Many of us feel or sense that we are part of something larger than ourselves. For a majority of humanity, this has engendered some kind of belief in a God or gods. Nevertheless, even folks who reject the more traditional notions of a deity or supernatural realm will often acknowledge that they feel as though they are a part of the world around them, the process of evolution, the stars that surround us or their place within the chronology of the universe. Men of science often speak in terms of being a part of humankind's great voyage of discovery. Hence, it shouldn't surprise anyone that many of us (theists, agnostics and atheists) have experienced this sensation of belonging to something grander than ourselves.
Indeed, the way our human minds work has itself reinforced this sensation in our species. Humans remember things. We have memories. Like the computers that we have designed and use, our minds have the ability to store and retrieve information. Moreover, our minds are also capable of imagination. Google defines imagination as "the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses." OR As Merriam-Webster defines it "the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality." In other words, our minds have the ability to conjure images of things that do not rely on input from the five senses that inform our notions of the real world around us. Both of these abilities (memory and imagination) suggest to many of us that we could ourselves be part of a consciousness greater than our own.
Is our reality a creation of God's mind? Are we a product of God's imagination? Are we a dream that has a beginning and an end? Does God have the ability to recall that dream at will from its memory - even long after it has concluded? If this world is a product of God's imagination, are other worlds possible? And, if God can retrieve past memories, what does that suggest about the nature of time? Does the notion of a super mind have any implications for the other phenomena and laws which are a part of our universe? Are our minds unique and alone? OR Do they suggest more?
Maybe the Apostle Paul was on to something when he wrote to the saints at Corinth almost two thousand years ago? He wrote: "'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.' But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." --I Corinthians 2:9-12, NLT Was Paul right? Does God's Spirit give us some insight into the mind of God?
Indeed, the way our human minds work has itself reinforced this sensation in our species. Humans remember things. We have memories. Like the computers that we have designed and use, our minds have the ability to store and retrieve information. Moreover, our minds are also capable of imagination. Google defines imagination as "the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses." OR As Merriam-Webster defines it "the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality." In other words, our minds have the ability to conjure images of things that do not rely on input from the five senses that inform our notions of the real world around us. Both of these abilities (memory and imagination) suggest to many of us that we could ourselves be part of a consciousness greater than our own.
Is our reality a creation of God's mind? Are we a product of God's imagination? Are we a dream that has a beginning and an end? Does God have the ability to recall that dream at will from its memory - even long after it has concluded? If this world is a product of God's imagination, are other worlds possible? And, if God can retrieve past memories, what does that suggest about the nature of time? Does the notion of a super mind have any implications for the other phenomena and laws which are a part of our universe? Are our minds unique and alone? OR Do they suggest more?
Maybe the Apostle Paul was on to something when he wrote to the saints at Corinth almost two thousand years ago? He wrote: "'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.' But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." --I Corinthians 2:9-12, NLT Was Paul right? Does God's Spirit give us some insight into the mind of God?
No comments:
Post a Comment