A LITTLE MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT
ENJOY!!!
Question reality and be open to every impossibility.
That is the road to discovery."
PAUL F. ENO
"The spirit of science is the spirit of courage!"
DAVID DIETZ
"The best scientist is open to experience and begins with romance
-- the idea that anything is possible."
RAY BRADBURY
A scientist and her brother, who was a clergyman, were in a car. They were driving down a straight road on a sunny day. At the same moment, they both spotted something in the road ahead.
"That's a dead animal," the clergyman pronounced.
"No, it's just a pile of rags," stated the scientist.
When they arrived at the spot, they pulled over and got out of the car to look at the object so they could settle their dispute. It was a small, rounded animal carrier with a live ferret inside. Evidently it had fallen off the back of a vehicle.
"That's a dead animal," insisted the clergyman.
"No, it's just a pile of rags," the scientist persisted.
Frustrated with each other, the two siblings got back into the car, changed the subject, and continued their journey.
The unfortunate ferret hoped that the next passersby would have the sense to get out of their own way and see what was in front of their faces.
I have never understood why science and religion can't agree on things that were everyday obvious to hundreds of previous generations: God or Gods, unending life, the connectedness of all things.
After all, the paranormal is the mother of both science and religion. We humans have always seen the unexplained, and we have had a passionate need to understand it so we don't have to fear it anymore. We have always looked to religion and science for answers and security in the face of a paranormal universe.
At times in our history and prehistory, religion and science have been identical twins. At other periods, one has served -- even been enslaved to -- the other. But since the 18th century, the situation has become unique. They have become enemies. But I think it's a phony war. It isn't science and religion that are at odds, it's their respective "clergy" and their interpretations of science and religion. There are scientists on one side and priests, ministers, gurus, what have you, on the other. Making the problem worse are fundamentalists on both sides. And both science and religion are estranged from their mother, the paranormal.
The whole "family" is dysfunctional for the same reasons many of our own families are: misunderstandings, misinterpretations, misplaced pride, turf battles, an unwillingness to listen to others and, worst of all, the complete absence of humility.
Back in the car, our scientist may be listening.
"Look here, Eno! In science, a fact is a fact, and it's not a matter of interpretation."
Well, old sweetheart, the FACT is that we know practically nothing for certain about our universe, our world, our own minds, or ourselves. We're just too scared or too pigheaded to admit it.
Virtually every scientific discovery poses more questions than it answers, and many "facts" of science past have been overturned by subsequent discoveries. Scientists in most every field are at each other's throats over one "fact" or another. The very basis of modern science -- the scientific method (observation, theory, experiment, law) -- is being shaken by the mind-blowing insights of quantum physics. It's also being shaken by corporate research money, scientists who cheat, and the fact that you can't explain a multi-dimensional universe with a three-dimensional method.
In the car, our clergyman perks up.
"See, Sis! Science is a mess. Religion is our only sure grounding!"
Hold on, old darling! Religion is in more of a mess than science and for precisely the same reasons. Members of some religions are killing and persecuting others, even within their own religions. People remake God in their own image. Some religions worship people and causes rather than God. Still others are bogged down in scandals. Most are self-obsessed. And in their pettiness, most have cheated us all by making God far, far too small.
And amid the whole muddled stew, where is God? Where is genuine knowledge? Where is the truth? How do we begin again?
To make a start at recovery, I believe that the first requirement is humility. Humility helps us get out of our own way so we can see things as they really are and so that we can listen to each other.
But humility isn't encouraged today. As a matter of fact, it's pretty much absent from modern society. That's because most everything about ourselves and the world we have created is false. We are no longer connected with the Earth as our ancestors were. We live in artificial environments and spend our days doing artificial things. We no longer have the silence we need to listen and to pray.
But both God and knowledge are honest. And humility is the beginning of honesty.
Without humility, we will never bring the "family" back together. We will never see ourselves as we really are -- as each other. We will never learn from ourselves, our mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers across the infinite worlds of the multiverse.
Without humility, we will never hear and feel every galaxy, star, planet, creature and atom crying out in praise and thanks to God, Who is the whole point of the universe.
With humility, we will finally realize that our ancestors weren't stupid, and that they intimately grasped what our shrunken minds and hearts will not: That science, religion and the paranormal are not only one and the same, they are only the beginning.
