The video in my previous post is, to me at least, about looking back at innocence. Who we were as children, the things we were taught, the time before. It is a bittersweet thing to look back because innocence is not a defense against the world.The idea of growing up, of shedding that innocence, is such an easy concept to grasp. Indeed, everyone does. But an awful lot of folks never really understand it, down in their gut. Gerhard van der Leun writes about some people who haven't shed that innocence, or more accurately have replaced with a different one:
In the process of becoming an adult, innocence is lost. More accurately, it is shed. In it's place, if we are to be healthy adults, is honor, truth, chivalry, compassion, courage, hope, and love.
Back in 2006 National Geographic and other media echo chambers thought enough of this "discovery" to headline it, Jesus May Have Walked on Ice, Not Water, Scientists Say . I'm not nearly so objective. After I read the story, I thought it could more reasonably be headlined, Scientist Confirms Popular Theory That Most Scientists Are Atheistic Asses with Too Much Time and Money on their Hands, Sensible People SayPacked with equal measures of snark and wisdom about the human experience, right there. Go listen to ASM826's song, and read his post, and then Gerhard's. I'd just add this:
...There are fundamentalist Christians who hold that everything in the Bible is as the Bible says it is. And there are fundamentalist Scientists, like Nof, who hold that nothing in the Bible is as it says it is.
My very small puppy in this fight says that there is a lot in Science that lets all of us live longer and better lives while there is a lot in Christianity that lets us live deeper and more meaningful lives.
I don't look to Christianity to bring me the weather reports for tomorrow. At the same time I don't look to Science to ever, in its widest dreams, reveal the core of the miracle and mystery of being a conscious entity who has been granted the gift of being able, in my better moments, to witness -- even for an inch of time -- the wonder of Creation.
Some things seem so easy to comprehend, but so hard to understand. Lord, grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. A lot of people learn this, but don't get it, even though truth is all around them.
I'm reminded of that passage from the (possibly heretical) Gospel of Thomas. The Disciples ask Jesus when the Kingdom of the Father will come. He replies The Kingdom of the Father is spread upon the Earth and men do not see it.
Like Grace, we're surrounded by wisdom, of the knowledge of what it is to truly be human. Men do not see it.
See it.
1 comment:
Here's a thought for you: if you look at your Bible, depending on edition, size of print, etc., etc., it goes roughly like this:
There's one half page telling us how we got here, and a thousand pages telling us how to live a better, fuller life.
Mrs. Graybeard once asked me if I ever was only thinking about one thing at a time. My answer was that when I am doing an exceptionally deep problem, it happens. I have read of some societies saying that enlightenment comes in those moments; for me it's in math. I think when you are deep in math, you come closest to seeing the Creator's face.
And here's one for you; the key word I have to type in to get my post recognized is "judea". I don't think I've even seen those password generators spell out an actual word.
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