNA in stem cells
Making proteins
Controlling life functions
Defining species characteristics
Controlling adaptations
So can you use DNA to design a new species? Can you manipulate DNA to make whatever you want? It would take a God.
Design a better eye
Design better teeth
Design faster muscle responses
Design a bigger, more complex’s brain
The brain is the site for cognition, it may also be the site for the spirit of Man. Is there a physical basis for the spirit, or is the physical a manifestation of a spiritual world? Our life, with it’s memory and identity, may only be preserved as a spirit. We live in a physical world and don’t even know what a spiritual world is, but maybe that is where heaven is and where we will live forever after death.
Our intellect gives humans the ability to conceptualize a God, but something else gives us the ability to believe in God. The brain gives us the ability to discern and maybe helps us to believe. The Bible describes a process besides intellect, referring to a “change of heart”. Perhaps love is involved, and we should not “lean on our own understanding”.
Human intelligence is supplemented by accumulated data and knowledge, the tools and resources of scientific discovery, and an ample time for the age of Man. Our wisdom is still full of holes and shortcomings and is highly overrated by arrogant Man.
Our worldly, human nature parallels the sin of Satan. We crave fame, power, and wealth to make us relevant, better, or godlike. A smarter animal may follow us that can be humble and respect God.
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A mind is very limited and maybe ideas are also limited. I can looked at all these attempts to be innovative and unique, but find that I am still hardly original. I still harbor fears of offending others and myself by trying to free my thoughts “outside the box”. My mind is full so I will still continue on. These are just stronger efforts to use my mind and studies to try to figure out some of the mysteries of existence. Remember these are just thoughts and sometimes wild speculations
God is ruler of a realm, maybe full of others, including gods and angels.
God can do anything, but works by intellect and control, not magic.
God is spiritual, but created a physical cosmos.
God is beyond time and space. The future is controlled because time can be manipulated.
God created humans and gave us sovereignty to make us more interesting. Maybe we are challenging to God? Free will may be because God wants us to come to Him by our own volition.
God is described in the Bible in human terms, so we may not know the true nature of God. Surely God, though described in human terms, is an entity beyond description.
What we think of heaven and hell may be all wrong. Was heaven made for us or is it where God lives? Could heaven be made of dark matter?
The Bible presents God as a Trinity. Because we are so limited, He may be much more and we are not close to understanding. We limit God by the limitation of our mind.
We are described as “clay” and given our arrogance, entirely overrate ourselves. Maybe not believing in God is part of that conceit and makes us feel more important.
We don’t understand the significance of life or death. A conditional everlasting life , given with belief is more confusing. Why is belief so important?
Given another 2-300,000 years, would Man comprehend God better? Maybe knowing the truth of God just takes time.
Trying to give God a name, an image, a gender, and a personality using human concepts may be way off. One name, of God as our Creator, leaves a totally impossible way to effectively imagine or visualize Him.
Is it okay to wonder how big God is? He may be just pure energy, spiritually present everywhere. Can He live in us, be omnipresent, and dwell in Heaven?
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If science can speculate, so can I. A mind is limitless if free. Easy to get crazy with scientific questions.
What could lie outside the boundaries of the Universe? It is only limited because we have limited sight. Could be other universes, or maybe nothing. Maybe as galaxies make up a universe, our “uni”verse is just a small part of a very large “ultra”verse. Like we thought the Milky Way was everything.
Life is just things made animated. The design is beyond us now but may someday be as obvious as DNA and atoms are. It could be just another thing intellectually designed.
Size can be thought of as relative to our size. A fundamental unit may not exist for small, and large is only large because the universe is as far as we can see now. Maybe all size is relative to the viewer. Is there smaller than strings and larger than the cosmos?
Science theories get so wild they lose credibility. The desperate need to vindicate their theories may be founded on their fear of acknowledging God as creator. They will take their theories to their death.
Science is not a belief. It is only humans trying to figure things out. Science formulates “theories” and people formulate “beliefs”. Both theories and beliefs can be compelling but are without concrete evidence. The word Faith does not seem synonymous with belief because of the implication of God in the word Faith.
Science teaches the finality of death without really knowing what death is. “Ashes to ashes” or “stardust to stardust” are just guesses by science. Defining death as the absence of life is shallow if you don’t know what life is.
The complexity science finds in many things defy explanations. Science often ends in an eventual theory but does not try to explain why the complexity exist. Maybe complexity infers that creation is the product of a higher intelligence.
Science still wonders about black holes, inflation, time, gravity, dark matter and energy, abiogenesis, cognition, and many other things. Maybe, without God as an explanation, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle applies to everything, uncertainty!
Science is progressing so rapidly, but because it’s conscience is often controlled by economics and politics, so is the rapid possibility of extinction by climate and war. Likewise, “survival of the fittest” is an immoral concept leading to a vain death. Where do the reasons for a moral compass for science come from? Who is accountable?
Because of the way the specialized sciences isolate themselves, it is hard for them to communicate with unity and a consensus of purpose. Progress is impeded by limited interactions and is further aggravated by the existence of only a few “jack of all trades” type scientist. Why do they tend to believe and trust only other scientist?
Science should not sound so sure of itself. Almost every theory is controversial, and, like the concept of a steady state universe, is subject to change. Is science an arrogant concept?
When unknowns pile up in science, and seemingly contradictory and impossible conditions appear that are necessary for existence, God should be a viable theory. Humans say we don’t know “yet”, but maybe never will with our limited intellect and brief time of existence.
Science needs sound ideas of how life can exist in the hostile exoplanet environments. The statement “could” is hardly satisfactory or rational. Are there alternates to DNA? What other details are necessary? With our perfect conditions, where are other forms of life on Earth based on science’s many statements of “could”?
The ecosystems of nature display a balance that makes life possible and sustains life. Does not the probiotics of earth’s history confirm a system so dynamic and controlled as to be impossible to duplicate? Likewise, the history of natural events (volcanoes, meteorites, climate change, diseases, and extinction events) cannot be duplicated. This infers “life as we know it” is not reproducible and seems so elegantly and purposefully designed.
Maybe all the natural forces of nature are all different forms of the same force? We seem far from understanding forces, especially life force.
Time could have multiple dimensions like String Theory, that are too small to see. If time has only one direction, what does that mean for space/time as in the Theory of Relativity? What would a world without time look like? Is God timeless? Can God turn time on and off? As with gravity, time could be a force that binds the fabric of space together. Do not forget what a very brief moment in time we exist.
