'if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.'
id like to know who else is in a similar circumstance - i find myself in a curious position. allow me to explain...
i am a desciple of jesus, i am also a man of science. i find myself increasingly isolated from both sides through closed-minded bigotry. the following represents just a tiny fraction of my knowledge and belief which i have been searching for virtually my whole life, and will continue to do for the rest of it.
for example, i find myself arguing with religious fanatics who will not except the age of the earth as 4.5 billion years, nor the theory of evolution... then i must be challenged to 'prove' go exists and that genesis doesnt contradict cosmological models of our universe.
why do these people lead lives of such closed-mindedness? why is it so hard for them to accept that greater understanding of both leads us into the same conclusions? it sometimes seems to me that there exists this division just for the sake of their personal human pride, which speaking theologically and psychologically is sinful.
i understand perfectly the principal of free-will, or as it is worded by the bma autonomy. humans do indeed have the right to accept or deny. this power is given to them from above - it is there trough divine will.
the most amazing things is whilst it is sometimes those of low knowledge it is more often those of low intelligence or low patience (which isnt intended as a slur), but always of those who do not see their own faith.
everything i have ever learned in science confirms gods presence. i dont just believe theres a god i know god exists. the worst part is the prejudice from other christians is often worst than that of the athiests (who often claim to believe in science or evolution, though when one delves they often have either an extremely poor understanding of it or its real-world applications). it seems as if both sides take things at face value so much that their pride is the discerning factor, refusing to allow them to believe they are wrong, rather than the system they put their faith in.
when i look around, whether it be the book of genesis, the works of schroedinger, the gospel of thomas, peering through my telescope, or looking at a diagram of a cell, the proof that god exists and lives is clear to see. so why is it people who like to think of themselves as rational or right cannot see beyond their own minds? i even have even read strong anecdotal evidence for the after-life and the near death experiece showing transcendentalism as the most likely cause. and these are not from your usual occult reading sources - from physicists, doctors, etc - the very people athiests claim to revere for their proof (the study carried out by cardiologist p van lommel et al was published in no less a journal as the lancet! 'near-death experiences in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the netherlands, van lommel/van wees/meyers/elfferich, lancet, 2001, 358: 2039-45).
granted i left on a bit of a tangent there, though it is so difficult being trapped between two worlds whos only differences should really be admitted to be cosmetic. and so i find myself as the lost sheep who is trying to serve two masters in name only.
two quotes keep me certain of my path:
'seek and you shall find...' i imagine everyone here knows this quote. i do not just accept what men through aged and tainted texts tell us of jesus but i also seek for better understanding of him, his word and of everything that exists, and not only through ancient scripture.
however, the other quote is one not known by all christians:
'science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind'. these are the words of albert einstein, a jew. he is more famous for special and general relativity of course, as well as his refuting statement of principles underlying quantum mechanics: 'god does not play dice with the universe'.
what these two sets of words - knowledge - tell me is that science and religion are two sides of the same coin. not only that but to accept one and refute the other is a folly which prevents the person ever understanding what god has laid out in front of us.
the great architect, jehwah, god, cosmological constant, mother nature, allah, the quanta - the many names you could apply is large. but it all amounts to the same thing. there is a great power larger than any of us. under all these names we know it to be ever-present, all-powerful, all-knowing and the shaper of everything that is, was and will be. it is the defining element of all creation, yet many choose not to believe fully, only as much as suits them. it deserves love, and it deserves rspect. it is the life-force all around you whichever way you turn, wherever and whenever you might be. its presence is always felt, and always exists. in fact it exists in everything and nothing can break its divine laws. this is god.
'jesus said. 'if your leaders say to you 'look, the kingdom is in heaven,' then the birds will precede you. if they say to you 'it is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. rather, the kingdom is inside you and it is outside you.'
- the gospel of thomas.
to claim that the scriptures are not to be taken totally literally is called blasphemy, as is to refute scientific evidence. these two opposing churches of man will war between themselves for their own sakes, denying the other, like the hypocrites in the temples jesus spoke of. if you deny the other you are denying god, and to do so means one can never open their minds completely, therefore they can never open their hearts or souls to truth.
this is the persecution i face. neither side wants to hear beyond themselves, and to try to be on the dividing line is tough, though one cannot shrink from gods work, love and knowledge.
if youve stuck around this long, thanks for listening. i will no doubt continue to fly in the face of the fanatics. if you anyone else feels the same i hope its helpful at least to know you are not alone.
god be with you (god never leaves you).
