I was feeding our almost 1-year old this morning. He doesn't eat oatmeal plain so I mixed it in with fruit. My daughter is such a good mother. And she was adamant that the baby does not like oatmeal. To which I replied, "He doesn't like it, but he needs it."
I think that pretty much sums up how I felt last night...and how I've felt for the past 4-5 months. And I've been questioning...
Do I need it? I'm close to breaking point. I think it first started when I had to persuade a concerned father that it wasn't Christ-like to pay someone to beat up his daughter's boyfriend. Yesterday, someone else's daughter was murdered--we had to break the news to the father and siblings--and I spent 6 hours in the hospital with an elderly man who had a heart attack and has no family in town.
Do I really need these experiences?
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Building the Tower of Babel
Today the switch gets turned on. Have you heard about it?
A huge atom smasher. There's a 17-mile tunnel 300 feet below Switzerland. And it gets turned on today. My understanding is that they hope to create anti-matter.
Sounds really sci-fi, doesn't it?
It will probably take years to analyze all the data. It's even estimated to be close to one year before the machine gets powered up to throw a proton at speeds nearing that of light. Most of the scientific community is excited. A few have voiced their objections--stating that we're going to create a black hole and suck up the earth. Logically, creating anti-matter makes sense. According to Newton's third law of motion, for a force there is always an equal and opposite reaction. So far that has proven to be true. And if it is, in fact, truth, then when an atom is split to create nuclear energy, there must be an opposite force of equal power. In other words, when there is an explosion, we generally think of the outward forces: the debris flying up and away, the crater that is formed, etc. But there must be an opposite force that goes inward. I don't know if this machine will create anti-matter, but I'm excited to learn.
So most scientists are excited; in part because they think this will help them understand The Big Bang better by creating their own smaller version of it. Other scientists are skeptical and think these tests are dangerous and could lead to our extinction. My perspective? I think this leads us one step closer to God's knowledge...while moving us one step closer to the Second Coming.
About 4000 years ago, there was a civilized people who were trying to erect a building that would get them to God. Good intentions, right? We should be trying to get back to God. The catch is, this people didn't include God in their little project. They were becoming quite smart and the Old Testament tells us that they could pretty much do whatever they imagined in their hearts. Their mistake was not including God in their quest to become Godlike. So God destroyed the Tower of Babel and confounded their language (except for the Jaredites...but we can discuss that topic later).
Is our civilized world any different? We are trying to play God. Obtaining this knowledge is AWESOME! And I believe we need this knowledge as we continue to progress. But these scientists are denying the very existence of God as they strive to define how everything was "created." Ironic, isn't it?
So today, with the flipping of a switch, makes us one step closer to God. It could also prove to move us one step closer to the Second Coming. What kind of power will this machine create? If it does create power, you know evil minds will manipulate it to advance their selfish ambitions.
I'm excited to see what transpires. I believe God wants us to learn about as much "stuff" as possible. But I also believe there will come a time when God says, "Enough!" and will need to destroy our Tower of Babel.
A huge atom smasher. There's a 17-mile tunnel 300 feet below Switzerland. And it gets turned on today. My understanding is that they hope to create anti-matter.
Sounds really sci-fi, doesn't it?
It will probably take years to analyze all the data. It's even estimated to be close to one year before the machine gets powered up to throw a proton at speeds nearing that of light. Most of the scientific community is excited. A few have voiced their objections--stating that we're going to create a black hole and suck up the earth. Logically, creating anti-matter makes sense. According to Newton's third law of motion, for a force there is always an equal and opposite reaction. So far that has proven to be true. And if it is, in fact, truth, then when an atom is split to create nuclear energy, there must be an opposite force of equal power. In other words, when there is an explosion, we generally think of the outward forces: the debris flying up and away, the crater that is formed, etc. But there must be an opposite force that goes inward. I don't know if this machine will create anti-matter, but I'm excited to learn.
So most scientists are excited; in part because they think this will help them understand The Big Bang better by creating their own smaller version of it. Other scientists are skeptical and think these tests are dangerous and could lead to our extinction. My perspective? I think this leads us one step closer to God's knowledge...while moving us one step closer to the Second Coming.
About 4000 years ago, there was a civilized people who were trying to erect a building that would get them to God. Good intentions, right? We should be trying to get back to God. The catch is, this people didn't include God in their little project. They were becoming quite smart and the Old Testament tells us that they could pretty much do whatever they imagined in their hearts. Their mistake was not including God in their quest to become Godlike. So God destroyed the Tower of Babel and confounded their language (except for the Jaredites...but we can discuss that topic later).
Is our civilized world any different? We are trying to play God. Obtaining this knowledge is AWESOME! And I believe we need this knowledge as we continue to progress. But these scientists are denying the very existence of God as they strive to define how everything was "created." Ironic, isn't it?
So today, with the flipping of a switch, makes us one step closer to God. It could also prove to move us one step closer to the Second Coming. What kind of power will this machine create? If it does create power, you know evil minds will manipulate it to advance their selfish ambitions.
I'm excited to see what transpires. I believe God wants us to learn about as much "stuff" as possible. But I also believe there will come a time when God says, "Enough!" and will need to destroy our Tower of Babel.