Maybe Dark Matter and Dark Energy exist in one of the multiple dimensions of String Theory? Too small to see?
Science has provided a means for “all” to see the second coming of Christ with the 375 day, 24 hour coverage of news. Modern technology seems to help explain an unexplainable prophecy in the Bible. Is there more to come? Will science find heaven? Will a soul in Man, or spiritual world be found? Is there a true “God Spot”?
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Science and religion seem to be at such odds with each other. To speculate on these two together may be helpful to reconcile a Christian that is also a strong advocate of science. They disagree, but both offer no conclusive facts to disprove each other.
God is in control of our scientific discoveries and is now using them to help us better comprehend Him. As we learn more about the genius and seemingly designed nature of creation, God could be realized as the most probable, reasonable, and viable answer to the mysteries of creation. Is there a tool Man could create that can find God?
More scientist may find God as they understand the limitations of human intellect better. Could we be so humble as to acquiesce to a higher power? Maybe we will realize how limited we are as we learn more about the brain of Man?
The Bible may be only the first Word of God given to Man. There may be more to come as Man matures and God wills. Maybe more science in the second.
Maybe Man can learn to be more acceptable to God and be a candidate for change. Can we control our behavior without God’s guidance and help? Would it make a difference?
Is the destiny of Man complete now with our salvation through Jesus? Do the dammed have a chance? Are the end times the end of Man’s history? Will God change our fate? We may be just living in Act one.
We are just one species exercising our mental abilities. To think our existence is random and our survival is just lucky is to short circuit our place in God’s plan of creation. Left to our own resources we would probably be our own demise. God may be our only hope.
Both science and sin promise a false utopia. Are the benefits of a longer, more leisurely, comfortable, and prosperous life offered by science, or the hedonistic pleasures of sin worth it? Even if those benefits only exist for a short time during a relatively brief lifespan? God does offer more, and possibly forever, if we can believe.
Science does not represent people. An individual can have anti-religious views and various differing philosophies. A person represents himself and is accountable to himself for who he is. The same is true for the individual with Faith, but he surrenders his self and is accountable to God.
For a Christian, anti-religious groups represent heretics. Unfortunately, for many scientist, science is a type of “idol” to many of them. In a strict sense anything put before God is an idol. The worship of idols is the most apparent form of heresy.
As the advancements of science reflect a modern world, there is no similar reflection of modern Christian belief. The foundation of Faith is of what happened over 2000 years ago. Where are the wise men of faith that parallel the geniuses of science? Where is the inspiration of God in men that parallels the discoveries of science? Has God said nothing new in response to a new world from 2000 years ago?
In today’s world of the internet, the loudest, richest, more famous voices get heard. This seems to be to the detriment of faith because science seems more interesting and the Christian voice seems to say the same thing over and over. Can God inspire another updated Bible in a clearer language and easier to understand?
Love is an emotion, a behavior, a state of mind, a benevolent part of us, an antagonist to our evil nature, and a mystery. Is it also part of our genetic heritage, in our genes? If God is love does that mean our access or predisposition for true love is through God?
Is the righteousness of God just lucky? As our creator, He is also our Lord. As our judge, He is also our savior. As our Father, He is also someone who unconditionally loves us. He need not be good to be our God, but thankfully He is. His grace is apparent with Jesus, His Son.
It is hard to imagine that God created us as He wanted us to be. However, I’m glad not to be a robot although I’m not sure how “free” my will is?
The Ten Commandments that God gave us may be as natural as the “Laws of Nature. Obedience and consequences infers a fear of God’s authority. Can we both fear and love God?
Would we be able to discern if a new prophet or apostle came to represent God? How could his or her authority be proved? Maybe authorization could be “seen” by the wisdom of words, or miracles, or a definitive sign from God. It can be supposed that even Jesus would not be believed in today’s mass media carnival. Maybe the reason we need no new apostle is because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as our helper, guide, and Counselor.
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These following concepts “outside the box” are a lot of more wilder ideas put together. They are speculations that I allowed my mind to think but not express openly, usually.
E (energy) is used to start everything. The singularity is energy. Energy is the starter, reverses Entropy, the cause. Maybe something does not come from nothing, and quantum fluctuations require Energy.
E=mc2 (mass converted to energy= Atomic bomb). Energy converts. Energy is the beginning of space, time, mass. Energy is invisible and has no mass. A vacuum could be pure energy that even without form can be Dark Matter, causing gravitational effects.
Energy is both the product and cause of the stretching of space. The increased acceleration of space was caused by a threshold in that stretching that released additional energy. Space is a name for that stretched vacuum. This is Dark Energy.
Energy is a force in many forms. Maybe the units of the various forms of energy (kinetic, work, potential, conservation of) can help explain the 1st Law of Thermodynamics. Energy in any form is related.
Gravity- the “Theory of Everything” centers around Energy, not gravity.
“W” force
“Z” force
E/M force
Higgs
Photons
force of nature
force of life (physical and spiritual).
The most beautiful use of Energy is by God (Alpha and Omega, spiritual, intellectual, I AM). Energy creates, is eternal, and is everywhere. God controls all energy. With controlled energy, creation can start.
Eternal life may be the conservation of Energy (1st Law of Thermodynamics). Our life is a physical manifestation of life force. The preservation of our identity and memories is related to the information paradox (never lost).
God created a physical realm. That is our reality. The physical is finite, unlike the infinite spiritual realm. The design of our physical realm reveals the intellect of God.
Love is a force. Jesus is a manifestation of love. The relationship of God to love is God’s control of that force.
The energy of life is like a battery that drives our cells. The process of reproduction multiplies that energy. The unity of an organism is God’s control of our life force.
The relationship of time to energy connects time to space, mass, and gravity. It does not move backward or forward. It is related to the physical realm God created and is always the present.
Light (the Photon) is the creation that let us be in touch with our environment and nature around us. Vision when coupled with intellect is fundamental to human consciousness. Aware, we can “see” God. Light as a wave/particle must have some mass. How does it burst from the interior of a sun and irradiate outward in all directions? How is it’s speed caused and controlled?
The Sun is a nuclear energy source, created for bringing all the energy necessities for life to Earth, starting with photosynthesis and ending with the Kreb Cycle for Man. A nuclear power plant helps exemplify the superior design of God’s suns, compared to Man’s attempts to utilize nuclear energy.
