Putting God into Boxes
Step outside tonight and look up; that is, if the skies are clear; and wonder about the vastness of space.
When you ask the typical Chinese or Vietnamese what they believe in, the majority will say, evolution. They have come to the point where they have made money and material their god. However, think about the following.
According to the big-bang theory, the eternally infinite empty space we call the universe was just that, completely empty and completely infinite. Well, not quite empty. Somewhere there existed a tiny kernel packed full of hydrogen and helium atoms.
Three questions must be asked here. One, where did these two atoms come from? Two, why were billions/trillions/zillions of these two atoms packed into this tiny little kernel? What a leap of faith to believe that from nowhere came a tiny ball of two atoms that just sat there for who knows how long. And three, one day, for no reason it just simply exploded.
These two atoms screamed through the vast emptiness of space, filling the eternally infinite emptiness of space so much so that they began to collide with one another and created new atoms, and eventually new elements. These new elements would create every star, ever moon, every planet, in fact, everything in space.
Currently, science finds all kinds of strange things in space, such as black holes for instance, but one of the strangest is “Dark Matter.” Dark matter is matter that fills up all of the empty space between everything that is in space. For instance, if you blow up a balloon enough that you can draw a few dots on it and then you inflate the balloon even more, you will note that the dots move away from one another. This is the way the universe is expanding. Each planet or galaxy isn’t just traveling through empty space, but rather, think of each galaxy as being a dot on the balloon. In the same way as in the balloon illustration, the space between the galaxies is expanding.
Can we really truly understand this? Think about it. We are but these little tiny creatures living on this little tiny blue ball that is positioned on the outer arm of the Milky Way galaxy, one galaxy among billions. Think of us as being nothing more then a one-celled microscopic animal living in the intestines of a larger animal. Can we understand that larger animal, let alone what is on the outside of that animal? I don’t think so- at least not in its entirety.
When we look up into the darkness of space we are left to wonder. Is it any more a leap of faith to believe in a creator that simply existed, than to believe in a kernel that simply existed and exploded one day? How can we begin to presume that we can fully understand the universe with our mathematics any more than we can say we understand God?
I once took a class in which many theologians presented the so-called “Eight models of God.” As soon as they said this I knew they were nuts, crazy, off their rockers. All they were doing was creating eight different boxes in which to place God. This is no different than a scientist trying to put the universe into a box. It cannot be done. Even with the bible and Gods words contained within. If we limit God to what is said in the bible we are putting Him into a box. We, mere humans are dictating to God what He can and cannot do. Yet, even the bible tells us that all things are possible with God.
When I look at the snow capped mountains, the rolling waves of the ocean, or the vastness of space, I am in awe of God the creator, God the father. I can rub two sticks together and start a fire, but that’s all I can do. God, He simply thinks and the universe is created. Who am I to tell Him what he can or cannot do? Adam and Eve succumbed to the desire to be like God, and thus original sin was born. The Pharisees thought they knew everything about God, what a mistake on their part. We should be careful not to think we know God so well that we can place Him into a box. Sadly, many already do.
Some say that you are not a Christian if you don’t speak in tongues; others say you are demon possessed if you do. Some proclaim that you can drink poison and survive the bite of a poisonous snake. Some say you cannot take an oath, salute a flag, drink alcohol, dance, listen to music or watch TV. Others have incorporated extra writings into their belief. What happens when we fulfill all of these “You must’s,” and obey all of the “you cannot’s.” I dare say we will simply create more. It is a fine line between man-made rules and God’s decrees.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:34-40, the Greatest Commandment: Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
There are hundreds of laws in the bible, including the Ten Commandments. What Jesus is telling us is that these two commandments fulfill all of the laws and commandments. If we can simply follow these two commandments, we will fulfill all of the laws. Why do we have to complicate what God has already told us? He is the father, we are His children. He has given us everything, as a loving father should; all we need do is be loving obedient children. Chinese and Vietnamese are no less our neighbors than those that live across the street. In closing, let me ask you a question. Do you require your children to jump through continuous hoops to acquire your love? Of course not, let’s break the boxes apart, and open our hearts, souls and minds to God.
