Dark Energy, Dark Matter and God

"Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne." Psalm 97:2 (NIV)

Dark energy and dark matter are beyond the electromagnetic spectrum. They have to be inferred by their effects on visible objects and cannot be detected directly. It is possible that they may never be detected directly.

How similar this is to God himself. We cannot see him directly nor perhaps, will ever be able to do so, for God is invisible. [Rom. 1:20, Col. 1:15, 1 Tim. 1:17] Nevertheless, we infer his existence from what we perceive in ourselves when we have a positive reaction to him. We perceive him indirectly as we contemplate his creation. We perceive him indirectly as we read the bible, as well.

Scientists accept the possible existence of dark energy and dark matter on faith, in a way. It is quite possibly the only explanation to explain why the visible universe doesn't fall apart or fly apart. Something we cannot see is holding the visible universe together. In the same way we accept God's existence on faith, so our world, and our place in it, doesn't fall apart or fly apart.

It is said that the .04 percent of the visible universe is truly inconsequential when compared with the remaining .96 percent of the "invisible" dark energy and dark matter components of the universe. It is also said that, potentially, dark energy and dark matter particles are bombarding our bodies constantly and we are oblivious to their reality.

Whether we choose to believe in God's existence or not, his sustaining power is also constantly bombarding our bodies and minds and our visible world with his perfect essence.

Eradicating Legalism in the Adventist Church

"The righteous will live by his faith [alone.] Habakuk 2:4 (NIV)

Sitting in a pew near the front of the church, to not be distracted by the occasional conversations that my congregation produces frequently, I was saddened by a pre-offering appeal made by a church member. He started to rattle off a list of sacrifices, or offerings, that ancient Israelites offered when ceremonial law was still in place on planet Earth. Among those he mentioned was a special live offering for sins committed. He summed it up by saying, "so you see brethren, there are lots of sacrifices (offerings) in the bible that one should think about when thinking of what or how much to give today. I've been attending this particular church only two years and I had never heard legalism rear its ugly head as much as I did last Saturday.

While I tried to listen to the sermon as best I could, I occasionally was compelled to jot down some reflections that this offering call made on me.

I'm without a computer these days and I've got only 41 minutes left at the public library. So I apologize if these are mere reflections and nothing more. Thank you for your understanding.

There's a deadly quality to legalism. Two years ago I used to pray a strange prayer. I had forgotten it until this moment. I went something like this: "Lord, save me from legalism, which is worse than death." [I remembered the original phrase late last night. "Lord, save me from legalism, for in legalism there is only death."] I prayed that wholeheartedly. Perhaps I need to start praying that strange prayer again.

Legalism is so deadly to me that I wondered if because of it, Adventism was dying, in a limited sense? As secularism increases in society, we need less not more legalism in the Adventist church. As our youth are leaving and some never to return, legalism is, perhaps one of the causes. As Adventism splinters internally into different isms, i.e., ultra-conservatism, progressivism, cultural adventism, postmodern adventism, etc., is legalism party to blame?

Is the golden age of Adventism behind us? Was it during the 50s, 60s and 70s? Or is it still ahead of us? It is said that Adventism is fading in parts of North America, Europe and Australia. I'm told that only in the third world, parts of Africa, parts of South America, parts of Asia it is still thriving and alive. Is legalism causing that growth there and is it causing a slow death in the other declining areas? Or is righteousness by faith alive in well in the third world, but not in the places where Adventism is dying out slowly?

I'm tired of legalism. Aren't' you? What can we do about it?

It almost felt like the fear one used to get before knocking on some one's door before you gave them a smile and literature. I went to the speaker after church and I congratulated her for the good points in her sermon. I explained to her my concern with the legalism in the Adventist church and I asked her if in the future she could dwell more on Christ our righteousness. I told her I was especially concerned about the young people and how important it was for them to hear those worlds. Not appeals to give more offerings or tithes, or to come to prayer meeting more often so as not to miss out on a special blessing, or other similar mildly legalistic appeals. I told her that I never heard any sermons about righteousness by faith in Christ until I was almost 18 years of age. It was the best news I had ever heard. It made Adventism come alive for me.