The use of energy to create requires such fine tuning that randomness and a natural cause are not reasonable. The design of creation displays a level of complexity and intelligence unexplained by random and natural cause. A casual relationship for creation is more rationally described by divine influence.
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Throughout a life, the meaning and purpose of life takes on different degrees of importance. As the physical aspects of life diminish more and more, and death approaches, “why” is the greater mystery. Science never answers this and the reason for the existence of “us” is left unanswered. Can we find the truth? Does God make it clear enough for us to possibly understand? What speculations exist for the questions of why we are alive?
The question “why” never really has a concrete answer. It is a guess. Will God let Man know “why” in a comprehensive way? Perhaps the best answer is in the Bible as the Will of God. The question of knowing and understanding “God’s Will” is as problematic as the question “why”, and is often answered with “I don’t know”. There are many reasons to say “I don’t know”.
Maybe we are not smart enough?
Maybe we don’t have enough data?
Maybe everything is too confusing and complex to know?
Maybe we don’t recognize the answer is right before us?
Maybe we’re not asking the right question?
Maybe God doesn’t want us to know?
Maybe someone knows but won’t tell?
Maybe there is no answer?
It may be better we don’t know and that is the way it should be. Mystery is a part of having intellect. Intellect brings on curiosity. Curiosity forces us to seek answers. Since God gave us this intellect, maybe we should trust Him for answers someday. Perhaps mystery is just a way to show us our limitations.
We could be so insignificant that asking “why” makes as much sense as an ant questioning a rain storm. Part of humility is acknowledging our shortcomings.
Wisdom eludes us.
Reason and discernment are lacking.
Our arrogance blinds us to reality.
Our limited intelligence leads to a dead end.
“Alive” may be a misunderstood term to describe ourselves. Life may be improperly defined. It may be more than our animated self, but also an undefined, unidentifiable part of our identity. We may be created in both the body and soul. Death may only be related to the end of life of our finite physical body. The soul may live on with the potential of eternity.
Our bodies are such a small part of the vastness of matter in the cosmos. The reality of the present that we live our short, finite life in, is insignificant in contrast to the age of the cosmos. Still our small, weak voice is heard because God is so great, not us. We know we are special and loved because God sent Jesus, His Son to save us from ourselves. Life has meaning, maybe only because of God.
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Getting wilder still. Maybe not speculations, but more like fantasies.
Would if God is not a magician, but more like our picture of a “mad scientist” (not in a derogatory way). He would be like a genius tinkering with His creation. He is a God, outside time, making “us”. He may not control nature, but is nature. That would mean nature moves with intellect and motive (this is natural selection by God).
Need trillions and trillions of planets to get a perfect one for life, and us.
Need many species to make one like a human. Humans may be the pinnacle of God’s creation, at least for now.
Need many environmental and historic events to create and control man’s destiny.
A volcano changes Earth’s temperature.
An asteroid wipes out the dinosaurs and gives mammals and humans an environment to survive and flourish in.
A war gives the Israelites a home.
A nation develops a process to crucify Jesus.
Continuous manipulations of supernova and nebula finally results in an elemental makeup that can produce life, as God wants it.
An intellect is created that gives a consciousness to humans. That intellect allows awareness of God and dominion over the world. Consciousness is superior intellect, exemplified by God’s ultimate creation, us.
Would if there are many other Gods. Not for us because we are told to worship the “one” God, our creator. In God’s realm, the kingdom of Heaven, we get a picture of an existence entirely beyond our reality. Our imagination can envision other God-like entities in this kingdom. The Bible is not clear on this point. Specifically God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son of God, are described as our “Lord”.
Would if God is something way beyond our ability to comprehend. Are there dimensions invisible to us, like the spiritual realm the Bible describes, but more? What could be the design of pure intellect and power? Could we just happen to be in the one of the trillions and trillions of universes that have a God (like the “anything is possible multiverse”)? Our brain is too limited to even begin to understand reality and truth.
Looking at the grandeur of what is around us, do we think way too highly of ourselves? The Savant Syndrome infers unbelievable potential of our brain. The geniuses in human history make normalcy a meek, humble perspective on Man’s intellectual potential. The vast physiology of the brain displays an unfantomable complexity. Still we comprehend little and have more questions than answers. How much we don’t know should humble us. Maybe the brain isn’t a key to intelligence?
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Getting outside the box is more than speculations of data and evidence. The mind builds “worlds” for you that are wishes and fantasies. They can be alternate realities, wild dreams, or visions of wished for truths. While I am surrounded by unknown, seemingly “impossibles”, I persevere by “possibilities”. A world can be speculated that is an accumulation of many speculative insights that together create a separate reality. Mystery and questions are answered by assumptions that can bring hope of better solutions for the many “I don’t knows” of science and the Bible. It is a world of my imagination.
Life and the design of Man is only explainable by speculations. The mystery is so vast that even human intellect falls short of comprehension. Putting God as the source is just a start to “outside the box”. What our minds can grasp with progressing data are a beginning of a possible ability to “see” the truth and magnitude of God through His creation. To believe in God is a start. To let your mind fill in questions is a fearful process that hinders “outside the box” thoughts. However, as fearful as it is to think of possibilities in relationship to God, it is the freedom I am giving myself.
One speculation involves Man’s relationship to God.
INTENT? Everything is created by God for me (Man).
I am like no other. God does not act randomly. Matter and elements were created in precise abundance’s and ratios so I can exist. The occurrences of cosmic events were not natural, but purposeful plans of creation. To make a perfect home for me, trillions, upon trillions of planets were created so my one perfect Earth would exist. Nature provided weather, volcanoes, meteors, extinctions (mass and otherwise), etc. to accommodate specific speciation leading to me. It was not accidental, lucky, coincidental, or fortunate that complex factors, like DNA, persisted with the versatility and viability to survive the environmental stress necessary for life and me. The control and balance of nature is so incredible and incomprehensively broad that it cannot be duplicated, which is what makes everything so valuable. Life is unique and specific to our world. The tools that were implemented and designed for us are not natural. We are the product of an evolving, designed creation, not evolution. God made it so, which adds to our specialness.