When you ask the typical Chinese or Vietnamese what they believe in, the majority will say, evolution. They have come to the point where they have made money and material their god. However, think about the following.
According to the big-bang theory, the eternally infinite empty space we call the universe was just that, completely empty and completely infinite. Well, not quite empty. Somewhere there existed a tiny kernel packed full of hydrogen and helium atoms.
Three questions must be asked here. One, where did these two atoms come from? Two, why were billions/trillions/zillions of these two atoms packed into this tiny little kernel? What a leap of faith to believe that from nowhere came a tiny ball of two atoms that just sat there for who knows how long. And three, one day, for no reason it just simply exploded.
These two atoms screamed through the vast emptiness of space, filling the eternally infinite emptiness of space so much so that they began to collide with one another and created new atoms, and eventually new elements. These new elements would create every star, ever moon, every planet, in fact, everything in space.
Currently, science finds all kinds of strange things in space, such as black holes for instance, but one of the strangest is “Dark Matter.” Dark matter is matter that fills up all of the empty space between everything that is in space. For instance, if you blow up a balloon enough that you can draw a few dots on it and then you inflate the balloon even more, you will note that the dots move away from one another. This is the way the universe is expanding. Each planet or galaxy isn’t just traveling through empty space, but rather, think of each galaxy as being a dot on the balloon. In the same way as in the balloon illustration, the space between the galaxies is expanding.
Can we really truly understand this? Think about it. We are but these little tiny creatures living on this little tiny blue ball that is positioned on the outer arm of the Milky Way galaxy, one galaxy among billions. Think of us as being nothing more then a one-celled microscopic animal living in the intestines of a larger animal. Can we understand that larger animal, let alone what is on the outside of that animal? I don’t think so- at least not in its entirety.
When we look up into the darkness of space we are left to wonder. Is it any more a leap of faith to believe in a creator that simply existed, than to believe in a kernel that simply existed and exploded one day? How can we begin to presume that we can fully understand the universe with our mathematics any more than we can say we understand God?
I once took a class in which many theologians presented the so-called “Eight models of God.” As soon as they said this I knew they were nuts, crazy, off their rockers. All they were doing was creating eight different boxes in which to place God. This is no different than a scientist trying to put the universe into a box. It cannot be done. Even with the bible and Gods words contained within. If we limit God to what is said in the bible we are putting Him into a box. We, mere humans are dictating to God what He can and cannot do. Yet, even the bible tells us that all things are possible with God.
When I look at the snow capped mountains, the rolling waves of the ocean, or the vastness of space, I am in awe of God the creator, God the father. I can rub two sticks together and start a fire, but that’s all I can do. God, He simply thinks and the universe is created. Who am I to tell Him what he can or cannot do? Adam and Eve succumbed to the desire to be like God, and thus original sin was born. The Pharisees thought they knew everything about God, what a mistake on their part. We should be careful not to think we know God so well that we can place Him into a box. Sadly, many already do.
Some say that you are not a Christian if you don’t speak in tongues; others say you are demon possessed if you do. Some proclaim that you can drink poison and survive the bite of a poisonous snake. Some say you cannot take an oath, salute a flag, drink alcohol, dance, listen to music or watch TV. Others have incorporated extra writings into their belief. What happens when we fulfill all of these “You must’s,” and obey all of the “you cannot’s.” I dare say we will simply create more. It is a fine line between man-made rules and God’s decrees.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:34-40, the Greatest Commandment: Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
There are hundreds of laws in the bible, including the Ten Commandments. What Jesus is telling us is that these two commandments fulfill all of the laws and commandments. If we can simply follow these two commandments, we will fulfill all of the laws. Why do we have to complicate what God has already told us? He is the father, we are His children. He has given us everything, as a loving father should; all we need do is be loving obedient children. Chinese and Vietnamese are no less our neighbors than those that live across the street. In closing, let me ask you a question. Do you require your children to jump through continuous hoops to acquire your love? Of course not, let’s break the boxes apart, and open our hearts, souls and minds to God.
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