Sparks from the Fire

I believe it was in The Universe and Dr. Einstein by Lincoln Barnett that Albert Einstein said, “We think that an object is there and so we see it, but rather, the truth is, we see it and so it is there.”  I paraphrase this quote, but it’s a startling concept that has stuck with me for years since I read it.

Einstein

I’ve always been fascinated with this wonderful little man with the big mind.  He turned the world’s perception of ‘things’ inside out on so many levels.  I have read or struggled to read many of the books about him over my lifetime and though I nearly always get my mind blown by some historic revelation that he had, most of the time I’m frustrated because I can’t keep up with the mathematics.

But this one idea has always stuck with me — that what we perceive to be true about matter is, in fact, false.  It’s not that we see something because it’s there, but rather, it’s there because we see it.

So we’re each making this all up, this material existence.  This revelation by one of our foremost thinkers and physicists has been supported in so many ways by other great thinkers like Guatama Buddha, Lao-Tsu and Jesus over the centuries and now the discoveries in quantum physics also support the idea that we are living this life experience in an illusion that is being made up in our mortal minds.

I love to contemplate this stunning consideration and laugh at its consequences.  I am making this all up – all that I experience through the five physical senses.  What I see, what I hear, what I taste, what I smell, what I feel with my hands and body.  How does one even get out of bed in the morning?  What are we to do with this?

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My mom was a healer.  As an adventuresome boy, I gave her many opportunities to pull off some doozies when I was a kid.  For her, healing was not a miracle – it was just the natural order.  That understanding was one of the reasons why she was so good at it.

One fall afternoon this 11-year-old boy was out playing flag football.  Now in flag football each player wears two foot long pieces of cloth or rag stuck in his belt on either side of his waist.  A “tackle” occurs when you’re running with the ball and a player on the opposition simply pulls the “flag” out of your belt.  A lot less injuries that way.  Or so they hope.

So here I was running pell mell around right end heading for a touchdown.  An older boy, faster than me, not only caught up to me but somehow decided at the last second to tackle me, rather than simply pull my flag.  Off balance, I wasn’t expecting the tackle and fell forward awkwardly holding the football out in front of me rather than tucking it in to prevent a fumble.

When I fell, I fell chest first on to the top of the ball and the force of my unexpected fall and the weird positioning of my hands on the ball knocked both of my thumbs out of joint.

Ouch!

When I got up from the ground in extreme pain and looked down at my shaking and already swelling hands, the base of each thumb was about an inch closer to my wrist and both hands were extremely disfigured and terrifying to look at.  The skin was not broken but there were two large lumps where there shouldn’t have been any, and each of my thumbs basically pointed in the wrong direction.

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I don’t get it. I know, it’s the $64 question, but I must not have the $64 in my pocket, because I can’t figure it out. If we are, in fact, spiritual man, right here and now, and if we are one with our Maker in His image and likeness, which I deeply believe, then how did I get here, sitting in this chair on this material earth still struggling with my mortality in the first place? Why do we need to go through this earthly experience at all?

I can’t opt in to the “be a good boy and when you die, you’ll go to heaven and live with the angels” concept. It’s just a little too human-fairytale an explanation for me in this digital age. I’m more for the “we have our own opportunity to make our own heaven here on earth and it’s up to us to work our way up the ladder (proverbial) back to our original (and ever-present) state of grace.” Whew!

I believe in a God of pure goodness, not a punishing God. I believe in a God of love and the Bible supports that when John says, “God is Love”.  So I figure if God is love, He, She or It is just that, love.  So I tap into that source whenever I can.

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If you missed Part I of this discussion, go here: Tread Lightly Beth Lightle -  Part I

“Wow…I had no idea my comment would get this kind of attention! I agree that everyone has a right to their own opinions and belief systems. God designed us to have a free will and choose what we would believe. But, he DID (sorry if you don’t like my use of caps) give us the TRUTH in His word and gave us the choice whether to believe the truth or not. In the old testament He told us that Death and Life is before us… Choose Life.

To me, Jesus is LIFE. Since you’ve studied all the other religions and reformers then you should agree with me that of all that have died, Jesus is the ONLY one who is NOT still in the grave. HE is RISEN and alive today.

I agree with all of the above, but actually, Beth, if you read your Bible a bit more carefully, you’ll see that there were 4 people who ascended, not just Jesus. They are: Enoch, Elisha, Elijah and Jesus.

You asked why I believe what I believe. I believe in Jesus as the only means by which one can be saved, because after searching for years, He is the ONLY one who saved me from myself. Mohammed didn’t rescue me, Confucious didn’t rescue me, Buddha didn’t rescue me, etc. JESUS RESCUED ME and saved my life! I choose to believe in His word because it’s never lied to me…and it’s always proven to work when I put it to use.

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Not so long ago I wrote a posting called “He’s One Of Mine” and in it, I played with the idea that God is the same God of all religions. I received the following reprimand soon after the posting:

“Jesus said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, except through Me.’ So… the god of Buddha (or Mohammed, or Confucious (sic), or any other religion) is NOT the same as the GOD of JESUS. They are completely different, and all religions do NOT lead to God. The only way to get to heaven is through a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ who died for our sins. HE IS THE ONLY WAY. ~God Bless ! — Beth Lightle”

Posted by Beth on Tuesday, April 07, 2009 – 7:27 PM

First of all, Beth Lightle, thanks for taking the time to write in. A little controversy is always good for the soul. It keeps us alive and thinking. Though I doubt that you think your thoughts are controversial judging by the number of caps in your missive. You’ve made it clear here that you’re absolutely sure of yourself.

I too am a huge fan and follower of this man Jesus. I’ve spent my life studying the Bible and especially his words and teachings, and have used these teachings to better my life, to heal and be healed. I do not in any way discount his statement, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, except through Me.” I only slightly interpret the words in a different light than you do. When he says, “…except by me.” I take that to mean, ‘by my teachings, or by the truths that I teach.”

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