Other suggestions to rid Adventism of legalism might be to email every Adventist publication or magazine and complain when you read something that smacks of legalism to you. Write Bill Knott at the Adventist Review. Write Cliff Goldstein at the Sabbath School Quarterly. Write the conference president. Tell him to keep legalism out of the publication in question and keep it out of Adventism. If you hear a church member saying anything that smacks too highly of legalism, take him aside courteously and speak to him or her of your concerns. If you lose friends in the name of ridding Adventism of legalism, those are the casualties of the war on legalism. Perhaps they were never very dear friends to begin with. Perhaps you need newer, less legalistic friends in and out of church.

Adventism needs to be simplified, cleansed, re energized. Legalism is the enemy. Righteousness by faith in Christ is our ally. These three thoughts came to me in church last Sabbath as I thought how to simplify Adventism. Look to Jesus Christ. Seek the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit. Read your bible and pray.

In closing, let me speak of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is beautiful. It, however, has to be kept naturally, effortlessly, spiritually. When you have to make an effort to keep the Sabbath you are not, in fact, keeping the Sabbath. Ask God to make you holy so you can keep his Sabbath holy. Ask God to fill you with his Spirit of righteousness so you can love Christ and keep his commands. Ask him to fill you with his Spirit of love so you can treat others as you would like to be treated.

Lord, save me from legalism, for in legalism there is only death.

God bless you all. God bless Adventism.

Mysteries of Perfect Fire

River of Fire, Lake of Fire, Sea of Glass Mingled with Fire

“… The ancient of Days took his seat. … His throne was flaming with fire. … A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him.” – Daniel 7:9,10 (NIV)

After I read these texts my mind suddenly started visualizing this scene. I had not planned to do this. It almost started automatically. In a way, I was lost in a trance, though a somewhat conscious one. It’s intriguing when moments like this happen.

Lest I forget, let me mention that I had in mind concurrently the other bodies of fire that apocalyptic literature mentions, i.e., the Sea of glass mingled with fire, the Lake of fire in which death and Hades are destroyed. I’ve thought more and more that all of these fiery bodies of water or energy, whether river, sea or lake, are different manifestations of the same reality: God’s presence or his very essence and nature. The text comes to mind, “Our God is a consuming fire.”

As I envisioned the river of fire I thought of the large rivers I’ve seen during my life whether in the United States or in Europe. I saw this river of fire that comes out from before him [the Ancient of Days] as wide and as long as the rivers I had seen. For some reason I didn’t think that this river ever ended.

Since God’s throne will one day be on the new earth as it is now in heaven, I thought that the river of fire encircled the entire globe and ended where it had begun, God’s throne and God, himself.

The book of Revelation says that the new earth will have no need of the sun because God’s presence will provide light enough for its inhabitants. Since the river of fire encircled the globe from east to west, I thought of an extension or continuation of the same river flowing out from God’s presence but going north to south to compliment the river of fire that flows east to west.

I thought of the dwellers of the new earth living in homes along both east-west or north-south axes along the river of fire, to stay close to the light and thus to God’s presence.

I also thought of the light and of the awe-inspiring scene of God’s flaming and glorious throne at the nexus of both the east-west and the north-south rivers of fire.

The Bible speaks of God dwelling in unapproachable light. These wide and globe-encircling rivers of fire would certainly prevent anyone or anything from getting too close to the light of God’s presence.

I thought of the fate of the unrepentant. It is possible that they will, in fact, be near these rivers of fire. As moths would do when delighted with an incandescent light bulb, the unrepentant will run into the fire, or light, and will destroy themselves. In this way it will be said that the unrepentant ran to their own destruction by running headlong into the lake or river of fire.

Perhaps the tranquil sea of glass mingled with fire will be what comes into being after the unrepentant have run, of their own choice, into the Lake of fire.

