Posted on 10/01/2013 6:01:44 AM PDT by don-o
As a religious physicist, I have occasionally fielded questions from various people pertaining to my Faith and how I reconcile it with my understanding of physics. One point that is often brought up is the apparently "illogical" nature of the Holy Trinity, which is of utmost importance to Orthodox Christians: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. "How can three be one and yet be distinct at the same time?" I am often asked, and I never really had a good answer for that question.
Recently, however, I had an epiphany as I was thinking about the Holy Trinity from a physics perspective, which may aid in better appreciating Its' amazing significance. But to do so, I was forced to "think outside of the box (universe)" so to speak.
To begin with, we first must recognize that we live in four-dimensional spacetime (x,y,z,t). Within the confines of our universe, energy and matter (a form of potential energy) interact and move about, converting from one form to another over the past 13.5 billion years or so. Within the paradigm of physical laws, we also have the concept of wave-particle duality wherein every physical object (proton, photon, electron, neutrino, etc) can be viewed either as a particle or as a wave, quantum mechanically. Both views are just as valid despite the apparent paradox of something being a wave and particle at the same time. From this, the uncertainty principle derives which some have argued enables "free will." As I have suggested before [1-2], our universe is likely a four-dimensional "bubble" that is expanding into infinitely dimensional (or at least higher dimensional) "space." With these perspectives, we can consider the following possibility:
God, the Father encompasses all that is outside of our universe (including other parallel universes and universes of different dimensions should they exist) as the Creator of these universes and as an infinitely-dimensional entity. This is similar to a painter such as Michelangelo existing outside of his painting or the designer/engineer of a car living outside of the car. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, represents God's representation within four-dimensional spacetime, i.e., our universe, as a human being (made up of particles - matter) who suffered as a human being and then was resurrected. The Holy Spirit represents God's representation within our universe as an all-encompassing/ubiquitous wave (pure energy) which is immune/invisible to the material world - i.e. the matter-based world - but which permeates it with ease. Time stops for waves that travel at the speed of light. As long as the universe exists, the Holy Spirit will continue to roam and spiritually warm our universe. God may no longer be with us in the flesh (at least for now) but is with us in spirit (if we want Him to be).
When we pray, the Holy Spirit "hears" us. When we love God, the Holy Spirit "resonates" with us and perhaps even inspires us. In other words, we interact with the Holy Spirit.
When we attend Church and take Holy Communion, we interact/couple with the body and blood of Christ (physical particles) in accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and look to follow Him as our Shepherd. Jesus is much easier for us to comprehend (and follow) than an infinitely dimensional and complex Creator (God the Father).
Together, all three of these entities represent God as a whole. Though we will not meet God the Father until after death, we are enlightened via the Son of God and the Holy Spirit, which existed and exist (respectively) in four-dimensional spacetime. Jesus, as the perfect human being, set the example for us to follow. Though God is likely infinitely complex (and therefore will always be incomprehensible to us), this may give us yet some more insight into the Creator of our world and possibly infinitely many more worlds.
I certainly am not pretending to "explain" God in this piece as I present an incomplete theory of sorts. Nevertheless, the more we learn about our physical universe and how it was put together, the closer we can come, I believe, to God.
The writer is an associate professor of physics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The opinions expressed in this article are solely his own.
Michael Pravica
***We are not given clear explanations of how all this hangs together, because our puny minds are incapable***
Yes, I agree, and mine can be most puniest, but I’m so fascinated and intrigued by it all so much that I love sharing thoughts back and forth as I try to absorb it all, and perhaps open new avenues of thought in my own simple little mind ... smiles.
I also wonder if there is perhaps a thin veil sort of between the spiritual realm and the physical realm.
I’m still studying it all but somewhere I recall reading a passage about these men going to battle and the person asked God to reveal to his friend that there was a great league of angels right above them to go into battle with them. I was like “wow, that is so kool”.
Last night I pondered about the times Christ Jesus was in and out of our realm, and that passage of the fiery furnace came back to mind with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The king Nebuchadnezzar could see 4 people in the furnace instead of the 3 he had thrown in, and he states that the 4th looked like the Son of God. (Daniel 3:25)
I find so much truth in His WORD, and I take great comfort in it, because once upon a time I was on the wrong path and searching for something that was there all along. I just needed to face it, and embrace it, and finally I did.