God is alive, existing in some form, someplace, with control and cognition beyond our imagination. What we “see”, understand, and believe in our physical existence infers a God of such power that even the Bible may fall short of reality. Who can create a Big Bang and envision a Man as a product on the other end? How can God make this happen? The complex manipulations necessary for us is a testimony to the magnitude of God’s power. An abbreviated list of some of these manipulations defining existence are as follows:
A singularity (?) formed and expanded that creates everything. Space, time, matter, light, suns, galaxies, etc., are brought into being for a cosmos.
Timely processes, events, and nature establish the conditions for Man.
Life, functionally programmed by DNA, is somehow developed on our specially formed planet.
Many forms of life come and go throughout the history of Earth, leading to the pinnacle of creation, us.
Human consciousness leads us to revelation of the specialness and purpose of our life.
God made me alive and conscious. I am the pinnacle of design. I am created unique and with autonomy. I am a privileged person. Above all other life as I know it, I am superior. I reason and discern. I am curious and seek. I read and study. I am created to be able to marvel and believe in God. I am the artistic, animated product of genius
SPIRITUAL WORLD? God has a plan for me.
God created a physical world, but lives in an invisible spiritual world. Our soul represents the unity we have with God, made in His image. The soul is an eternal part of us. It is devoid of material needs. We live in a practical physical world, but find eternity in an abstract spiritual world. We are a finite speck in the physical world, but are given the privilege of the spiritual existence that is infinite and omnipresent. Our temporary physical life pales in comparison with the promise of our eternal spiritual rebirth after death. While we are wrapped up with what we “see”, the relevance of life is in joining God in His world. In a spiritual state we can be infinite and with God.
I see incomprehensibly “where” and “who” I am. The rest of me is defined by my Creator. God made me so special as to be beyond His physical creation. It is the essence of the purpose to my life. The meaning to life is to “find” a truth to my reality within the brief, limited span of my physical existence, before death. The Bible reveals a plan offering me the opportunity to be with Him through my belief in His son, Jesus. I can believe in spite of my human, physical predispositions. Maybe, only with His help. Belief in a non proven spiritual world is a concession to reason. Spirituality is enforced in a mind that God has made open to believe. God leads us through the pitfalls of indecision, inability to commit, doubts, fear, insecurities, contradictory influences, and temptations to a place where the Holy Spirit can work in us. It is our soul and God’s Spirit that bring us to Christianity.
DESTINY? I am responsible for myself.
God gave me my brain. It is a gift. With this brain, Man decides his destiny. We are given the free will to chose. Left to ourselves, we cannot get beyond ourselves. We fail to meet God’s criteria of righteousness. Our human nature fails. God intervenes and gives us opportunity to find Him, in spite of ourselves. The door is open for us to walk through, but we must take the step. Righteousness is obtain through belief in Jesus as the Son of God. We must walk the narrow path. God will help.
My will can be freely given as surrender to God’s Lordship. The brain within me gives me the capability to reason, discern, and chose. It is how God made me. I have been given autonomy within the limits of my intellect.
God reveals a moral compass. Disobedience to God is sin. Sin is punishable by death. God sets the rules and demands obedience and faith.
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I have been told that expressing my thoughts as “outside the box” could be dangerous. Speculations that are not wholly Biblical can be heresy to some who study the Bible and have set, stringent feelings about the Word of God. The Bible is the foundation of my Faith but it does leave me with a multitude of questions. I think that I can easily maintain my belief and still address the “I don’t know” or “understand” the many mysteries of God. It is the very mystery of God that leads my attempts to speculate. As “The heavens proclaim the glory of God” and “Man is without excuse”, I feel that God is much more that even the Bible describes.
God gave me a brain, and to not use it is problematic to me. I think that the “surrender” that the Bible demands is not of intellect, but of the arrogance (folly) of Man. I seek, read, and study to alleviate my innate curiosity. I find that my journey to “find” (knock) answers was revealed in the truth of Jesus.
I wonder about who and why I am. I have been writing my thoughts since 24 years old. For some reason, I have always had a passion for science and have actively pursued answers to my Christianity. “Outside the Box” is an attempt to see where my ideas lead, if I have ideas, and can I effectively write them. It is a work in progress that I don’t know where it will lead.
I am secure with my Christian faith and understand it as a gift from God. My wild speculations are not to promote advocacy. There are certainly enough Christians with various “ideas” from their studies. Also, I don’t think anyone will read my writings, but even so, I feel compelled to write, and pray for God’s guidance. I am now 78 years old and hope my life has purpose for God. I know my thoughts are controversial, but I hope it can be a good thing to try to see God in such a wondrous way.
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2-16-2019
Outside the Box
I’ve heard that “there is nothing new under the sun”, that Man has not thought or done before. Of course that is not true of new scientific discoveries. Still, as a man, what new creative things can I come up with? I try to have imaginative, original, progressive ideas. Even acting on my own, studying hard, thinking long and hard, I find my writings are very repetitive, limited in innovation, and boring. Maybe I don’t let myself be bold enough? Individuality can be compromised by fear of; censorship from peers, being called out of touch, being misinformed, making mistakes, or just plain looking stupid. You can also be accused of being indiscrete and tactless. Those fears may control the act of freedom to my mind. So I wonder, can I write my thoughts even if highly controversial? Do I even have the intellect, knowledge, and inventiveness to be creative? Can I allow myself to think “outside the box”? Remember that as a layman my “outside the box” is different to the privy of information the specialist have. That makes me naive, but I still have a right to speculate. The following are just thoughts, many things I always wanted to verbalize, and others just old ideas, written to allow myself to freely express speculative ideas. In many ways “outside the box” is just trying to answer questions I have, and being brave enough to just speculate.
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God is much more than Man could ever comprehend. Science reveals a creation so complex and designed it is hard to even guess at an entity capable of such genius. Being alive and human exposes an inferred sense of the wonder of God’s power. The miraculous nature of existence leaves us guessing at God’s divinity. Where would such guesses lead if I could let my mind freely and openly think?
God is the conscious source of energy; the E of E=mc2 that gets matter started, the fires of the Cosmos that light up our night, the gravity that holds us together, and the other forces of nature that shields us from chaos.
Time could be God’s way to limit Man’s arrogance. We are finite and are left vulnerable by life’s brevity. We may not exist long enough to get answers. For those who think Man will eventually have answers, be aware that it most probably won’t happen in your lifetime, or never. Time makes your “for the good of mankind” rather irrelevant. Furthermore, it is seemingly optimistic to think mankind will be around much longer.