Monday, September 1, 2008
I apologize for generalizing...
Thurl Bailey gave the invocation for the Republican National Convention today. He's an example to us all. It was sincere and heart-felt. Thurl Bailey, a former NBA player, is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
There was an article in the Deseret News about his invocation. I don't usually comment on news articles online...but the 13 comments I read left me with little choice. Not only did I comment here, I needed to blog about my frustration.
I apologize for categorizing "Utah Mormons" too generally at times. And I do it often. So that's something for which I need to be better. There are solid Utah Mormons that are an example to each of us. But generally speaking (and I apologize...again...in advance) Utah Mormons drive me crazy (family and friends excluded, of course!). For many reasons I don't need to share in this venue. But I want to share this thought with you because I think this particular reason is true of most people.
The reason: people, in general, are close-minded and see the world only through their eyes. And, for the most part, people will hear what they want to hear, see what they want to see, believe what they want to believe...regardless of reality and truth. It's an intolerable "innocence" that eats me up inside.
Case in point: so the article is on Thurl Bailey and his invocation. Of the 13 comments I read, 12 of them emphasized how wonderful it was that the RNC would open with an invocation; questioning whether or not the DNC did the same last week. Do you know the answer?
OPEN YOUR EYES, PEOPLE!!! Please, open your eyes. Be informed. Don't blindly follow tradition because that's the way it's always been. Don't believe something because that's what you've always been taught. Don't take a stand unless you know why it is you need to take that stand.
While I feel that, generally speaking, the Republicans are more sincere when they pray, or when they quote scripture, or when they say the pledge of allegiance, or when they talk about patriotism...the Democrats did, in fact, have an invocation and benediction at each of their sessions last week. Please be educated about what "the other side" is doing. You're doing more harm than good if you don't.
One more quick item to back my claim (in case I've offended any Utah Mormons reading this :)): I was in Utah a few weeks ago and had an emergency run to Lens Crafters to get contacts. Turns out the optometrist is a member of the church. We had a pleasant conversation and we started talking about church history since I was from the east. He asked me where Nauvoo, Liberty Jail, and Palmyra were...among other church history sites.
Here's my point: if you're a member of a church--know the history of your church; if you work for a company--know the history of that company; if you're an American--know the history of your country--know the basics about how your country works--don't vote unless you've taken upon yourself the duty to be an informed citizen. It's a right and privilege for which thousands upon thousands of men and women have died.
Lesson for me--as a Christian I need to be better at growing closer to my Savior...worshipping The Father in His name...being obedient to His commandments, etc. Now that I have used this blog for a little self-reflection myself, I want you to know that I'm not on a soap box. I'm not trying to put myself on a pedestal. These are my thoughts...raw and unedited.
There was an article in the Deseret News about his invocation. I don't usually comment on news articles online...but the 13 comments I read left me with little choice. Not only did I comment here, I needed to blog about my frustration.
I apologize for categorizing "Utah Mormons" too generally at times. And I do it often. So that's something for which I need to be better. There are solid Utah Mormons that are an example to each of us. But generally speaking (and I apologize...again...in advance) Utah Mormons drive me crazy (family and friends excluded, of course!). For many reasons I don't need to share in this venue. But I want to share this thought with you because I think this particular reason is true of most people.
The reason: people, in general, are close-minded and see the world only through their eyes. And, for the most part, people will hear what they want to hear, see what they want to see, believe what they want to believe...regardless of reality and truth. It's an intolerable "innocence" that eats me up inside.
Case in point: so the article is on Thurl Bailey and his invocation. Of the 13 comments I read, 12 of them emphasized how wonderful it was that the RNC would open with an invocation; questioning whether or not the DNC did the same last week. Do you know the answer?
OPEN YOUR EYES, PEOPLE!!! Please, open your eyes. Be informed. Don't blindly follow tradition because that's the way it's always been. Don't believe something because that's what you've always been taught. Don't take a stand unless you know why it is you need to take that stand.
While I feel that, generally speaking, the Republicans are more sincere when they pray, or when they quote scripture, or when they say the pledge of allegiance, or when they talk about patriotism...the Democrats did, in fact, have an invocation and benediction at each of their sessions last week. Please be educated about what "the other side" is doing. You're doing more harm than good if you don't.
One more quick item to back my claim (in case I've offended any Utah Mormons reading this :)): I was in Utah a few weeks ago and had an emergency run to Lens Crafters to get contacts. Turns out the optometrist is a member of the church. We had a pleasant conversation and we started talking about church history since I was from the east. He asked me where Nauvoo, Liberty Jail, and Palmyra were...among other church history sites.
Here's my point: if you're a member of a church--know the history of your church; if you work for a company--know the history of that company; if you're an American--know the history of your country--know the basics about how your country works--don't vote unless you've taken upon yourself the duty to be an informed citizen. It's a right and privilege for which thousands upon thousands of men and women have died.
Lesson for me--as a Christian I need to be better at growing closer to my Savior...worshipping The Father in His name...being obedient to His commandments, etc. Now that I have used this blog for a little self-reflection myself, I want you to know that I'm not on a soap box. I'm not trying to put myself on a pedestal. These are my thoughts...raw and unedited.
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