The source of their being was God and in their final moments it was to that same source of life that they returned of their own free will. However, not having accepted Christ’s robes of righteousness, they were not able to stand in the presence of God and live.

God didn’t cause them to run into the Lake or River of fire. He merely allowed them to finalize their own self-destruction. Perhaps their own stubbornness resulted in what common sense would tell them was an unwise course of action—running into a lake or river of fire.

In spite of their physical bodies being destroyed by their own conscious action, might not their minds be preserved at least in God’s memories? An earthly parent who’s watched the execution of their child because of crimes against the state does not stop loving and does not forget the memory of their evil and perhaps unrepentant child. How could they? That child was the fruit of their bodies and dreams, however frustrated those dreams turned out.

Throughout eternity God will always remember each life or soul (mind) that he created, even the ones that ran to their own self-destruction in the Lake or River of fire. Such is the price, or nature, of perfect love. It does not end, even in the face of the death of those it loves.

With God as our Time Machine where Can we not Venture?

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

"Frank J. Tipler suggested in 1974 that if a sufficiently long cylinder with the mass of several neutron stars was induced to spin along its longitudinal axis, the cylinder should create a frame-dragging effect and warp spacetime in its locality as the spin approached the speed of light." http://www.wikipedia.org/

This article from which the above quote is taken set me to thinking about the real possibility of an advanced civilization, or being, creating such a device. Serious scientists today postulate three scientifically realistic modes in which to engage in time travel, i.e., "near light-speed passage, black hole ergosphere passage and Tipler 2-way time machine (construction of a large rotating cylinder of dense matter.) " George Zebrowski, Macrolife: A Mobile Utopia. Even though these are technically for forward time travel, we won't digress too much by exploring the equivalent modes for reverse time travel.

After we've been in the Next World, i.e., Heaven, for a million years, might not the theoretical concept of Tipler's Cylinder make it an interesting historical, scientific and experiential enterprise with which to revisit some of the significant occurrences of human history, as well as the distant future. The reasons for wanting to do so are more than just educative. In an age where seeing a filmed version of something is no longer absolute proof, might not witnessing the actual event in real-time be beyond proof? It would also be an enriching experience to outdo all such experiences.

Perhaps the most significant events or people in human history, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for example, would be of utmost importance to experience first-hand. Others might also wish to witness first hand the creation of the universe, the beginning of life on Earth, and other similar historical events. Since anything is possible for God, and since Tipler's conjectures are based on Einstein's theories of relativity, might there not already have been humans from the distant future who where present at the crucifixion itself? Of course, all of the precautions of cause and effect would have to be left untouched. I am referring to, for example, visiting early twentieth-century Germany and convincing young Adolf Hitler to enter a monastery or other non-political vocation.

It has been suggested that we will be remade in the Next World so as to have enough challenges and novelty to make sense of living the millions of years successfully that eternal beings will be privileged to enjoy. Be that as it may, revisiting key events, or people, in cosmic history might be what keeps eternity constantly challenging and meaningful. Some would rather forget everything that happened in the previous imperfect world, our present world. Others might want to be reminded about how much they have to be thankful for in their transcendent glorified life.

On the other hand, might not the exceptional thinkers of human history, e.g., Einstein, Galileo, Copernicus, Mozart and others, actually be future visitors from a time when time travel presents one of the significant vehicles to better the future, by improving the past. If we consider this unlikely, but potentially feasible approach to Earth's history, might not we be constantly experiencing an adjusted reality because of benign visitors from the future?

Another possibility might be that given enough visitors from the future perfect world visiting us throughout their future eternity, might not this imperfect world slowly be transformed into a shadow of their future perfect world? What if finally, after millions of years, the two worlds, the perfect and the formerly imperfect world merged, leaving one pristine, eternal, incorruptible perfect world.

The future creates the past. The past creates the future. It is all a cycle.