Copyright 2005 by Paul F. Eno. All rights reserved.
This is a fascinating discussion, thank you Blane for suggesting it as a possible starting place.
I believe relevance and fact can be found in that which is undefinable. Given that research of the paranormal skates along the outside edge of science one has to rely on unconventional techniques and methodologies at times in order to reach a reasonable conclusion. To discount or remove any source narrows ones research options, this seems counter-productive to me.
I have my beliefs, philosophies, ideas, theories and concepts, the challenge is to treat these things as information as opposed to factual data; what one believes should compliment not unduly influence a research or investigation project.
[quote=Laura Towslee Willcut]
This is a fascinating discussion, thank you Blane for suggesting it as a possible starting place.
I believe relevance and fact can be found in that which is undefinable. Given that research of the paranormal skates along the outside edge of science one has to rely on unconventional techniques and methodologies at times in order to reach a reasonable conclusion. To discount or remove any source narrows ones research options, this seems counter-productive to me.
I have my beliefs, philosophies, ideas, theories and concepts, the challenge is to treat these things as information as opposed to factual data; what one believes should compliment not unduly influence a research or investigation project.
[/quote]But what you believe does in fact influence research, as it should to make all theories the same would be redundant and non-productive to advancement.To educate yourself in as many directions as your beliefs take you help to form new and refined theory's that do in fact lead us to better understandings of what we seek.
@Laura Towslee Willcut..."But what you believe does in fact influence research"...Hmmm, as I do not know you Aanica I cannot speak to what may or may not influence you,
My beliefs influence me as I stated, as with anyone. Do you believe in ghosts? if not why would you research the possibility of their existence? I do in fact believe that the energy of life may indeed transform into another state so I would follow my belief with research in this subject.
what I can say is that it has been my experience that solid, well cited/documented, research is largely dependent upon the researchers ability to suspend what they believe they know
Well documented and cited research would be expected from anyone with an educated background, If you "suspend" your belief systems with this subject (paranormal) where would the theories you form come from? theory's are formed by research but they must begin with belief or interest.
and view the project before them without their personal biases or influences. It can be a challenge at times, but it can be done.
yes.. that would be what research is but if you are talking about a college theorem then that would certainly apply, but with the paranormal you most likely will find your research interest stems from a belief, although you many apply the same type of outline there are no proven models so belief will play a huge part in the understanding and applications of theorems.
As for all theories becoming "redundant and non-productive to advancement" if one does not allow their own influences to play a role in research or investigation, I respectfully disagree.
No problem that's what discussion is for.
If one's influences are permitted to contaminate research or an investigation a confirmation bias is created and then all data is compromised which necessitates a fresh start.
This certainly would apply but again..my point is your whole research is based on a belief. I have not questioned your personal method, but stating that I feel an individuals belief is a part of research, especially with an unknown unproven in any capacity of the paranormal type, I will stand firm. How would you determine a bias was created and if contaminated? There is no data to compromise except your own, again a belief.
I've also found that when personal influences are allowed to dictate the processes we are discussing, even the best researcher/investigator tend to miss very important information and seem to tread the same path over and over looking for the "White Elephant" that has been in front of them all along.
Again personal influences (beliefs) are very important to the research at this level, Just for the record I speak of paranormal research. I believe I have witnessed many types of "white elephants" especially when researching the paranormal.
NO condition can ever be repeated exact or ever have the same result, so where are you left with such an uncontrollable unpredictable science? With your beliefs to form your theory's.
I hope this concludes the belief discussion in the "Ancient Texts" thread, If you would like to continue please post a seperate thread as this not the topic for this post.
heres a link I use often, The Enoch books are quite interesting, and talks about the "Watchers"
enjoy!
[quote=Donna Duncan]
heres a link I use often, The Enoch books are quite interesting, and talks about the "Watchers"
enjoy!
[/quote]
Quite fascinating Donna and thank you! I have added this to my own personal collection...
I see they have a nice link to the Dead Sea Scrolls within the gnostic library, Thanks again!
http://www.ccel.org/a/anonymous/jasher/3.htm this is the Book of Jasher, also mentioned in Scriptures, I've not completed it yet