The mystery of “life” given by God is matched by the mystery of “everlasting life” given by God through Jesus. What gives us life may be similar to what gives us everlasting life. If we can figure out what life is, may be we can visualize everlasting life better.
God is the Truth, not absolute or provable, but confirmable by the privilege of God’s guidance and your ability to trust your belief. You should recognize this is your truth, relative to you. Take ownership.
Believing in God may be the most important aspect of your life. Everything else vanishes in your death.
The human brain may be the pinnacle of God’s creation, without which, He is nonexistent and incomprehensible to us.
We may be so special that God created everything for us. Certainly, the Bible which describes the great mercy and sacrifice that God made for us seems to indicate so.
Nature or natural forces may be just a scientific word that acknowledges God as the source of creation. They are just unwilling to call it God. God may be the “natural” source of everything.
Things we think of as “natural” like oxygen forming O2 in the atmosphere, or Hydrogen + Oxygen forming water, or other chemistries may also be God’s design. All nature may be designed by God as easily seen in DNA.
Fortunate and lucky coincidences of existence are just God organizing things, an extension of fine tuning necessary for His willful means of creation.
A spiritual God allows God to be everywhere, to know where we are, and be with us. Can a spirit be so big as to encompass a cosmos?
All mystery may lead to who God is. We have no answers. Mystery certainly accents our limited mind and infers an absolute truth beyond us. A truth beyond us sounds like God.
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There are many things I think we forget to realize because we take them for granted or do not see their significance.
A photon, an eye, a brain allow us to “see” God’s creation. This sight helps us know the wonder and awe of our existence. God said, “Let there be light”, not, “let there be gravity”. Light must be special.
DNA is a key for organization and functions of life. It may be the key for abiogenesis, how life began. As DNA may give life, maybe it also can be used for everlasting life after death. It certainly represents a wonder of God’s genius. It could be the tool God uses for speciation.
Consider the role of DNA in stem cells
Making proteins
Controlling life functions
Defining species characteristics
Controlling adaptations
So can you use DNA to design a new species? Can you manipulate DNA to make whatever you want? It would take a God.
Design a better eye
Design better teeth
Design faster muscle responses
Design a bigger, more complex’s brain
The brain is the site for cognition, it may also be the site for the spirit of Man. Is there a physical basis for the spirit, or is the physical a manifestation of a spiritual world? Our life, with it’s memory and identity, may only be preserved as a spirit. We live in a physical world and don’t even know what a spiritual world is, but maybe that is where heaven is and where we will live forever after death.
Our intellect gives humans the ability to conceptualize a God, but something else gives us the ability to believe in God. The brain gives us the ability to discern and maybe helps us to believe. The Bible describes a process besides intellect, referring to a “change of heart”. Perhaps love is involved, and we should not “lean on our own understanding”.
Human intelligence is supplemented by accumulated data and knowledge, the tools and resources of scientific discovery, and an ample time for the age of Man. Our wisdom is still full of holes and shortcomings and is highly overrated by arrogant Man.
Our worldly, human nature parallels the sin of Satan. We crave fame, power, and wealth to make us relevant, better, or godlike. A smarter animal may follow us that can be humble and respect God.
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A mind is very limited and maybe ideas are also limited. I can looked at all these attempts to be innovative and unique, but find that I am still hardly original. I still harbor fears of offending others and myself by trying to free my thoughts “outside the box”. My mind is full so I will still continue on. These are just stronger efforts to use my mind and studies to try to figure out some of the mysteries of existence. Remember these are just thoughts and sometimes wild speculations
God is ruler of a realm, maybe full of others, including gods and angels.
God can do anything, but works by intellect and control, not magic.
God is spiritual, but created a physical cosmos.
God is beyond time and space. The future is controlled because time can be manipulated.
God created humans and gave us sovereignty to make us more interesting. Maybe we are challenging to God? Free will may be because God wants us to come to Him by our own volition.
God is described in the Bible in human terms, so we may not know the true nature of God. Surely God, though described in human terms, is an entity beyond description.
What we think of heaven and hell may be all wrong. Was heaven made for us or is it where God lives? Could heaven be made of dark matter?
The Bible presents God as a Trinity. Because we are so limited, He may be much more and we are not close to understanding. We limit God by the limitation of our mind.
We are described as “clay” and given our arrogance, entirely overrate ourselves. Maybe not believing in God is part of that conceit and makes us feel more important.
We don’t understand the significance of life or death. A conditional everlasting life , given with belief is more confusing. Why is belief so important?
Given another 2-300,000 years, would Man comprehend God better? Maybe knowing the truth of God just takes time.
Trying to give God a name, an image, a gender, and a personality using human concepts may be way off. One name, of God as our Creator, leaves a totally impossible way to effectively imagine or visualize Him.
Is it okay to wonder how big God is? He may be just pure energy, spiritually present everywhere. Can He live in us, be omnipresent, and dwell in Heaven?
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If science can speculate, so can I. A mind is limitless if free. Easy to get crazy with scientific questions.
What could lie outside the boundaries of the Universe? It is only limited because we have limited sight. Could be other universes, or maybe nothing. Maybe as galaxies make up a universe, our “uni”verse is just a small part of a very large “ultra”verse. Like we thought the Milky Way was everything.
Life is just things made animated. The design is beyond us now but may someday be as obvious as DNA and atoms are. It could be just another thing intellectually designed.
Size can be thought of as relative to our size. A fundamental unit may not exist for small, and large is only large because the universe is as far as we can see now. Maybe all size is relative to the viewer. Is there smaller than strings and larger than the cosmos?
Science theories get so wild they lose credibility. The desperate need to vindicate their theories may be founded on their fear of acknowledging God as creator. They will take their theories to their death.
Science is not a belief. It is only humans trying to figure things out. Science formulates “theories” and people formulate “beliefs”. Both theories and beliefs can be compelling but are without concrete evidence. The word Faith does not seem synonymous with belief because of the implication of God in the word Faith.
Science teaches the finality of death without really knowing what death is. “Ashes to ashes” or “stardust to stardust” are just guesses by science. Defining death as the absence of life is shallow if you don’t know what life is.
The complexity science finds in many things defy explanations. Science often ends in an eventual theory but does not try to explain why the complexity exist. Maybe complexity infers that creation is the product of a higher intelligence.
