Tag: Time

Who Am I? Part 4

Who Am I? Part 4, A look at the foundations of Theology, and Human Morality. Where our beliefs come from. How society is formed, and how what we believe and think will transform us.

This is part 4 of a series on Who Am I?

And God Said, Let there be Light- Genesis 1:3 Bible (KJV)

The Theological View

It is time to take a brief look at the theological point of view regarding, Who Am I? There are really only two potential answers to this question of, “who we are”:

  • Either we came about by the natural process of a self-existent universe, (which is the modern scientific view of Evolution).
  • Or we are the deliberate outcome of intelligent life, that guided the process, and oversaw the creation; which is the Theological view. 

Theology attempts to answer this question of life, by revealing who the Creator is, and providing an explanation of how intelligent design was responsible for our creation.

Different Religions have unique stories on how this world came to be; and what the ultimate meaning of life is. Religion has been with man far longer than science. Both religion and science have grown and developed (as history reveals) out of our personal need, curiosity, and experience. Religion and science have progressed as our minds have progressed. As mankind has developed socially and technologically, so have our ideas about the earth; how our world works, and our understanding of the universe and our place in it. That progress has come at a high price in human suffering, as authority figures have always been threatened by what is new and attempted to discourage and terminate it. Nevertheless, progress has and did come. There are those who look at religion and science as united in revealing the truth; and there are those who believe science disproves religion, and makes it obsolete for humanity. There are also those who believe religion supersedes science.

Religious Questioning

Our existence and the life on this earth require an explanation. Our world and universe and life itself are a mystery; how life comes, why it is here, and where it goes; and if there is a soul (living essence or spirit) that lives on and advances by this experience of life, has been a question for humanity that it has attempted to answer since the beginning of man. Each new generation asks and wants to answer these questions, and each individual wonders about this on their own personal level.

A Personal Note

I was raised a Christian, and so these religious ideas are very familiar to me; but I underwent a dramatic change in my twenties as a result of certain life experiences which deeply affected me.  As a result of this, I experienced a religious crisis. I was not sure what I could believe anymore.  This prompted years of serious inquiry to see if I could substantiate my earlier beliefs, in light of real-life experience which had cast doubts.  I had many questions, trying to determine exactly what I could trust, and where was truth. I will share my own story along the way, as I feel it becomes helpful to our discussions into finding truth.

Religious Truth has been Found to be Constant

A fact, of which it is pertinent to take notice, is while science contains much that is firm and proven, in many ways it is always changing and updating; because there is still so much we don’t know and continue to discover about our world and the universe.

But when it comes to Religion, the foundations for “Religious Truth” have largely remained constant. The principles of true religion are mostly the same today as they were when they were first introduced thousands of years ago by enlightened leaders.

(I don’t mean primitive man, who scientists theorize existed in different forms, but I am referring to oral tradition, and the written history, when the moral law was being formed and written down in different cultures.)

Therefore, it is not the principles or concepts contained within Religion that have evolved, it is our understanding of what those truths mean; and how they should be applied.

Below is a list of those basic religious beliefs contained within the predominate Religions of the world, that have been around the longest. Specifically, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. These beliefs combined make up 77 percent of the population of the world today. For many Buddhists, the first 2 beliefs do not apply, but as part of belief 3, they do believe the point of existence is to live morally, which brings a reward during life, and after death– up to the ultimate reward nirvana.

Here are those basic common beliefs:

  1. A belief that there is a God or Creator (in the singular or pluralistic sense) of this world and the universe, who is watching over us.
  2. A belief that we should trust and worship God, as a supreme being.
  3. A belief God will bless us if we try to live moral lives.
  4. A belief that murder is wrong.
  5. A belief that to harm another is wrong.
  6. A belief that we should not steal from others.
  7. A belief that we must be truthful and honest with each other.
  8. A belief that we must strive to be virtuous, and sexually true to our marital partner.
  9. A belief that we should learn to be contented with what we have, and true to others. And a true friend does not scheme to take another’s partner, friends, or property.
  10. A belief that we should do good and help others in need, express sympathy, and practice compassion.
  11. A belief that wisdom comes with experience and age; and that the youth and young adults should listen to and respect their elders, carefully consider their advice and honor them.