Adventism's New Horizons

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea exists no more. Revelation 21:1

After having done a google search for both Adventism and “space colonization” I was intrigued by the 19,000 results the search engine produced. One link, http://www.fiu.edu/~mizrachs/utopo-amer.htmlo-amer.html contained a footnote with an interesting resource: “This book, entitled Worlds Beyond, edited by Larry Geis and Fabrice Florin, explores the social, political, and technological aspects of space colonization. It is particularly interesting due to the continual references to 1492, Colombus, and America.”

The title of the article speaks of America-as-Utopia. I took this line of thought one step further and came up with Adventism-as-Utopia as though Adventism itself, or the world community and its resources, could be a Utopian community virtually and with some planning, physically. I remarked to a progressive acquaintance years ago that if only for their value as Utopian literature, Ellen G. White’s Testimonies for the Church had value. I now believe their value is more than just wishful thinking about a perfect world.

This started me thinking. What if life in this world gets worse and worse, e.g., global warming, terrorism, disease, a nuclear holocaust, other cataclysms, enforced immorality, and it becomes less and less utopian as the decades fade into the next century? Adventism with its significant intellectual and financial resources should start exploring what most think unnecessary or unfeasible, seeking a more ideal and permanent place to fulfill their future destiny.

What would the early Christians have thought of future Christians sailing across the great sea west of the European continent and building huge and long-term cities in the undiscovered countries of the Americas? Adventists should learn from their short-sightedness and think about the next phase of humanity and Adventism as well, the migration to non-terrestrial worlds or space habitats. Private citizens have already started exploring space exploration for financial or personal advantages. Why shouldn’t Adventists do likewise?

What if Jesus delays not because He’s taking too long to come to us, but because we haven’t made the physical enterprise to move closer to Him, literally? Perhaps this is what Adventism and 21st century Christianity is destined to do—to leave this dying world and start again elsewhere.

"This is not the stuff of science fiction only. Scientist Dandridge Cole originated the term "Macro Life" in his 1961 book The Ultimate Human Society, where he outlines the idea of using asteroids as mobile "societal containers." www.wikipedia.org

See also, the following quote about U.S. Physicist and space pioneer, Gerard O'Neill: "In 1977 O'Neill founded the Space Studies Institute at Princeton University, an organization that continues today to fund research in space manufacturing and resources. He also worked on mass drivers for space propulsion, research and design concepts for space stations, Space colonization, solar power satellites, and lunar and asteroid mining. He authored the book The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space which inspired a generation of space exploration advocates." www.wikipedia.org

How meaningless and pointless all of human and Adventist-Christian history would turn out if our lack of future vision derails the future of humanity by not planning now for the potential self-destruction of life by the criminal and unwise excesses of modern as well as post-modern humanity?

I propose that Adventism start planning this eventual migration or partial migration to a safer and more permanent world, or worlds, now while we have the intellectual, spiritual and financial resources to make it a future reality. Won’t you join those of us who presently share this visionary interpretaton of taking the everlasting “gospel into all the world,” where “world” is best thought of as cosmos, and not just this small, dying planet?

On the Road Alone

God, if you're only a concept in my mind tonight
What a beautiful concept you are.

Even if you exist only in my mind
I still want to believe in you.

The Second Coming, Wirelessly

"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall." Malachi 4:1,2 (NIV)

The tension in the world was unbearable. For months the three rogue nations had played their games threatening to test or detonate much of their nuclear arsenal. People of faith everywhere had started taking prayer and fasting seriously for once.

If the end of the world was days or weeks away I wanted to be on the roof with my laptop, taking pictures and short video feeds with the cellphone. Every day after work, what work could still be done in the mounting disorder that the world experienced every day, I took to the roof to document what I saw all around me. The forest smoldered in the distance as the end-of-life mobs set anything they could find that wasn't fireproof.

Last night all the lights went out for 21 minutes and I was able to see a star that shone with a different type of light. It was pulsating as nothing I'd ever seen. When the power came back on, there was too much light all around me on the roof to see the strange star anymore. The next night the lights went out again for 21 minutes and the star was visible again, but this time it was larger. How could anything in the sky that pulsates from so far away get larger 24 hours later?