id like to know who else is in a similar circumstance - i find myself in a curious position. allow me to explain...
i am a desciple of jesus, i am also a man of science. i find myself increasingly isolated from both sides through closed-minded bigotry. the following represents just a tiny fraction of my knowledge and belief which i have been searching for virtually my whole life, and will continue to do for the rest of it.
for example, i find myself arguing with religious fanatics who will not except the age of the earth as 4.5 billion years, nor the theory of evolution... then i must be challenged to 'prove' go exists and that genesis doesnt contradict cosmological models of our universe.
why do these people lead lives of such closed-mindedness? why is it so hard for them to accept that greater understanding of both leads us into the same conclusions? it sometimes seems to me that there exists this division just for the sake of their personal human pride, which speaking theologically and psychologically is sinful.
i understand perfectly the principal of free-will, or as it is worded by the bma autonomy. humans do indeed have the right to accept or deny. this power is given to them from above - it is there trough divine will.
the most amazing things is whilst it is sometimes those of low knowledge it is more often those of low intelligence or low patience (which isnt intended as a slur), but always of those who do not see their own faith.
everything i have ever learned in science confirms gods presence. i dont just believe theres a god i know god exists. the worst part is the prejudice from other christians is often worst than that of the athiests (who often claim to believe in science or evolution, though when one delves they often have either an extremely poor understanding of it or its real-world applications). it seems as if both sides take things at face value so much that their pride is the discerning factor, refusing to allow them to believe they are wrong, rather than the system they put their faith in.
when i look around, whether it be the book of genesis, the works of schroedinger, the gospel of thomas, peering through my telescope, or looking at a diagram of a cell, the proof that god exists and lives is clear to see. so why is it people who like to think of themselves as rational or right cannot see beyond their own minds? i even have even read strong anecdotal evidence for the after-life and the near death experiece showing transcendentalism as the most likely cause. and these are not from your usual occult reading sources - from physicists, doctors, etc - the very people athiests claim to revere for their proof (the study carried out by cardiologist p van lommel et al was published in no less a journal as the lancet! 'near-death experiences in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the netherlands, van lommel/van wees/meyers/elfferich, lancet, 2001, 358: 2039-45).
granted i left on a bit of a tangent there, though it is so difficult being trapped between two worlds whos only differences should really be admitted to be cosmetic. and so i find myself as the lost sheep who is trying to serve two masters in name only.
two quotes keep me certain of my path:
'seek and you shall find...' i imagine everyone here knows this quote. i do not just accept what men through aged and tainted texts tell us of jesus but i also seek for better understanding of him, his word and of everything that exists, and not only through ancient scripture.
however, the other quote is one not known by all christians:
'science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind'. these are the words of albert einstein, a jew. he is more famous for special and general relativity of course, as well as his refuting statement of principles underlying quantum mechanics: 'god does not play dice with the universe'.
what these two sets of words - knowledge - tell me is that science and religion are two sides of the same coin. not only that but to accept one and refute the other is a folly which prevents the person ever understanding what god has laid out in front of us.
the great architect, jehwah, god, cosmological constant, mother nature, allah, the quanta - the many names you could apply is large. but it all amounts to the same thing. there is a great power larger than any of us. under all these names we know it to be ever-present, all-powerful, all-knowing and the shaper of everything that is, was and will be. it is the defining element of all creation, yet many choose not to believe fully, only as much as suits them. it deserves love, and it deserves rspect. it is the life-force all around you whichever way you turn, wherever and whenever you might be. its presence is always felt, and always exists. in fact it exists in everything and nothing can break its divine laws. this is god.
'jesus said. 'if your leaders say to you 'look, the kingdom is in heaven,' then the birds will precede you. if they say to you 'it is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. rather, the kingdom is inside you and it is outside you.'
- the gospel of thomas.
to claim that the scriptures are not to be taken totally literally is called blasphemy, as is to refute scientific evidence. these two opposing churches of man will war between themselves for their own sakes, denying the other, like the hypocrites in the temples jesus spoke of. if you deny the other you are denying god, and to do so means one can never open their minds completely, therefore they can never open their hearts or souls to truth.
this is the persecution i face. neither side wants to hear beyond themselves, and to try to be on the dividing line is tough, though one cannot shrink from gods work, love and knowledge.
if youve stuck around this long, thanks for listening. i will no doubt continue to fly in the face of the fanatics. if you anyone else feels the same i hope its helpful at least to know you are not alone.
god be with you (god never leaves you).