These moral laws are a part of almost all world societies. They are ancient, and have been practiced (as far as we can determine) from the beginning of the verbal and written law.

A Code of Moral Ethics are the Foundation of Society

Why is this code of moral law consistent down through the ages? Because “truth” is timeless– and does not change. Because the issues related in living together and getting along are universal. People of all ages of this world suffer and struggle with the challenges of existence, and need to find solutions to survive. The laws of society devolved out of this need to avoid societal chaos, and find values all could rely on. But religion specifically goes beyond practical need. In some instances, it offers answers, not just practical moral law.

As I have searched, I believe almost all religions hold levels of truth, and provide a moral framework for those who practice them around the world. This builds a moral foundation for their society, assisting in training up good citizens who live good lives and are moral and honest in their relations between people, which helps fundamentally to hold society together to be stable and consistent. People are able to relate to their neighbors because of common beliefs, and have confidence they can be trusted. I think because of this, all cultural religions with these fundamental laws of integrity bring about the good we find in the world, and are a positive influence for strong trusted relationships in their cultures. This is not to say there are not religious prejudices, and difficulties between religions and different belief systems; but on a fundamental level society needs common beliefs that all conform to. These laws and common-sense beliefs also influence the nonreligious, and provide a positive foundation for them as well in society (whether they share in these beliefs or not); because these moral practices also shape the world they live in, and they gain the same benefits of a stable law-abiding society.

Atheists and Agnostics Appreciate the Moral Law

Many who are not religious also recognize most of these morals and values as common-sense measures required to support a successful society, where personal integrity is valued; and believe in them on their merits, with no religious connection.

A Belief; There is No One True Religion

I have heard some suggest it does not matter what religion you are in, as long as you live a moral life and are a good person. We will all end up in a good place with God, and there are many roads back to heaven. Some believe there are many Gods, deities, or guides we can worship who assist us from the other side.

Whatever the truth of God may be? Those who practice a similar moral law, stabilize their existence with one another in our modern society.

A True Religion Must Answer Life’s Greatest Questions

People unite themselves to a particular Religion for different reasons, and to meet certain needs they feel they have. People are all unique, viewing the world from their own perspective, and can look for different things from Religion.

I believe the most important role of Religion is to provide sound answers to our real purpose for being here? and helping the individual to discover, “Who Am I?”  which is the message of this series.

I therefore believe true religion can’t just be abstract in its form, leading nowhere really, except to pointless and meaningless ceremony or worship for the sake of worship, even if it holds some significant truths that have been handed down.

For religion to be authentic, it must be able to provide life’s answers, and give true direction.

Some religions fill our most basic need for meaning, keeping us occupied and feeling like part of a group or congregation, and feeling good about ourselves. This has great value for many people in providing a foundation, and filling the emptiness in their life. But religion has more than one responsibility. If it is authentic– it must be able to explain and reveal answers to pain and suffering; and conflict among people–including war, hate, death, societal disintegration, moral and physical destruction; and natural disasters. It must give guidance and true direction to how we overcome human conflict; offer a plausible explanation of our world and universe; and help us to see what a meaningful life looks like. It needs to explain what all of this we are experiencing down here is for?  And how it will lead to a meaningful and happy conclusion?

Most attempt to do this, but that is where I think religions deviate the most, and expose their greatest differences; when attempting to answer these types of questions, relating to life’s meaning and purpose.

False Religion

Some religions preach a mysterious, difficult to understand, and nonspecific deity; and are broadly inclusive of popular cultural trends; which some prefer, as it offers comfort that someone is looking down on us, and is not too judgmental of us… but asking almost nothing from us. These are religions of convenience for us… that do not interfere with our own lives and plans. Many people like these religions because they think they can have sin and holiness together. They have a very low bar for morality. But a religion that does not ask you to rid yourself from sin (engaging in self-defeating practices) and excessive immoral self-indulgence is a contradiction to truth. We all contain both good and evil within us, (or possibly worded another way) selflessness (good) and selfishness (evil), but the more we pursue the one, the less we can pursue the other. We can’t be selfish, and selfless at the same time. If we are self-consumed, we do little to help others and improve our communities. We are one-sided in our closest relationships, unwilling to give support and love, unless there is something in it for us.