Science still wonders about black holes, inflation, time, gravity, dark matter and energy, abiogenesis, cognition, and many other things. Maybe, without God as an explanation, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle applies to everything, uncertainty!
Science is progressing so rapidly, but because it’s conscience is often controlled by economics and politics, so is the rapid possibility of extinction by climate and war. Likewise, “survival of the fittest” is an immoral concept leading to a vain death. Where do the reasons for a moral compass for science come from? Who is accountable?
Because of the way the specialized sciences isolate themselves, it is hard for them to communicate with unity and a consensus of purpose. Progress is impeded by limited interactions and is further aggravated by the existence of only a few “jack of all trades” type scientist. Why do they tend to believe and trust only other scientist?
Science should not sound so sure of itself. Almost every theory is controversial, and, like the concept of a steady state universe, is subject to change. Is science an arrogant concept?
When unknowns pile up in science, and seemingly contradictory and impossible conditions appear that are necessary for existence, God should be a viable theory. Humans say we don’t know “yet”, but maybe never will with our limited intellect and brief time of existence.
Science needs sound ideas of how life can exist in the hostile exoplanet environments. The statement “could” is hardly satisfactory or rational. Are there alternates to DNA? What other details are necessary? With our perfect conditions, where are other forms of life on Earth based on science’s many statements of “could”?
The ecosystems of nature display a balance that makes life possible and sustains life. Does not the probiotics of earth’s history confirm a system so dynamic and controlled as to be impossible to duplicate? Likewise, the history of natural events (volcanoes, meteorites, climate change, diseases, and extinction events) cannot be duplicated. This infers “life as we know it” is not reproducible and seems so elegantly and purposefully designed.
Maybe all the natural forces of nature are all different forms of the same force? We seem far from understanding forces, especially life force.
Time could have multiple dimensions like String Theory, that are too small to see. If time has only one direction, what does that mean for space/time as in the Theory of Relativity? What would a world without time look like? Is God timeless? Can God turn time on and off? As with gravity, time could be a force that binds the fabric of space together. Do not forget what a very brief moment in time we exist.
Maybe Dark Matter and Dark Energy exist in one of the multiple dimensions of String Theory? Too small to see?
Science has provided a means for “all” to see the second coming of Christ with the 375 day, 24 hour coverage of news. Modern technology seems to help explain an unexplainable prophecy in the Bible. Is there more to come? Will science find heaven? Will a soul in Man, or spiritual world be found? Is there a true “God Spot”?
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Science and religion seem to be at such odds with each other. To speculate on these two together may be helpful to reconcile a Christian that is also a strong advocate of science. They disagree, but both offer no conclusive facts to disprove each other.
God is in control of our scientific discoveries and is now using them to help us better comprehend Him. As we learn more about the genius and seemingly designed nature of creation, God could be realized as the most probable, reasonable, and viable answer to the mysteries of creation. Is there a tool Man could create that can find God?
More scientist may find God as they understand the limitations of human intellect better. Could we be so humble as to acquiesce to a higher power? Maybe we will realize how limited we are as we learn more about the brain of Man?
The Bible may be only the first Word of God given to Man. There may be more to come as Man matures and God wills. Maybe more science in the second.
Maybe Man can learn to be more acceptable to God and be a candidate for change. Can we control our behavior without God’s guidance and help? Would it make a difference?
Is the destiny of Man complete now with our salvation through Jesus? Do the dammed have a chance? Are the end times the end of Man’s history? Will God change our fate? We may be just living in Act one.
We are just one species exercising our mental abilities. To think our existence is random and our survival is just lucky is to short circuit our place in God’s plan of creation. Left to our own resources we would probably be our own demise. God may be our only hope.
Both science and sin promise a false utopia. Are the benefits of a longer, more leisurely, comfortable, and prosperous life offered by science, or the hedonistic pleasures of sin worth it? Even if those benefits only exist for a short time during a relatively brief lifespan? God does offer more, and possibly forever, if we can believe.
Science does not represent people. An individual can have anti-religious views and various differing philosophies. A person represents himself and is accountable to himself for who he is. The same is true for the individual with Faith, but he surrenders his self and is accountable to God.
For a Christian, anti-religious groups represent heretics. Unfortunately, for many scientist, science is a type of “idol” to many of them. In a strict sense anything put before God is an idol. The worship of idols is the most apparent form of heresy.
As the advancements of science reflect a modern world, there is no similar reflection of modern Christian belief. The foundation of Faith is of what happened over 2000 years ago. Where are the wise men of faith that parallel the geniuses of science? Where is the inspiration of God in men that parallels the discoveries of science? Has God said nothing new in response to a new world from 2000 years ago?
In today’s world of the internet, the loudest, richest, more famous voices get heard. This seems to be to the detriment of faith because science seems more interesting and the Christian voice seems to say the same thing over and over. Can God inspire another updated Bible in a clearer language and easier to understand?
Love is an emotion, a behavior, a state of mind, a benevolent part of us, an antagonist to our evil nature, and a mystery. Is it also part of our genetic heritage, in our genes? If God is love does that mean our access or predisposition for true love is through God?
Is the righteousness of God just lucky? As our creator, He is also our Lord. As our judge, He is also our savior. As our Father, He is also someone who unconditionally loves us. He need not be good to be our God, but thankfully He is. His grace is apparent with Jesus, His Son.
It is hard to imagine that God created us as He wanted us to be. However, I’m glad not to be a robot although I’m not sure how “free” my will is?
The Ten Commandments that God gave us may be as natural as the “Laws of Nature. Obedience and consequences infers a fear of God’s authority. Can we both fear and love God?
Would we be able to discern if a new prophet or apostle came to represent God? How could his or her authority be proved? Maybe authorization could be “seen” by the wisdom of words, or miracles, or a definitive sign from God. It can be supposed that even Jesus would not be believed in today’s mass media carnival. Maybe the reason we need no new apostle is because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as our helper, guide, and Counselor.
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These following concepts “outside the box” are a lot of more wilder ideas put together. They are speculations that I allowed my mind to think but not express openly, usually.
E (energy) is used to start everything. The singularity is energy. Energy is the starter, reverses Entropy, the cause. Maybe something does not come from nothing, and quantum fluctuations require Energy.
E=mc2 (mass converted to energy= Atomic bomb). Energy converts. Energy is the beginning of space, time, mass. Energy is invisible and has no mass. A vacuum could be pure energy that even without form can be Dark Matter, causing gravitational effects.
