Where God Meets Science

There are many scientists in the world who are atheist because they only believe what can be proven in this physical universe through scientific observation. On the other hand, there are many religious followers who believe that faith--believing in what cannot be proven--is fundamental to being a devoted follower. Opposing sides in the spectrum of humanity. I would offer up the idea that both sides are extreme (and in that respect both flawed). There is a place where God meets science, and it becomes most obvious in the scientific concept of the zero-point field.

What is the zero-point field? To explain in over-simplified, layman's terms, the zero-point field is the place where no quantifiable (physical) matter exists. Scientists have created such spaces in laboratory settings using special vacuums, which literally suck out the physical matter within the space. What is important about the zero-point field? It has been found that, even when no physical matter exists within a space, this "empty" space still produces energy. Something from nothing! The power of creation contained within the nonphysical!

Science's problem is the result of not properly defining what energy actually is. They have begun to, but the reality is that science has only scratched the surface of these concepts.

Religion's problem is it gave up too quickly. Religion looked at science's physical "evidence" and said, "You just can't prove what we believe to be true with these concepts so we are just going to stop trying. We'll just explain all the mysteries by saying they are not meant to be known." They continue to be mysteries, poorly explained by those who would have others believe they have the answers.

The truth is out there! There is a cosmic force field, as yet undefined, that flows in and through all things. Science is proving it. Religions tout it. It is called many things by many people: the zero-point field, the Holy Spirit, Allah. It binds all things and draws them together. It is in this place where God meets science. It is in this place where all things become One.

*For a more detailed look at the zero-point field in layman's terms, there are several wonderful books by author Lynne McTaggart on the subject!

Home of the Free?

One of the first things I read this morning was a posting from one of my favorite medical gurus, Dr. Joseph Mercola, a D.O. who specializes in natural approaches to health. The article discusses how Big Pharma (largely through the American Academy of Pediatrics) is organizing a campaign to stop the informed vaccine choice message being displayed on the Times Square Jumbotron in NYC. The article points out that the AAP gets large sums of money from Big Pharma, and how the AAP has been trying to strongarm CBS, owner of the Jumbotron billboard, to take the ads down. (You can read the article for yourself here: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/06/doctors-denying-vaccine-risks-an-american-tragedy.aspx.)

The whole topic made me take a hard look at the United States, the home of the "free". Many Americans hold up the Constitution and the freedoms it protects as one of the things that makes the United States one of the best countries in the world. We have the right to worship as we want, speak out as we want, write and publish as we want. However, if you look at the reality of life in the United States, you will see this is not the case.

Look at the idea of free speech. The nonprofit National Vaccine Information Center is behind the informed vaccine choice being posted on the Jumbotron. While the government itself is not responsible for attempting to take the message off, other powers that be have done their best to restrict the message using some very underhanded tactics. Big Pharma makes billions of dollars every year distributing their patented vaccines. Of course they don't want people to think about the risks! If people knew more of the statistics on the problems with vaccines, many would keep their children from getting vaccines! There are those in this country with money and power who would keep the "little guy" from knowing the truth, all because of greed. If we are not allowed to hear the truth because it is kept from us, are we free to make our own informed choices?

Now look at the idea of freedom of religion. While I do not appreciate religious fanatics who would try to force others into worshipping their way, I also do not appreciate those who would try to limit how we worship in public. What is wrong with saying the Pledge of Allegience at a high school ball game? Just because two people in the crowd don't want to say the words "under God" means the rest of us can't say it? If you don't like it, you are still free to sit down, walk out or not show up! What gives a vocal minority the right to legislate what the rest of us can do?

The heart of the matter is, America has become a place where truth and freedom are bought and paid for by those who have the money and influence to control what we are exposed to! It isn't about truth. It isn't about freedom. It is about control, and control is not the natural order of things. We were given the gift of free will so that we can choose for ourselves what we learn about and experience. True freedom can only come when we have access to all the availabe information and are allowed to choose those things which serve us.    

The Problem With Religion

The world has so many problems, it's hard to know where to turn. Very often, people choose to turn to religion as religion seems to have the answers. On an individual basis, religion can have a positive effect. Many lives have been brought back from the brink of collapse by an alliance with one religion or another. Still, if religion had a handle on truth, the world would be a much better place than the problem-filled thing it is. There would be more agreement and less argument, right? In my view, the problem with religion goes back to what religion was created for in the first place. Religions were created as a way to control the masses. They were designed to take away our right to choose.

If you look at the basics of religion, you see some commonalities. Typically, you find a supreme being and a list of rules to be followed in order to be "saved". This is as true for the native who worships the active volcano he lives beside to the Christian who believes he is a sin-filled creature who can only be saved by the the sacrifice of the perfect man/god. The question is, where do all these "rules" come from?

Look at Christianity. It's definitely been an evolutionary process. Jesus preached his message for about three years and gained many followers. Those closest to him went to various places in the world to spread that message. What they taught varied somewhat, depending on which points had impacted them the most. The earliest Christian writings to date, written in Aramaic (which was the language Christ spoke), were copied and translated into other languages, often with errors. At times the original stories were embellished and added to. Other Christian writings are more recent and originally written in other languages altogether (mostly Greek). The apostle Paul, the most prolific Christian writer, did not even know Jesus personally and had been very active in persecuting Christians until his conversion. Paul's greatest accomplishment perhaps was the fact he was the person who took the message of Christianity to Rome, where we first see the effects of control on Christianity.

The year was A.D. 325, and the Roman Emperor Constantine was in power. Seeing that most of the people he ruled were Christian, he decided to make the state religion Christianity. At that time, the churches were largely disjointed and believed many different things. There were also still many pagan beliefs being practiced. Constantine invited religious leaders of the day to come together in order to unify the thoughts and beliefs of followers. The result was the Council of Nicaea, which was responsible for cannonizing the current New Testament and generally defining what Christianity believed. Dissent and self-thought were discouraged. What motivated Constantine? The need to give his constiuents a uniform, more easily followed set of rules to help keep them in line.

Look at religions today. Many impose a limiting authority over their followers. If you commit this sin or that sin you are condemned to eternal hell. This motivates many believers to follow the rules, and it maintains order. You can even see this influence in politics as people try to impose their personal religious beliefs on society at large. In countries where the state is controlled by religion, the religious rules must be obeyed or dire (and often deadly) consequences will result. Control and religion seem to go hand in hand.

A well-known Christian belief states that Jesus came to set the captive free. I do believe he taught the way to freedom, and it has nothing to do with the rules and regulations imposed on us through religion. Jesus also taught that the kingdom of God is within. To me, this point is key. We can indeed find our own answers as we learn to connect to the God that is contained within each one of us. Problems arise when we limit our beliefs to information gained outside ourselves. The problem with religion is that it does not set us free. It makes us slaves to those who desire to control us.