Similarly, we cannot simultaneously seek good and evil because they are diametrically opposed to each other. We have to pursue the one or the other. Whichever one we are actually pursuing, our efforts to appear to be living the other… are a lie and a deception.

“[For] every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit… Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” -Matthew 7: 17&20 KJV

The Miracle of Human Change

Who we are… personally… is the sum total of our thoughts and acts. This is sometimes a condemnation of us; but it can also be the liberation of us. It is a two-edged sword that can swing both ways for change. A human being is capable of complete and total change, people are not helpless to remain as they are. We can become whatever we want to be morally and spiritually by making small consistent changes to our thoughts. Our thoughts (and what we encourage or entertain to pass across our minds) like ripples in a pond move outward and grow in size to affect our attitudes and beliefs. But thoughts can be fed and encouraged from good sources or evil ones.  We will serve what we come to entertain and love; and we will come to love what we encourage and seek externally, and internally. What we think, will in turn shape and change our desires– and our desires shape our actions. The crowd we run with, and the friends we choose– become who we are. This is the process of Human growth and improvement, or our moral destruction.

Some self-serving, vile and evil people have found a new vision of goodness and truth, and have altered themselves to become very good, honorable, and truth-seeking people. The opposite is also true. Some very good people have been slowly influenced to lower themselves to greed, or excessive self-serving indulgence, or unhealthy pleasure pursuits; and get lost and become hardened and evil. We can always change…and…we can always come back to truth. There is always hope.

We write our own story; we make our own life what it is, because we always can choose what we will think, and how we will react.

To be continued . . .

Who Am I ? Part 3

Who Am I? Part 3, A search for meaning and truth in life. Asking searching questions about our existence. Darwin’s theories of Evolution and Natural Selection, early Modern Science and how it was shaped and progressed.

This is part 3 of a series on Who Am I?

All Life Began in a Primordial Pool Of Chemicals -Modern Science

A Process

Why have I taken this circuitous route about discovering one’s self and answering the question, “who am I”?  Why not just come right out and say it, this is who you are!

Because the truth of something is multifaceted, it is not one thing; it is usually a sequence of things, and the existence of life on this planet is certainly that. What we have come to learn about, who we are? Is the accumulation of thousands of years of learning.

Science and Religion Mediums of Truth

There is what you might call a simple scientific explanation to this question. There is also a simple theological explanation to this question; but I have frankly struggled with both of them. Both seemed to have unanswered questions and far stretching speculations that appeared to come up short. But I do believe the truth of our existence is found within both! But so is much error!

It has become a process of sifting through ideas to find the truths and separate the error.

Reason; The Truth Guidance Mechanism

We all possess a gift, and a capability that naturally occurs within us. It is the gift of reason. Some call it common sense, or insight. It is all of these. I have found it is a tool with far more importance to us than it would seem at face value. I believe this human capacity of reason is absolutely required to learn and believe anything. It is what we engage when personally deciding to take anything into our belief system. It must pass the muster of our own judgement, and our own sense of reason. This sense and ability to reason can grow and become stronger the more we use it, and the more it becomes informed with truth. This ability is part of the answer that lies behind who we are. We will investigate this more later.

Investigating Who We Are

We are going to look at the foundations of Modern Science and their explanation of life. I am not going to go into great detail on these concepts because that is not necessary here; but to hit the main points so you have a foundation on which to gain perspective and understanding of the modern scientific theory of life’s existence. This is necessary to begin to build an understanding of who you are.