Energy is both the product and cause of the stretching of space. The increased acceleration of space was caused by a threshold in that stretching that released additional energy. Space is a name for that stretched vacuum. This is Dark Energy.
Energy is a force in many forms. Maybe the units of the various forms of energy (kinetic, work, potential, conservation of) can help explain the 1st Law of Thermodynamics. Energy in any form is related.
Gravity- the “Theory of Everything” centers around Energy, not gravity.
“W” force
“Z” force
E/M force
Higgs
Photons
force of nature
force of life (physical and spiritual).
The most beautiful use of Energy is by God (Alpha and Omega, spiritual, intellectual, I AM). Energy creates, is eternal, and is everywhere. God controls all energy. With controlled energy, creation can start.
Eternal life may be the conservation of Energy (1st Law of Thermodynamics). Our life is a physical manifestation of life force. The preservation of our identity and memories is related to the information paradox (never lost).
God created a physical realm. That is our reality. The physical is finite, unlike the infinite spiritual realm. The design of our physical realm reveals the intellect of God.
Love is a force. Jesus is a manifestation of love. The relationship of God to love is God’s control of that force.
The energy of life is like a battery that drives our cells. The process of reproduction multiplies that energy. The unity of an organism is God’s control of our life force.
The relationship of time to energy connects time to space, mass, and gravity. It does not move backward or forward. It is related to the physical realm God created and is always the present.
Light (the Photon) is the creation that let us be in touch with our environment and nature around us. Vision when coupled with intellect is fundamental to human consciousness. Aware, we can “see” God. Light as a wave/particle must have some mass. How does it burst from the interior of a sun and irradiate outward in all directions? How is it’s speed caused and controlled?
The Sun is a nuclear energy source, created for bringing all the energy necessities for life to Earth, starting with photosynthesis and ending with the Kreb Cycle for Man. A nuclear power plant helps exemplify the superior design of God’s suns, compared to Man’s attempts to utilize nuclear energy.
The use of energy to create requires such fine tuning that randomness and a natural cause are not reasonable. The design of creation displays a level of complexity and intelligence unexplained by random and natural cause. A casual relationship for creation is more rationally described by divine influence.
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Throughout a life, the meaning and purpose of life takes on different degrees of importance. As the physical aspects of life diminish more and more, and death approaches, “why” is the greater mystery. Science never answers this and the reason for the existence of “us” is left unanswered. Can we find the truth? Does God make it clear enough for us to possibly understand? What speculations exist for the questions of why we are alive?
The question “why” never really has a concrete answer. It is a guess. Will God let Man know “why” in a comprehensive way? Perhaps the best answer is in the Bible as the Will of God. The question of knowing and understanding “God’s Will” is as problematic as the question “why”, and is often answered with “I don’t know”. There are many reasons to say “I don’t know”.
Maybe we are not smart enough?
Maybe we don’t have enough data?
Maybe everything is too confusing and complex to know?
Maybe we don’t recognize the answer is right before us?
Maybe we’re not asking the right question?
Maybe God doesn’t want us to know?
Maybe someone knows but won’t tell?
Maybe there is no answer?
It may be better we don’t know and that is the way it should be. Mystery is a part of having intellect. Intellect brings on curiosity. Curiosity forces us to seek answers. Since God gave us this intellect, maybe we should trust Him for answers someday. Perhaps mystery is just a way to show us our limitations.
We could be so insignificant that asking “why” makes as much sense as an ant questioning a rain storm. Part of humility is acknowledging our shortcomings.
Wisdom eludes us.
Reason and discernment are lacking.
Our arrogance blinds us to reality.
Our limited intelligence leads to a dead end.
“Alive” may be a misunderstood term to describe ourselves. Life may be improperly defined. It may be more than our animated self, but also an undefined, unidentifiable part of our identity. We may be created in both the body and soul. Death may only be related to the end of life of our finite physical body. The soul may live on with the potential of eternity.
Our bodies are such a small part of the vastness of matter in the cosmos. The reality of the present that we live our short, finite life in, is insignificant in contrast to the age of the cosmos. Still our small, weak voice is heard because God is so great, not us. We know we are special and loved because God sent Jesus, His Son to save us from ourselves. Life has meaning, maybe only because of God.
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Getting wilder still. Maybe not speculations, but more like fantasies.
Would if God is not a magician, but more like our picture of a “mad scientist” (not in a derogatory way). He would be like a genius tinkering with His creation. He is a God, outside time, making “us”. He may not control nature, but is nature. That would mean nature moves with intellect and motive (this is natural selection by God).
Need trillions and trillions of planets to get a perfect one for life, and us.
Need many species to make one like a human. Humans may be the pinnacle of God’s creation, at least for now.
Need many environmental and historic events to create and control man’s destiny.
A volcano changes Earth’s temperature.
An asteroid wipes out the dinosaurs and gives mammals and humans an environment to survive and flourish in.
A war gives the Israelites a home.
A nation develops a process to crucify Jesus.
Continuous manipulations of supernova and nebula finally results in an elemental makeup that can produce life, as God wants it.
An intellect is created that gives a consciousness to humans. That intellect allows awareness of God and dominion over the world. Consciousness is superior intellect, exemplified by God’s ultimate creation, us.
Would if there are many other Gods. Not for us because we are told to worship the “one” God, our creator. In God’s realm, the kingdom of Heaven, we get a picture of an existence entirely beyond our reality. Our imagination can envision other God-like entities in this kingdom. The Bible is not clear on this point. Specifically God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son of God, are described as our “Lord”.
Would if God is something way beyond our ability to comprehend. Are there dimensions invisible to us, like the spiritual realm the Bible describes, but more? What could be the design of pure intellect and power? Could we just happen to be in the one of the trillions and trillions of universes that have a God (like the “anything is possible multiverse”)? Our brain is too limited to even begin to understand reality and truth.
Looking at the grandeur of what is around us, do we think way too highly of ourselves? The Savant Syndrome infers unbelievable potential of our brain. The geniuses in human history make normalcy a meek, humble perspective on Man’s intellectual potential. The vast physiology of the brain displays an unfantomable complexity. Still we comprehend little and have more questions than answers. How much we don’t know should humble us. Maybe the brain isn’t a key to intelligence?
