Peaceful Presence

There are pathways in my mind

Where I walk in silent thought,

Lost.

There I am surrounded by

An encompassing cocoon of

Peace.

It is then I feel the

Comforting presence of

God.

A Mighty Presence

My thoughts soar

Beyond the ability

To express

With earthly words

That which

Fills my heart

And senses

As I desire to share

With you

The joy

Of knowing God's presence.

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.  Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth."  Psalm 96:11-13

A Light by Which to See

Some mornings as I sit and wonder what to write
I let my mind begin to drift.
Words begin to flow upon the page in front of me
And I hope that they will uplift
The spirits of those who might stumble across them
Someday when they're in need.
We search blindly for the answers to struggles that may come
Never knowing where the search might lead
But, when the answers aren't forthcoming,
Never there before our sight,
There is one place we can always turn and see;
The Word of God says Jesus is the light.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son
That we might live with Him eternally
If only we acknowledge He is Lord of all in life
And came to earth to save you and me.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." -- John 3:16

Bigger Picture

Life is full of twists and turns
That sometimes don't make sense.
The world just makes another round
In spite of our defense
Of things we do
That in the end are meaningless
To most.

That's why we need to think about our life
In the context of something bigger
Than just what we see here on this earth
That we can't figure
Because we are not
Just a useless lifeform passing through
The Universe;

We are special -- made in the image of God --
Who is over all and in all and who
Is Bigger than anything we can imagine
And whose Word is ALWAYS true
Because He cares
About what happens to us and all those things
That occur

And when we don't understand why things are
The way they are and why they happen
To some and not to others
We must know that then
Is when He is working
In our life for
Our good.

[Just thinking about friends who I know are going through struggles now....]

Choosing the Positive

Some days are harder than others to keep a positive attitude.  When you look around at all of the things going on in this world, it is easy to be depressed.  There are plenty of positives, but it seems sometimes the negatives are winning the battle.  Fortunately, I have found that my own attitude is mainly a decision.  I can decide to be positive, or I can let myself be pulled into the pool of negative.

Some people believe there is a cosmic balance between good and evil, positive and negative if you prefer, that equals out over time.  The net sum is zero, or equality between the two.  I can understand that view if you step back and look at it objectively from a human standpoint -- which is what we must do since we are all human.  I subscribe to the idea that it is a battle between good and evil.

The Biblical view, as I read it, is that evil was unleashed upon the world in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve chose to believe that they (based on advice from Satan) knew better than God and that it was better to eat from the tree in the midst of the garden than to obey God's command to not do so.  It was the first instance of disobeying God and setting man on a par with or, even higher than God.  It was a choice based on "I know what is best for me," rather than accepting God's will.

Ultimately, that is what allows evil into this world -- man's choice.  Any time we choose selfishly -- "I know what is best for me" -- we allow evil in.

Each and every day we must make choices.  In each choice we should seek God's will.  When our choices are driven by selfishness we allow just a little more evil (or, negative if you prefer) into our lives and therefore, into the world.  I pray that each and every day you will be motivated to seek God's will.  Focus on the positive and not on the negative.  Choose God's way rather than man's way.

In spite of what advertisers tell us, It's not "all about me."

Concentrated Confusion

Have you ever thought about why people who live in cities seem less likely to believe in God than those who live in rural areas?  I don't have any statistics at hand to back that claim, but personal experience seems to support it.

It causes me to think of the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel in which man became so enthralled with his own accomplishment that God decided it was time to take him down a notch.  Cities are filled with such towers and the beauty of the natural world is masked by manmade structures at every turn.  In the country that isn't the case.

Rural folk still have the opportunity to marvel at nature.  They are surrounded by the beauty of God's creation.  They experience first-hand the miracle of a newborn calf, or the beauty of a sunset in a dusty western sky.  It is easier to sense the presence of a Creator when you are in touch with His creation.

