Science or faith? Yep.
March 14th 2008
New Song Prayer Room
Have you ever wondered if there are more colors than the ones our eyes can perceive? As a music theory student, I have been learning the overtone series which reminded me of my doubts about human perception. Basically, each individual note that we hear (known as the formant) has a vast number of other notes within it, most of which we are unable to hear (if you ask me about this, I have a cool demonstration I can do on a piano). Imagine what God hears when we make worshipful music for Him: all the complex layers of harmonies and voices hidden within every single chord. And then to learn that our system of tuning instruments, known as temperament, is completely man-made and unnatural (since true natural tuning doesn't allow for key changes). Our seemingly tuned pianos and guitars have all kinds of impurities when compared to true intervals. It shows me even more that I cannot rely on my human perception to fully understand the world around me (*Hosea 5:11). We have never heard a perfectly tuned symphony in its true fullness. Not on this side of heaven.
Recognizing this analytical mind God has given me, I have to wonder what on Earth he sees in my future. The more I learn about science the less I see a divide between it and faith. They feed on each other. My physiopsychology class has been studying Darwin and survival of the fittest. I found myself reminded of playing Oregon Trail as a child (and now on Facebook) and being completely sucked into the hunting of bison and brothers dying of dysentary (I bet my mom had a fun time explaining that one to me). Us humans have competition and survival deeply instilled in our beings. If it were not for the fall of Man in the Garden of Eden, we would not have to work to survive. There would be no such thing as 'not surviving'. No death, illness, struggle. God's complete provision. But the curse has made the soil hard and we must break up our own fallow ground, under our feet and in our hearts (**Hosea 10:12). Thanks Darwin.
My parents recently heard someone claim that it is scientifically shown that becoming a Christian changes your DNA. I must admit that I am extremely embarassed, as a Christian, to be associated with this. He suggested that people are seeking how to alter a person's DNA in order to 'convert' them. Wow, thank God that we have free will to deny others' free will, right? It did get me thinking about DNA though. It is so miraculous the way that we form out of our parents' love for each other and their individual genetic characteristics. Then we have this idea of God as the original Father, having imparted a piece of Himself unto life on earth. Having created us out of love and the desire to have an entity outside Himself, though not unlike Himself. What a parallel.
Last week I was thinking about how one of the most known characteristics of God is that he is unchanging. And we, created in His image, are constantly changing. How can change be essential to humanity, yet 'outside' of God? Donald Miller's book, Through Painted Deserts has an amazing chapter about the God/light metaphor in Hebrew culture that brought me a good deal of resolve about my question.
Light [is] a nonsubstance that is like a particle and like a wave, but perhaps neither, just some kind of traveling energy. Light then becomes a fitting metaphor for a nonbeing who is. God, if like light, travels at the speed of light, and because space and time are mingled with speed, the speed of light is the magic, exact number that allows a kind of escape from time.
He continues to talk about the exponentially increasing density of molecules as they travel faster and how our molecular structure prevents us from moving at the speed of light. Prevents us from moving outside of time. So back to the question of change. Being non-molecular, God is not bound in time. Our molecular bondage to time is what causes the byproduct of change. I guess I was most blown away by the non-coincidence that the timing of my reading matched up perfectly with my spiritual questioning. Thank you Father for creating light in our universe to point us back to your mysterious enormity.
*" Ephraim (part of Israel) is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked by human precept."
-Hosea 5:11
** "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground. for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you."
-Hosea 10:12
Comments
Great post, Alyssa. You have a very transparent writing style that will serve you well in the years to come.
So, the reason you haven't added me as a neighbor is...?????? See you this weekend at NS.