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Getting outside the box is more than speculations of data and evidence. The mind builds “worlds” for you that are wishes and fantasies. They can be alternate realities, wild dreams, or visions of wished for truths. While I am surrounded by unknown, seemingly “impossibles”, I persevere by “possibilities”. A world can be speculated that is an accumulation of many speculative insights that together create a separate reality. Mystery and questions are answered by assumptions that can bring hope of better solutions for the many “I don’t knows” of science and the Bible. It is a world of my imagination.
Life and the design of Man is only explainable by speculations. The mystery is so vast that even human intellect falls short of comprehension. Putting God as the source is just a start to “outside the box”. What our minds can grasp with progressing data are a beginning of a possible ability to “see” the truth and magnitude of God through His creation. To believe in God is a start. To let your mind fill in questions is a fearful process that hinders “outside the box” thoughts. However, as fearful as it is to think of possibilities in relationship to God, it is the freedom I am giving myself.
One speculation involves Man’s relationship to God.
INTENT? Everything is created by God for me (Man).
I am like no other. God does not act randomly. Matter and elements were created in precise abundance’s and ratios so I can exist. The occurrences of cosmic events were not natural, but purposeful plans of creation. To make a perfect home for me, trillions, upon trillions of planets were created so my one perfect Earth would exist. Nature provided weather, volcanoes, meteors, extinctions (mass and otherwise), etc. to accommodate specific speciation leading to me. It was not accidental, lucky, coincidental, or fortunate that complex factors, like DNA, persisted with the versatility and viability to survive the environmental stress necessary for life and me. The control and balance of nature is so incredible and incomprehensively broad that it cannot be duplicated, which is what makes everything so valuable. Life is unique and specific to our world. The tools that were implemented and designed for us are not natural. We are the product of an evolving, designed creation, not evolution. God made it so, which adds to our specialness.
God is alive, existing in some form, someplace, with control and cognition beyond our imagination. What we “see”, understand, and believe in our physical existence infers a God of such power that even the Bible may fall short of reality. Who can create a Big Bang and envision a Man as a product on the other end? How can God make this happen? The complex manipulations necessary for us is a testimony to the magnitude of God’s power. An abbreviated list of some of these manipulations defining existence are as follows:
A singularity (?) formed and expanded that creates everything. Space, time, matter, light, suns, galaxies, etc., are brought into being for a cosmos.
Timely processes, events, and nature establish the conditions for Man.
Life, functionally programmed by DNA, is somehow developed on our specially formed planet.
Many forms of life come and go throughout the history of Earth, leading to the pinnacle of creation, us.
Human consciousness leads us to revelation of the specialness and purpose of our life.
God made me alive and conscious. I am the pinnacle of design. I am created unique and with autonomy. I am a privileged person. Above all other life as I know it, I am superior. I reason and discern. I am curious and seek. I read and study. I am created to be able to marvel and believe in God. I am the artistic, animated product of genius
SPIRITUAL WORLD? God has a plan for me.
God created a physical world, but lives in an invisible spiritual world. Our soul represents the unity we have with God, made in His image. The soul is an eternal part of us. It is devoid of material needs. We live in a practical physical world, but find eternity in an abstract spiritual world. We are a finite speck in the physical world, but are given the privilege of the spiritual existence that is infinite and omnipresent. Our temporary physical life pales in comparison with the promise of our eternal spiritual rebirth after death. While we are wrapped up with what we “see”, the relevance of life is in joining God in His world. In a spiritual state we can be infinite and with God.
I see incomprehensibly “where” and “who” I am. The rest of me is defined by my Creator. God made me so special as to be beyond His physical creation. It is the essence of the purpose to my life. The meaning to life is to “find” a truth to my reality within the brief, limited span of my physical existence, before death. The Bible reveals a plan offering me the opportunity to be with Him through my belief in His son, Jesus. I can believe in spite of my human, physical predispositions. Maybe, only with His help. Belief in a non proven spiritual world is a concession to reason. Spirituality is enforced in a mind that God has made open to believe. God leads us through the pitfalls of indecision, inability to commit, doubts, fear, insecurities, contradictory influences, and temptations to a place where the Holy Spirit can work in us. It is our soul and God’s Spirit that bring us to Christianity.
DESTINY? I am responsible for myself.
God gave me my brain. It is a gift. With this brain, Man decides his destiny. We are given the free will to chose. Left to ourselves, we cannot get beyond ourselves. We fail to meet God’s criteria of righteousness. Our human nature fails. God intervenes and gives us opportunity to find Him, in spite of ourselves. The door is open for us to walk through, but we must take the step. Righteousness is obtain through belief in Jesus as the Son of God. We must walk the narrow path. God will help.
My will can be freely given as surrender to God’s Lordship. The brain within me gives me the capability to reason, discern, and chose. It is how God made me. I have been given autonomy within the limits of my intellect.
God reveals a moral compass. Disobedience to God is sin. Sin is punishable by death. God sets the rules and demands obedience and faith.
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I have been told that expressing my thoughts as “outside the box” could be dangerous. Speculations that are not wholly Biblical can be heresy to some who study the Bible and have set, stringent feelings about the Word of God. The Bible is the foundation of my Faith but it does leave me with a multitude of questions. I think that I can easily maintain my belief and still address the “I don’t know” or “understand” the many mysteries of God. It is the very mystery of God that leads my attempts to speculate. As “The heavens proclaim the glory of God” and “Man is without excuse”, I feel that God is much more that even the Bible describes.
God gave me a brain, and to not use it is problematic to me. I think that the “surrender” that the Bible demands is not of intellect, but of the arrogance (folly) of Man. I seek, read, and study to alleviate my innate curiosity. I find that my journey to “find” (knock) answers was revealed in the truth of Jesus.
I wonder about who and why I am. I have been writing my thoughts since 24 years old. For some reason, I have always had a passion for science and have actively pursued answers to my Christianity. “Outside the Box” is an attempt to see where my ideas lead, if I have ideas, and can I effectively write them. It is a work in progress that I don’t know where it will lead.
I am secure with my Christian faith and understand it as a gift from God. My wild speculations are not to promote advocacy. There are certainly enough Christians with various “ideas” from their studies. Also, I don’t think anyone will read my writings, but even so, I feel compelled to write, and pray for God’s guidance. I am now 78 years old and hope my life has purpose for God. I know my thoughts are controversial, but I hope it can be a good thing to try to see God in such a wondrous way.
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