City dwellers are in touch with sidewalks and concrete.  Their view of the sky is limited by the height of the buildings that surround them.  They see birth as just another event within the hands of man because their only exposure is in a hospital.  Perhaps that is why abortion seems so easy for them to accept -- the baby doesn't really exist in their mind until presented whole and kicking at the disruption of his/her protected existence.

Just the simple duality of male/female becomes confused to those who have little or no contact with the natural order.  When existence consists of disguises against the dangers presented by too many in limited space fighting against the natural inclination to be noticed by ones peers, confusion should be expected.  The mind reflects the confusion of the soul -- the life/death dichotomy of abortion, the fear/desire to be noticed duality from a concentration of too many people and the inability to "see" that there is more to existence than the ephemeral works of man -- resulting in a focus of take and take some more because there is nothing except what can be grasped in ones hand.

I am thankful to be "wired" with a desire to live in a setting where I can touch the natural world on a daily basis.  It is a constant reminder that I am weak but, He is strong.

Habakkuk 2:18-20  Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.  Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!' Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.  But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

Sweat and Rocket Power

Some mornings I look at the blank page before me and have nothing that seems worthwhile about which to write.  You might think that would occur during the slow times, those times when there isn't much going on, but instead, it is mostly when my mind is preoccupied with something.

Usually when I go to bed, before I fall asleep, I remind myself to come up with a subject for my morning post.  I have found that my mind will work on it without me being fully aware, although there are times I awake at night with a "eureka" moment and realize I have been inspired.  That isn't usually the case -- especially if there are other things that are taking up the "processing time" that is the realm of REM sleep when our mind is actively sorting through events and organizing them for later retrieval.  It is the time we recognize as dream time, even though we don't usually realize we are dreaming unless we awaken directly from that state.

I find dreams fascinating.  I know it is just my brain trying to make sense of things and to organize itself into patterns but, it intrigues me to think about the dream when I become aware that it is one, and to try and figure out just exactly what events, or minor piece of trivia, triggered it -- to what is it related.

Last night I had rather strange dreams in which I envisioned myself rotting -- at least my skin was deteriorating and falling apart.  To some, I can imagine it would have been a nightmare, but I just found it interesting.  Was it my mind dealing with aging?  I suppose that is possible, but I actually think it was stimulated from the fresh bread that filled our kitchen with pleasing aromas yesterday.

It was sourdough bread -- my wife makes excellent sourdough bread -- and it releases an aroma that is distinct.  Bread is associated with yeast which is a fungus.  Fungi are part of the natural cycle of breaking down dead things into their component and reusable compounds.  Dead trees in the woods are often covered with fungi -- especially those which are still standing.  The tiny filaments of the fungi penetrate the pores of the wood and slowly break it apart -- much like I dreamed was happening to my skin in the dream.

The entire episode reminds me of what I wrote about a few days ago -- we all are made of the elements of this earth and someday will return those elements back into the earth.  It is part of the cycle of life on this planet.

Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are the most common elements in our bodies.  They each are part of cyclical patterns that have existed since the earth was formed.  The carbon released from our breath may have once been part of a Tyrannosaurus which roamed the earth.  The oxygen we breath may have once been a part of some ancient Chinese Emperor.  The hydrogen in a drop of sweat may someday help power a rocket to the moon.  Whether we like it or not, we are physically "one" with the earth.

So, what sets us apart?  Perhaps it is simply the ability to recognize a dream for what it is, the assimilation of data into informative patterns.  Those informative patterns reveal a masterful hand of creation.  By recognizing our limitations as part of the cyclical nature of this planet, we are able to see God and to know that He is not us, but much, much bigger.

Certainty in an Uncertain World

In what might appear to be a contradictory approach to remaining positive and uplifting in my posts, I have decided to declare this year as the Year of Uncertainty.  Yes, I know that doesn't sound particularly positive, but I have my reasons.