Modern Science

Modern Science suggests: no God was involved in the building of the universe, or the accumulation of space-matter into our earth or the planets of the solar system. All of the universe and the solar system to which we belong was a natural occurring phenomenon and process.  According to Modern Science, our earth was formed (1)4.5 billion years ago. After the earth was formed, as it was cooling, (2) water vapor that was present in the atmosphere began condensing and falling to the earth as rain, which created pools where chemicals existing in earths raw matter on her surface came together in certain combinations. Within that pool(3) lightning struck and ignited those chemical combinations present, turning them into chemical compounds that are the foundation of life. These chemical compounds over time combined into a living cell. This new living cell or cells springing to life began to replicate (as cells in our modern world have been observed to do), which began a cycle that over millions of years of time evolved into the first simple microbial life forms we find fossilized in the oldest most ancient rocks on earth. Those microbial forms later evolved into more complex life, and those life forms also continued to evolve into the life we see today on this planet.

Where Did These Ideas of Modern Science Come From?

They have existed for centuries; but arrived at a new epoch when Charles Darwin, a scientific enthusiast, studied the naturalist philosophies of the time; and making his own observations, was convinced life advanced through small consistent adaptive changes to its environment. He suggested a new idea, the theory of “Natural Selection”.

In his theory, Darwin believed “that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor: the birds and the bananas, the fishes and the flowers — all related. Darwin’s general theory presumes the development of life from non-life and stresses a purely naturalistic (undirected) “descent with modification”. That is, complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time. In a nutshell, as random genetic mutations occur within an organism’s genetic code, the beneficial mutations are preserved because they aid survival — a process known as “natural selection.” These beneficial mutations are passed on to the next generation. Over time, beneficial mutations accumulate and the result is an entirely different organism (not just a variation of the original, but an entirely different creature).” (4)

The Theory of Evolution

Darwin studied the domesticated breeding that was being practiced in his day, to create refined and improved advances in species of cattle, dogs, horses, and other livestock, observing the wide variety of diversity that had come out of such methods and experiments. He concluded that if these breeding techniques could create breeding lines of superior and improved, better, stronger, more successful animals; this same process also demonstrated the advancement of life through genetic breeding. And not only would these laws apply to controlled experiments; this natural genetic force for change could also be applied to the natural world; and explain how life itself evolved. And that the most superior species would by their strength and superior gifts, win out over lessor forms; improving the species. Not only that, but if this process continued over millions of years (with species evolving to improve, change, and even diversify into limitless life forms) that these same genetic forces could result in the propagation of entirely different species.

This theory of Natural Selection; that nature through this bio-organic process would explain the advancement of life on this planet; would effectively dismiss the concept of a God creator, revealing life came about through a logical, incremental, natural process; and not under the hand of a supernatural being.

This theory was presented to the world in 1859, when Charles Darwin published his book, “On the Origin of Species”.

“By the 1870s, the scientific community and a majority of the educated public had accepted evolution as a fact. However, many favored competing explanations which gave only a minor role to natural selection, and it was not until the emergence of the modern evolutionary synthesis from the 1930s to the 1950s that a broad consensus developed in which natural selection was the basic mechanism of evolution. Darwin’s scientific discovery is the unifying theory of the life sciences, explaining the diversity of life.” (5)

But this theory of Natural Selection, still did not offer a solution to how the first life came to be. How inanimate dead matter, could spring to life. As a solution to that question, Darwin suggested the following:

”But if (and oh what a big if) we could conceive in some warm little pond with all sorts of ammonia & phosphoric salts, light, heat, electricity etcetera present, that a protein compound was chemically formed, ready to undergo still more complex changes…” this, Darwin suggested, might have been the beginning of the formation of life on this world. (6) 

Oparin and Haldane Hypothesis

These ideas were adopted into the naturalist community, which was small at the time, but did not capture large public support. Fifty-three years later in 1924 Aleksandr Oparin (a Russian Scientist) expounded on this idea, “suggesting that the organic compounds (in the natural environment) could have undergone a series of reactions leading to more and more complex molecules if they were exposed to an energy source such as lightning or ultraviolet light. He proposed that the molecules undergoing such changes formed colloid aggregates [naturally forming dual interspersed substance combinations] or ‘coacervates’, in an aqueous [water base] environment”. (7) That this could be part of the process with which life on this planet formed.

In 1929, the English biologist J. B. S. Haldane (unaware at the time of Oparin’s theories) proposed a similar premise, furthering Darwin’s original hypothesis, which was compatible with Oparin’s theory.