This pattern continued night after night until one night, the sun came out at midnight. Except it wasn't the same sun we knew. It was three times the size. Even the darkest sunglasses made it difficult on the eyes. I took my videos and pictures and wrote what I saw and how I felt about it and published it for anyone who was still connecting to the worldwide wireless hub for continuity or information.

The next night when the sun came out again I noticed that the fires were burning brighter. The only difference was alarming. The fires that had been lit up till now were the familiar red, yellow and orange flames that one was used to. These fires were green, blue and violet. The fires were not being set from below, but from the very skies. The world we had known had ceased to exist with the arrival of the giant midnight sun.

The next night the most alarming sight took hold of me as I saw in the not too distant cemetery what seemed like huge birds darting up from the trees in the woods surrounding the park. The figures were so distant and multicolored that I wondered what type of bird could change its color so randomly as it flew higher and higher. I photographed the distant figures and posted them for anyone to see and try to comment on it, for I could not.

When the city was almost ablaze, I noticed that the couple on the roof next to mine that had come out every night, as I had done, were strangely hovering six feet above the roof. I knew the Chinese had experimented with personal hovercraft platforms, but how anyone could have a prototype in their possession in this country was beyond me. I photographed them and with only a word or two, I posted it on my blog.

After an hour or two I realized that the enterprising Chinese had sold more prototypes to eager Americans than I had thought possible. Here and there in the buildings surrounding me I saw other couples hovering six feet above the roof. It seemed as they were waiting for something. With instant phone detection, no doubt, they were able to contact each other and coordinate whatever they were planning as they hovered six feet above the roof of their high rise buildings.

In a flash the sky exploded in blinding light of emerald and blue shades of undulating waves of color and sound. I was about to send a quick note and publish it when I noticed that much to my surprise I was no longer standing on the roof. I too was hovering six feet above the roof. I didn't know what this could mean as I had no expensive Chinese hovercraft, for sure. In a panic I wrote my last message and clicked the orange "Publish" link in my blog program. Nothing else needed to be said. My last message went out to anyone who was still connected, as I dropped my laptop and looked at the One who was seated on the throne in the middle of the giant sun.

(8th-Day) Adventist Futurism: A Manifesto

"... However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 (NIV)

