Einstein and God

Albert Einstein believed in God.

I'm not sure why that's important.  Certainly, he was no prophet, or son of a prophet and to be truthful, I have not ordered any of the rest of my life around the principles that guided his life, but I guess he was a genius and that counts for something.  But Einstein only believed in some kind of force that set things in motion and brought order out the chaos that we can see when we observe the Universe.  He did not believe in a personal deity of any sort.

Einstein said:  "It seems to me that the idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I cannot take seriously. I feel also not able to imagine some will or goal outside the human sphere. My views are near those of Spinoza: admiration for the beauty of and belief in the logical simplicity of the order which we can grasp humbly and only imperfectly. I believe that we have to content ourselves with our imperfect knowledge and understanding and treat values and moral obligations as a purely human problem—the most important of all human problems."  (quote from Wikipedia)

Albert Einstein did not believe in a personal God who pays attention to individual prayers and needs here on earth.  It just didn't make sense to him that there was anything except human will and behaviors to drive our experiences in this world.

The reality is that God it too big to "make sense," even to one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century.  There are just too many things that God controls to think that He deliberately allows evil to dominate in this world.  God is strong enough and secure enough to allow free will, even for those who hate Him.

At the same time, He cares for each of His children individually.  Am I small -- miniscule in comparison to the Universe?  Without a doubt.  Yet, even on my darkest days, I know that God cares for me.

Albert Einstein believed and I believe in God.  But we don't believe in the same God.  For I believe in One who cares who I am and what I do on a very personal level.

And, as Robert Frost said so many years ago, that has made all the difference.

Getting out of the Echo Chamber

"The opinions expressed by John Waldron on Dr. John's Jottings are a major reason to own a computer."  -- Winston Churchill.


I've found Facebook a pretty discouraging place these days.  I like the personal stuff.  I like to see photos from people's days, glimpse into the lives of friends who live far away from me that I haven't seen in ages.  On the other hand, there really are an awful lot of articles that contain misinformation, false quotes, and mix fact and fiction in a dangerous way.

"The Internet definitely isn't what it used to be."  --Abraham Lincoln.

Typically, these posts begin with an axe to grind -- a political figure to tear down, or a medical practice to blow up.  The articles then follow this up with rhetoric that stretches the truth, leaves out crucial information, and generally skews a discussion to the author's point of view.  Sometimes "facts" are made up whole cloth, but more often than not, facts that might contradict are conveniently ignored.

Few on Facebook seem able to check if a quote is really from the person it claims to be.  I have seen misattributed quotes to JFK, Hitler, Abraham Lincoln, and Larry Bird, among others.  I suppose it just seems more powerful if you have Abraham Lincoln in your corner than Joe Smith from the Irish Pub around the corner.

Maybe things are different on Parler and MeWe, but I doubt it.

"Everyone's an expert on the internet."  -- Walt Whitman.

So it is that Jenny McCarthy's opinion has the same weight as Tom Frieden, Director of the CDC on Facebook.  In fact, her opinion is probably more valid to some because he is a scientist -- a spokesman for the establishment -- while she is a caring mother.

It is awfully easy to find articles and opinions and memes that mirror our own views and then sit back and relax, pleased that knowledgeable people believe just as we do.

In the end, we need to listen to voices other than those in our own echo chamber.  We need to research the reality of the facts quoted in an article.  Is it true that Amish children don't have autism?  What are the real dangers of drinking raw milk?  Are doctors really unethical enough to fabricate death certificate diagnoses?

The truth is out there for those who do a little research.  Only through concerted effort can we expand our minds and truly understand the great and amazing world that surrounds us.

"Facebook  is the least reliable place to get real news about me..."  Alexander the Great.

Hand Dirty!

 

"Hand Dirty!  Hand Dirty!"  Victoria's voice was rising as she struggled to get someone to pay attention to her.  She was sitting at the table eating spaghetti and apparently some of the offending tomato sauce had made its way on to her skin.

"Just wait a second,"  I told her.

"No, hand dirty!" 

I stepped over to the sink and snagged a dish rag and stepped back to the table to wipe off my daughter's offending hand.

It is a little strange that she gets so upset when her hand is even a little dirty, but her face can be covered in grime and it doesn't effect her at all.  I suppose the difference is that she can see her hand, while it is the rest of us who get to look at her face.

In the hospital setting, clean hands are very important.  There are literally spies who watch whether staff uses anti microbial gels when entering and leaving patient rooms. Over the years, we have discovered that clean hands makes for healthier patients.

Many years ago, King David asked the question "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in his holy place?"  The answer was clear.  "He who has clean hands and a pure heart..."  Pure actions and right motives are needed for someone to be able to approach into God's presence.

I think Victoria has a tendency to get worked up to easily about how dirty her hands are, but in the real world, there are too many people who are content to get their hands a "little dirty" in order to get the results they desire.  While this may let you get to the top more easily, it is not a recipe for success in the eyes of God.

The only way to be accepted by Him is to prostrate ourselves before and lift our arms crying "Hand Dirty!"

Then He will wash them and lead us on to walk in purity.

Snow Days and Sledding

The snow was floating down as I drove home.  It wasn't a heavy snow fall by any means -- folks in Manitoba probably wouldn't even call it a snow fall -- but it was enough to make the roads slick and let me knock off work early.

When my children saw me come in from the cold, they lit up.  "Daddy, Daddy!"  Victoria shouted and came up to give me a hug (she gives the best hugs).

After I had eaten a little lunch, I sat back in my chair and looked out the window.  It was cold and blustery out there and I was warm and full of food.  It would be the perfect afternoon to just rest up.

"Dad, would you come outside and sled with us?"  Anna asked me.

I hope my face didn't show too much conflict.  Sledding versus warmth, it was a hard decision.

"Sure," I told her.  "Let me get some sledding clothes on."

So it was that I bundled back up in my winter garb and headed out to sled with my children.

We were out there for an hour and I suppose my warm chair inside missed me.  I know for sure that I missed it.

As we went back inside, I was glad.  The tired feeling I had in my legs from trudging up the hill wouldn't last.  Snow days and sledding and icicles hanging from my nose wouldn't last either.

The memories will.