“Haldane outlined how organic chemicals could build up in water, ‘[until] the primitive oceans reached the consistency of hot dilute soup’. This set the stage for ‘the first living or half-living things’ to form…” (6) These combinations gathered together perhaps in chemical combinations called coacervates. “At some point a kind of ‘oily film’ was produced that enclosed self-replicating nucleic acids, thereby becoming the first cell.” (9)

The idea that life formed in a primordial soup of organic chemicals became known as the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis.

This theory began to gain a following, and garner support in the universities up through the 1950’s.

Harold Urey, a Noble Prize winning scientist in 1934, (10 ) “became interested in the chemistry of outer space, [and] particularly what went on when the Solar System was first forming. One day in 1952 he gave a lecture and pointed out that there was probably no oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere when it first formed. This would have offered the ideal conditions for Oparin and Haldane’s primordial soup to form: the fragile chemicals would have been destroyed by contact with oxygen.”

The Stanley Miller Experiment

Stanley Miller, a doctrinal student in the audience later approached Urey with the idea of carrying out an experiment to prove the Oparin and Haldane hypothesis.

 Urey at first was skeptical, but assisted Miller in carrying out the experiment.

“The set-up was simple. Miller connected a series of glass flasks and circulated four chemicals that he suspected were present on the early Earth: boiling water, hydrogen gas, ammonia and methane. He subjected the gases to repeated electric shocks, to simulate the lightning strikes that would have been a common occurrence on Earth so long ago.”

“Miller found that ‘the water in the flask became noticeably pink after the first day, and by the end of the week the solution was deep red and turbid’[opaque]. Clearly, a mix of chemicals had formed.”

“When Miller analyzed the mixture he found that it contained two amino acids: glycine and alanine. Amino acids are often described as the building blocks of life. They are used to form the proteins that control most biochemical processes in our bodies. Miller had made two of life’s most important components, from scratch.” (11)

The experiment and its results were published in the Science journal in 1953 and became the most famous experiment of evolutionary science to date.

Modern Science was on its way, it believed, to solving the mystery of life.

To be continued. . .

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Sources and Notes:

1. How Did Life Arise on Earth? By Ker Than September 01, 2016 https://www.livescience.com/1804-greatest-mysteries-life-arise-earth.html; Earth is estimated to be about 4.5 billion years old, and for much of that history it has been home to life in one weird form or another.

2.The Secret of How Life began on the Earth, Article by Michael Marshall, 31 October 2016 http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161026-the-secret-of-how-life-on-earth-began Eventually the Earth cooled enough for water vapor to condense into liquid water, and the first rain fell. Before long Earth had oceans, which were hot and rich in carbon-based chemicals.

3.The Secret of How Life began on the Earth, Article by Michael Marshall, 31 October 2016 http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161026-the-secret-of-how-life-on-earth-began [T]here was once a small body of water, filled with simple organic compounds and bathed in sunlight. Some of those compounds might combine to form a life-like substance such as a protein, which could then start evolving and becoming more complex.

4. Discover Website: Darwin’s Theory Of Evolution (darwins-theory-of-evolution.com)

5.Charles Darwin: Charles Darwin – Wikipedia

6. The Secret of How Life began on the Earth, Article by Michael Marshall, 31 October 2016  http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161026-the-secret-of-how-life-on-earth-began

7. Origin Of Life: Twentieth Century Landmarks, Copyright Chris Gordon-Smith 2003, https://www.simsoup.info/Origin_Landmarks_Oparin_Haldane.html.

8. J. B. S. Haldane, Wikipedia, Encyclopedia J. B. S. Haldane – Wikipedia 

9. The Secret of How Life began on the Earth, By Michael Marshall, 31 October 2016 http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161026-the-secret-of-how-life-on-earth-began

10. The Secret of How Life began on the Earth, By Michael Marshall, 31 October 2016  http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161026-the-secret-of-how-life-on-earth-began

11. The Secret of How Life began on the Earth, Article by Michael Marshall, 31 October 2016 http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161026-the-secret-of-how-life-on-earth-began