1. Adventist Futurism builds on 7th-Day Adventism. In some ways it is a continuation of the original movement. In others it is the next phase or development. All of the richness and history of 7th-Day Adventism is admired, cherished and built upon. Some may see this as a heretical development. Some already think the same of progressive Adventism as well as Postmodern Adventism. Imagine how Methodists and other proto-Adventist influences must have felt when 7th-Day Adventism grew out of those movements.
2. Christ Jesus, Lord and Savior, is as important as He ever was in Proto-Adventist Futurism (7th-Day Adventism.) Additionally, all the 28 fundamentals are respected and cherished however confining they may appear to some. In some ways, the principles of Adventist Futurism are a virtual 29th fundamental. If a 28th has been added in the recent pass, no doubt one day a 29th and a 30th may also be added.
3. Emphasis is still on present truth, but as present truth becomes past truth the minute it is conceived, Adventist Futurism focuses on Future Truth which by its nature is forward leaning and always thinking of the changes of the future, both near and far.
4. It would be inconceivable for 19th Century Adventists to imagine what 21st century Adventism could ever be like. The social, cultural, scientific and technological changes that separate two centuries of Adventism are no doubt as great from those that separate 21st century Adventism (Adventist Futurism) from 22nd century Adventism. It would have been unthinkable to 19th century Adventists that the movement would see the year 2007. It is equally unthinkable to many living today that 22nd century Adventism will one day have its day.
5. (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism is future- oriented for many reasons. It is said that it is unwise to live in the past or to live only for today. Adventist Futurism lives for today, respects its rich 7th-Day Adventist history as much as possible, but lives with tomorrow's emerging realities ever in mind.
6. All of Ellen G. White's writings are treasured for any and all spiritual guidance that they can still provide in what today is a world that she never imagined would ever come to pass. While some of her writings have to be understood in their cultural setting, every attempt is made to build on, and not tear down Mrs. White's useful writings.
7. The Bible in its entirety is treasured. In the same way that the New Testament refined the Old Testament's principles, equally so does (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism refine and build on both the Bible and the writings of Ellen G. White, as well as many of the serious thinkers, pastors and teachers within historical Adventism. Special thanks is given to the following authors though by mentioning them, we in no way ally them with us nor do we ally ourselves with their body of published work or unpublished discourses or sermons. These are the men and women that have influenced in some degree, however transitory, the principles of (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism: Ellen G. White, James Londis, Jack Provonsha, Sakae Kubo, John Wood, Ronald Lawson, Ottilie Stafford, George Rice, Lynn Sauls, Ann Parrish, Margarita Merriman, Jon Robertson, Eli Siegel, Morris Venden and Jack Sequeira.
8. Adventist Futurism respects the 7th-Day Sabbath, but as the latter is locked in time and is the only commandment that is kept only for one 24-hour period, once a week, Adventist Futurism focuses on the spiritual dimension of the Sabbath day as opposed to its literal 24-hour manifestation. As technology, scientific discoveries and space exploration change our conception of time and space, e.g., the Internet, virtual reality, the decoding of the human genome, space exploration, etc., the Sabbath commandment's importance in 7th-Day Adventism is admired, but it is cautiously considered because of the strong legalistic element it has traditionally brought to Adventism. Additionally, Adventist Futurism believes that the beauty of the 7th-Day Sabbath is enhanced and celebrated by observing the Enhanced Sabbath which includes the 24-hour "Jewish" Sabbath (sundown to sundown), but adds the hours after sundown on Saturday night and ending with daybreak on Sunday morning. We also speak of the post-7th-Day-Sabbath morning to commemorate the ending of Christ's rest in the tomb. Other Adventist Futurists focus on the observance of the Endless Sabbath by virtually carrying the beauty and joy of the 7th-Day Sabbath all through the week, in effect celebrating the Sabbath day, if only virtually, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The regular Sabbath beginning on Friday at sunset then becomes the actual command performance and not the rehearsal of the previous six days.
9. If humanity's expansion continues beyond our world, as it seems to be doing, then the spiritual nature of the 7th-Day Sabbath will be more and more important. Celebrating the Sabbath on the Martian colonies in the next century, or in this one, will be 37 minutes longer than it is observed on Earth. If humanity has to find refuge underground because of the instability that terrorism continues to have on our planet, then sundown-to-sundown will have a new meaning and will only be observed by mechanical means of time measurement.
10. Just as Protestantism didn't cease to be Christianity when it broke away from Catholicism, and just as 7th-Day Adventism didn't cease to be Christianity when it grew out of the Methodist church and other groups, in like manner, (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism does not cease to be a continuation of both Christianity or 7th-Day Adventism.
11. Even though some members of society may not be welcomed in 7th-Day Adventism, or in other Christian or Jewish congregations, (8th-Day) Adventism welcomes all without condoning every aspect of certain member's life practices. Additionally, some may want to attend and feel welcomed, but not join Adventist Futurism formally. We welcome traditional, modern, liberal, mainstream, postmodern Adventists, as well as others who find something of worth in (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism. These include, but are not limited to the following groups: divorcees, cultural Adventists, intersexuals, transgender individuals, monogamous homosexualists (gays & lesbians and their children), bisexuals, common-law couples, domestic partners, persons struggling with controlled substances or other addictions (sexual, alcohol, gambling, etc.). Again, in order to not cause traditional 7th-Day Adventists to feel disrespected, we offer non-traditional inclusiveness for these groups mentioned. (8th-Day) Adventist Futurism becomes a safe haven for sinners and imperfect people, and not just a colony of morally upright and semi-perfect people.
12. Regarding life's origins, we welcome both literal creationists, as well as intelligent design believers, and, of course, Darwinian Adventists or Christians. We all believe in one God, however He created us.
13. Unlike some traditional 7th-Day Adventists, and this is said with the utmost respect and appreciation, we do not discourage the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We do not intentionally seek to speak in tongues, but if this wonderful gift returns in a valid and useful manifestation, we would not discourage its return. We foster more and more study, focus, and anticipation of the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit, Love and it's manifestations: joy, peace, self control, etc.
14. We worship the ineffable Father God who in His wisdom sent both Jesus Christ, His son, and his Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit. For all his countless blessings and gifts we are thankful.
15. We seek to understand and promote the beauty and importance of the Crucified, Risen and Glorified Christ. We seek His return, but if He delays 25, 50 or 100 years, as well as 250, 500 or 1000 years, we continue seeking Him and his daily return into our soul temple through His Holy Spirit.
16. We seek to honor proto-Adventist Futurism's past (traditional 7th-Day Adventism), but we also wish to change its future because of the danger within two or three generations of Adventism disappearing for the most part in the affluent and developed world. As the third world slowly catches up with the developed world, this danger will also become apparent in time to most of the 7th-Day Adventist body.
17. We welcome the real possibility of the prophetic gift reappearing in our midst and guiding us through the unforeseen challenges and dangers of the ever-changing future society that is already upon us because of terrorism, advancing scientific developments (cloning, virtual reality, cybernetics, etc.) and space exploration.
18. We realize that because of modern society's challenges, increasing terrorism, global warming, and other complex factors, worship may soon be only in private, local safe havens, and via the World Wide Web or it's replacement in the years to come.
19. We encourage a more democratic and less centralized church structure with adequate racial, ethnic, non-male and cultural representation of the church's worldwide membership, as well as, to a partial degree, it's informal membership (the marginalized groups previously mentioned.)
20. We extend an open door to former Adventists, as well as other spurned groups, that have grown out of traditional 7th-Day Adventism (Adventist Kinship, Branch Davidians, Shepherd's Rod, etc.). We only ask that you treat us with the same respect and consideration that we are offering you.
21. We welcome the future: all its mysteries, all its challenges, all its discoveries, all its blessings. We don't want to be locked in history, we want to make history, to change it, to improve it, to actively and creatively influence our future.