I don’t think I would still be here if I hadn’t because my ways were so destructive, and I was spared death more than once. When I read Psalms 91:11-12, I was like “wow Lord”, it was Your Angels who picked me up and placed me on the side of the road when that car was hitting me as I crossed the street.
I told a friend the other day that I feel like this woman in scripture that touched the hem of His garment and that I’m clinging to it now and I’m not letting go for nothing in the world.
Forgive me for taking up so much space and time. I’m just so impassioned with the wonders of it all, that I just want to stand on a mountain top and shout it to the whole world ... smiles ... yea ... I can be crazy sometimes, but it’s a good crazy.
Thanks again Don, and please tell Mrs. Don that I didn’t mean to overwhelm her with all my thought patterns yesterday. I’m just a curious and thought provoking child that likes to share things back and forth. It helps me to understand more, and maybe it helps others too ... smiles again and thanking the LORD too for all His wonderful children.
Oh Don, and just one more thing. I’ve only been here less than 2 years, with very little history on this site, and I can’t seem to reply to private messages that I’ve received over the past year. Is there a special requirement before I can reply? I don’t want peeps to think I’m dissing them or something ... smiles
Thank you for signing up and joining the thread!
It was I who found the article(I follow Pravda on Twitter).
I look forward to seeing your posts on Free Republic, if you have the inclination.
http://www.prolifeblogs.com/articles/aggregator.php?entry=1354293
One blog has linked to this thread. Perhaps the “alternative media” will pick up your essay.
Submmitted to Bozell’s Media Research Center
don-o:
Thanks for posting my article! I will post articles here in the future.
All the best,
Michael
Please ping me when you do post.
I wish that FR could have a ‘like’ function, so I could ‘like’ what you wrote in post 18.
Looking forward to your future articles! Welcome to FR via Pravda, Wow! Good for you not to have given up on publication after your 20 US media rejections.
I’m not a quitter - especially on issues that I believe very strongly in such as God’s infinite love of humanity. It’s just sad that you have to write outside of this country to get these non-PC issues published.
Um, no, this isn’t “Modalism” and you completely missed the essence of my argument. If you understand physics, there is a fundamental paradox of wave particle duality wherein waves are distinct from particles and yet representations of the same thing. When you do one kind of experiment, you get one answer (e.g. it is a wave). When you do another experiment, you get another wholly different answer (e.g. it is a particle). I am suggesting that fundamental paradox is somehow coupled with/related to the apparent (to us) paradox of the Holy Trinity. Waves are distinct from particles - they are not the same thing. Regarding your immature “heresy” comment: It is one thing to think you know Christianity but it is wholly another to actually practice it. Love conquers all.
Mrs Don-o was not accusing you of modalism. Look back at her comment and note to whom it is addressed. At the bottom you can see the post number she is responding to.
I actually went ahead and listened to 1:40. Consider yourself Rick Rolled for subjecting me to that drek.
To both you and fella: "heresy" is not an insult. It is a descriptive category. It means "error" --- without any implication of personal belittlement or contempt. It does not mean "You're dumb, you're depraved" or any such thing.
Modalism is squarely within the list of historic heresies, as would be Arianism, Unitarianism, and-many-another-ism. Many great saints made perfectly understandable human errors in the theology department, and if they were unaware of it and not contumacious about it, it was not even a sin on their part.
I used to be attached to a whole catalogue of heresies. If I search around, I still might be able to find a few little ones around here somewhere... :o)
But I'm sorry if it came off as a hard word. You have my goodwill, believe me.
Mine at 53.
I will pray for your "T" key.
This last reply was for “fella.”
Thanks for letting me know!
I apologize. The comment was for “fella.” I’m still trying to figure out the complexities of how you respond on Free Republic.
No need for apology. We ALL had to learn. And most of us are not rocket scientists.
This forum’s interface is unique. A few wish for more bells and whistles and shiny blinking things. But, it is very functional.
There is a private mail function that you can use to ask any questions. Or just post them on a thread.
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