Stephen Hawking ~ A Loss All Around

Greetings Dear Reader,

On Pi Day of 2018 we have lost one of the brilliant minds of our time.  His work to understand and explain the cosmos has given us much to value and discuss.  Most of his conclusions followed a path of reason and logic that gave us confidence in his explanations of the cosmos.  I often feel dumb when I read his books and have to re-read some passages to keep up with him.

I am saddened at his loss and further saddened that there will be those who follow my faith who use is passing to take shots at him.  He made it clear that he did not believe in God:  “We are each free to believe what we want, and it’s my view that the simplest explanation is; there is no god. No one created our universe, and no one directs our fate.”

If you have read even a little of what I write you know that I both respect science and believe in God.  I do not want to indulge in attacks on Mr. Hawking.  What I do wish to do is celebrate a mind that asked us to think of the universe more deeply.  As Christ followers we should read his books and wrestle with his thoughts.  I know that they cause me to wonder more deeply at the amazing nature of creation. 

I know that there is a place where true science and my faith meet in harmony.  One need not believe in God for the Father to gift one with great powers of the mind and discovery.  I will not throw away truth for any reason.  I will also not throw away reason.  My faith is reasonable and I must continue to learn so that I can perhaps see where honest research can reveal God more clearly.  God does require faith.

The mind of Stephen Hawking was a gift to all of us.  He challenged us to look deeper into the cosmos and see its wonders.  He elevated us to a new level of understanding and gave us a path to pursue that will expand for decades to come.  He focused on the final frontier and challenged us all to explore it further.

I will miss the learning I did from Mr. Hawking.  I will also continue to respect science whilst holding onto my faith.  Since one cannot prove that there is no God, to say that one believes there is not one is an act of faith.  I agree that one is free to believe what one wishes.  I choose to believe and continue to look for an honest way to harmonize that with all things.  Farewell Stephen Hawking.  You will be missed.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

On Atheists

Greetings Dear Reader,

For those of you who claim to be this there is not forthcoming rant.  I am not going to attack you or condemn you.  That is not my place.  Rather, I wish to ask my fellow Christ followers to see your example and follow it.

My friend Russ shared a story that answers a question I have wanted to address for some time.  Why did God create Atheists?

Here is the story he shared:

There is a famous story told in Chassidic literature that addresses this very question. The Master teaches the student that God created everything in the world to be appreciated, since everything is here to teach us a lesson.

One clever student asks “What lesson can we learn from atheists? Why did God create them?”

The Master responds “God created atheists to teach us the most important lesson of them all – the lesson of true compassion. You see, when an atheist performs and act of charity, visits someone who is sick, helps someone in need, and cares for the world, he is not doing so because of some religious teaching. He does not believe that god commanded him to perform this act. In fact, he does not believe in God at all, so his acts are based on an inner sense of morality. And look at the kindness he can bestow upon others simply because he feels it to be right.”

“This means,” the Master continued “that when someone reaches out to you for help, you should never say ‘I pray that God will help you.’ Instead for the moment, you should become an atheist, imagine that there is no God who can help, and say 'I will help you.’”

ETA source: Tales of Hasidim Vol. 2 by Mar

Even Maslow makes it clear that the highest form of development is doing right for the sake of doing right.  It is in doing things for the sake of the needs of others that we become more like Christ.   I cannot have any motive other than love for my neighbor in helping my neighbor or I am selling something.

It is a beautiful dichotomy.  I am compelled to obey God in loving others because I believe in him.  I must love others as if he does not exist so that my motivation is love for others.  I cannot love others in my own strength because I am fallen but God gives us the grace to love others even if we do not believe in him.

As Christ followers we must return to the place where in Christ we find everything.  We need to see the lessons of following in every situation.  We need to remember that there are no secular issues.  I must see those who do not believe but yet love others as my example of how to love unconditionally; even if the condition I wish is to show Christ to others. 

If I do not love others in this way I risk creating a barrier out of my motivation.  I want everyone to see Christ for who he is.  They cannot if I feel I need to buy their view of him with anything.  So to those of you Dear Reader who do not believe in God, I thank you for your example of unconditional love in a world that sorely needs it.

The Basin and the Towel – Michael Card 

And the call is to community

In an upstairs room, a parable

Is just about to come alive

And while they bicker about who's best

With a painful glance, He'll silently rise

Their Savior Servant must show them how

Through the will of the water

And the tenderness of the towel

And the call is to community

The impoverished power that sets the soul free

In humility, to take the vow

That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel

In any ordinary place

On any ordinary day

The parable can live again

When one will kneel and one will yield

Our Saviour Servant must show us how

Through the will of the water

And the tenderness of the towel

The space between ourselves sometimes

Is more than the distance between the stars

By the fragile bridge of the Servant's bow

We take up the basin and the towel

And the call is to community

The impoverished power that sets the soul free

In humility, to take the vow

That day after day we must take up the basin

And the call is to community

The impoverished power that sets the soul free

In humility, to take the vow

That day after day we must take up the basin

That day after day we must take up the basin

That day after day we must take up the basin and the towel

Take up the basin and the towel, basin and towel

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)