Other relevant posts:

Creating an Ideal World: Adventist Futurism
Mars Sabbath
Fear of the Holy Spirit

Beyond Christianity

... Seek and you will find. ... For ... he who seeks finds; Matthew 7:7,8 (NIV)

As good as Christianity and the Bible are, for years I've thought that so much depends on what you bring to both that makes a world of difference. Not only what you bring to the Christian life and the reading of the Bible from your past, but also what you keep on bringing or adding to your life as you willingly continue adding to your perception of them.

For example, if you never experienced a lot or any affection from either one of your parents, you might have a hard time relating to how God the Father is like a loving father or parent. Luckily the marriage relationship, it is said, can also substitute, when one lacks a parent of either sex, to give one a close proximity of the fullness and richness of a relationship with God. For those who lack all the above, the concept of God, no matter how wonderful it is portrayed in the Bible, must either be pretty meaningless, since it has no human model to compare it to, or one has to take it on faith, that such great, perfect love exits some where by a perfect being who also directs all of that love towards you, the penitent believer. Of course, a really good friend might substitute for a lack of a parent of either sex, or a life partner, as someone to help you undertand God, your ultimate Friend.

Getting back to the previous matter of what one continues adding to Christianity, I was delighted to come across an article in the New York Times this week about positive pscychology. Of course, the approach or asides in describing one's journey toward experiencing "flow" may potentially conflict with the Christian life (sex, drugs and chocolate as ways of tapping into this marvelous "flow", the writer keeps alluding to.) I myself would substitute music, poetry and film as safer alternatives to lead one to this "flow" that's so essential. Nevertheless, there is so much positivity and hopeful solutions to the problems that confront us, whether Christian or non-Christian, that I was grateful to find yet another field of study to use in order to enhance my life and make it all that it can be.

