Monday, January 18, 2016
479 - Forcing the Issue, Episode III
Spirituality Column #479
January 19, 2016
Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary
"And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” – on Jesus, Colossians 1:17
We are exploring the fantastical “Force” of Star Wars movie fame. Laying aside for the moment blockbuster movies, a multi-media entertainment mega-franchise, outer space adventures and the familiar moral drama of Good vs. Evil, there truly is an unimaginably strong force in our known, created world that no one quite understands.
To wit: Why is it so hard to break up an atom?
Sure, science has been splitting atoms for going on 100 years. The awesome force of the atomic bomb 70 years ago ended a great war and, stripping decades of shifting global geopolitical dynamics right down to its core, the reality of even more powerful hydrogen bombs kept other large-scale wars from happening even to this day.
But, backing up a moment, what holds those little suckers – atoms – together so tightly? What makes nuclear energy so potent? What, while we’re on the subject, holds “us” – our physical world and even our corporeal human person – together?
In the physical realm of gravity, strong forces, weak forces, Newtonian Laws, Planck’s constant, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and errant Cosmological Constant, Hubble’s “Red Shift,” the assumption-breaking antics of quantum physics, the technical ascendency of nanotechnology and mind-blowing advances of modern nuclear medicine … how can these little bitty things – atoms – be so inexplicably strong?
Well, the Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 1:17, backed up by Genesis 1, Hebrews 1 and countless other less obvious places in the Bible:
In Jesus “…all things hold together.” Jesus is the author of life (Acts 3:15) and has authority over all things (Romans 28:18). Jesus “upholds the universe by the Word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). That’s the job God assigned to Him.
So along come these terrifically entertaining (to many) Star Wars movies and the mythical “Force” of the Jedi Knights. Though great fun and depicting familiar moral grist – the duality of good and evil – the Force teaches us less truth than we already know.
Fictional movies tickle our senses, and plenty of mysteries remain as to how things work and why things are. Scientists will continue to report on the science of life and the forces of physics. But the God part of “why things hold together” has been written for thousands of years.
The strongest force in all creation is Jesus Christ.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) appreciates an email response sent last week from IU Law School professor, philosophy PhD, author and friend Dr. John Hill, who eruditely pointed out that modernist “Good and Evil as Equals” imagery of “The Force” mimics the early-centuries post-pagan Christian heresy of Manicheism. St. Augustine knew it well. Great observation, John.
January 19, 2016
Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary
Forcing the Issue,
Episode III
By Bob Walters"And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” – on Jesus, Colossians 1:17
We are exploring the fantastical “Force” of Star Wars movie fame. Laying aside for the moment blockbuster movies, a multi-media entertainment mega-franchise, outer space adventures and the familiar moral drama of Good vs. Evil, there truly is an unimaginably strong force in our known, created world that no one quite understands.
To wit: Why is it so hard to break up an atom?
Sure, science has been splitting atoms for going on 100 years. The awesome force of the atomic bomb 70 years ago ended a great war and, stripping decades of shifting global geopolitical dynamics right down to its core, the reality of even more powerful hydrogen bombs kept other large-scale wars from happening even to this day.
But, backing up a moment, what holds those little suckers – atoms – together so tightly? What makes nuclear energy so potent? What, while we’re on the subject, holds “us” – our physical world and even our corporeal human person – together?
In the physical realm of gravity, strong forces, weak forces, Newtonian Laws, Planck’s constant, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and errant Cosmological Constant, Hubble’s “Red Shift,” the assumption-breaking antics of quantum physics, the technical ascendency of nanotechnology and mind-blowing advances of modern nuclear medicine … how can these little bitty things – atoms – be so inexplicably strong?
Well, the Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 1:17, backed up by Genesis 1, Hebrews 1 and countless other less obvious places in the Bible:
In Jesus “…all things hold together.” Jesus is the author of life (Acts 3:15) and has authority over all things (Romans 28:18). Jesus “upholds the universe by the Word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). That’s the job God assigned to Him.
So along come these terrifically entertaining (to many) Star Wars movies and the mythical “Force” of the Jedi Knights. Though great fun and depicting familiar moral grist – the duality of good and evil – the Force teaches us less truth than we already know.
Fictional movies tickle our senses, and plenty of mysteries remain as to how things work and why things are. Scientists will continue to report on the science of life and the forces of physics. But the God part of “why things hold together” has been written for thousands of years.
The strongest force in all creation is Jesus Christ.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) appreciates an email response sent last week from IU Law School professor, philosophy PhD, author and friend Dr. John Hill, who eruditely pointed out that modernist “Good and Evil as Equals” imagery of “The Force” mimics the early-centuries post-pagan Christian heresy of Manicheism. St. Augustine knew it well. Great observation, John.
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