It's a shame that Christianity, the Bible, and the Spirit of Prophecy are not all you need in order to enjoy life to the fullest. One was always told that if you had access to these fountains of blessings, everything else didn't matter. Things would take care of themselves. You need not look further. You had found all the answers you ever would be in need of. Unfortunately for some if not all, there are obstacles sometimes and one needs approaches to life that ensure that one can avail oneself effectively of these three enriching and "spiritual" means to a meaningful, happy and eternal life.

One often needs something else. One needs to be reminded over and over again that one needs this "something else." One needs other positive agents or influences that enable one to renew one's inner vision. But of course, the Bible properly experienced, is a source of infinite blessing for it points beyond anything a finite or ephemeral solution such as art or learning of any kind can provide.

Why Did Christ Have to Die?

Yesterday I saw Apocalypto. The violence was unpleasant, but the total impact of the film was worthwhile. The one scene that set me thinking without warning was the most detailed and graphic depiction of human sacrifice I've ever seen on film or ever want to see again.

The shocking thing was that I thought of what made humans feel they had to appease their gods so much that a periodic supply of sacrificial victims was necessary. Human life is always precious. Those sacrificed were captured members of other tribes also trying to survive in the Mayan forests.

There was prayer throughout by the different tribes and the protagonists for their particular god or gods to protect them from the terrors and tragedies of their fight or die existence. One was made to feel that at least those not doing the sacrifice were more noble people. It was not clear that the sacrificial tribe had also a penchant for human sacrifice.

The thing that shocked me was that I briefly remembered the article I've linked at the top. (Please click on the title of this post if you wish to read that article.) A vague memory of a sentence the author made in that Adventist Today article about how Christ's sacrifice wasn't needed to appease God. Traditional Adventists or Christians say that it was the violation of the Law that had to be resolved. Of course, it bothers me at times that the Law is not a separate entity from God Himself. I say that with all respect.

I wish to continue to believe in God, so I dealt with these perplexing and unpleasant thoughts by deciding that since God sacrificed Himself He was appeasing his own need for wholeness as regards His own demands regarding his moral Law. He paid the ultimate sacrifice in that He sacrificed Himself. No one can pay a greater price.

The reason that I found all this unsettling, and I have to study, ponder and pray about this more is the following. Why is there so much blood and victims and sacrifice in the Old Testament and in God the Son's sacrifice? Why so much suffering? Why this obsession in ancient cultures as well in the Judaeo-Christian culture with blood, and victims and sacrifice and pain and loss of life? What is it about ancient man and man's perception of what the word of God says about sacrifice to appease gods or God Himself? I'm missing my own point here a bit. It eludes me because it is so uncomfortable and mysterious.

Why does anyone, ancient mankind (humankind) or God, Himself, have to sacrifice others or Himself in order to have peace? Don't get me wrong. We serve a wonderful God, but again, what is all this perplexing obsession and need for blood and more blood. I speak of more blood, or the ultimate blood loss of the Son of God, God Himself really, as the “more blood."

It almost sounds slightly unsophisticated or unnecessary, this obsession or this great need for blood or sacrifice of life. But who am I, a mere mortal and an imperfect one, at that, to disapprove of the "without blood there is no appeasement." The good thing is that we are not required to sacrifice our own children or our own selves to have peace with God.

Why oh why, Lord God, did you have to suffer so much? Couldn't you have shown us you loved us in a different way? I'm mortified that you had to suffer so much for us, and for me.

As I am wont to say often, I'm missing something here. I don't have all the pieces of the puzzle. There had to have been other solutions, other ways of saving man and womankind. But, whatever the reason that our God felt it absolutely necessary to sacrifice Himself that we might live at peace with Him, I am grateful. I hope to understand and love this God who suffered so much and who continues to suffer with us.

Does anyone out there have a solution to this unease I felt while watching so much human sacrifice and why God Himself had to sacrifice Himself, as well, for us? Yes, I know what the Bible says, but why does it say it? Why does it say it so often and so obessessivley. There has to be more to humanity's story than blood shedding and/or blood shedding or sacrifice as a means to resolution of past wrongs or of Original Sin. What am I missing here?