I think there is a lot of political uncertainty right now.  Part of that is a function of the way our current President operates.  It is something of a trick in which you create turmoil that disguises primary intent.  It's the old magician's sleight of hand in which one hand is drawing the eye while the other is manipulating an object.  Part of it though, is in the hatred of the career politicians for that style -- or, lack of style.  They see themselves as the informed, the urbane, the "leaders" of our country rather than the servants of the people.  President Trump is so self-assured that he doesn't care how others see him.  He is focused on getting the job done.  Other politicians don't like that because they are all about appearances while lining their own pockets.  It's all about the vote.

The political uncertainty leads us to market uncertainty.  Volatility in the stock market is extremely high and will remain so since it is so closely tied to the psychological state of  investors.  That psychological state is one in which many feel they have lost the ability to guess when and where the next "bombshell" announcement will fall that will affect their investments.  Will it be a deal with China?  What about Russia?  What's happening with oil and the price of gasoline?  It is closely tied to the political uncertainty.

I think there is a lot of uncertainty about the weather.  Whether you are a believer in climate change due to man's activities or, not, doesn't matter.  Enough people do that it has become a factor in global uncertainty.  It adds to the destabilization of governments, of economies and of attitudes.  It will impact your life whether you believe it is true or not.  It will result in new taxes and new regulations that will impact every person.

In spite of the growing number of jobs and the demand for labor, I believe there is a lot of uncertainty in the job market.  There will be a lot of businesses that fail due to many of the reasons listed above, but also because our economy is changing rapidly.  The types of businesses that will succeed in the coming years will look very different from those that have succeeded in the past.  If you are employed by a failed or, failing business, your job is in jeopardy.  That creates uncertainty.

We can add to the above uncertainties that of health.  Who of us knows when our health might fail?

I could go on and on about uncertainty, but I won't.  Instead, I think we need to remember what is certain.  God is certain.  He reaches out to us in His unfailing love by calling us to follow Jesus.  What happens here on earth is temporary.  It is eternity that is filled with certainty.  "For God so loved the world He gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."  (John 3:16)

Tote the Load

Sometimes inspiration hits us in a flash;
We know the very thing that we should do.
But, other times we search for it and nothing comes our way
Until we sink into a fruitless mental stew.

I think that God is teaching us the way that we should go
And it starts with how we must depend on Him,
But, part of how we trust Him is in knowing He is there
In fact and not a feeling or a whim.

When we are in His footsteps we must simply move ahead
And trust that He will always guide our way;
It's not a sense of nearness or, of Him so far away,
It's faith that He is with us every day.

So, when we have those moments when we don't know what to do
We must simply place a foot upon the road
For we have His assurance that He's always by our side
To help us carry many heavy load.

Timing, Patience and Faith

Timing is important.  Many things hinge on timing.  I'm sure everyone experiences it occasionally.  We wait in anticipation of some event that must occur before we can move forward.  If that event is within our control, it is much more bearable than if it is not.  Right now, for me, is one of those times of waiting.

Waiting is something that has always been a bit of struggle for me.  I hate standing in line, or waiting for an event to begin.  I am not naturally patient.

I have learned through the years that patience is a partner with faith.  Faith is one of the most important things -- if not THE most important thing -- that God wants us to learn as we grow in our reliance on Him.  Faith is putting your trust in someone else (Him).  Patience is trusting that something will happen that is out of your control (His control).

The key to patience is faith.

Strength comes through exercise.

Power

I have cords for everything;
No matter where I look
It seems there is attachment
To phone, t.v. and Nook.

They tie things to a power,
Unseen but always there,
That flows through wires and other things
By man's unfailing care.

It reminds that we're connected
To the Father up above
Who seeks to empower us
Through His unfailing love

If only we'd reach out to Him
Through prayer in one accord
His power would recharge us
And He doesn't need a cord!

Seeing the Extraordinary

When we truly look at all we see in this wide world around us
It should fill us with amazement.
We see things from the surface and they become ordinary
Because they are commonplace.
If by chance we look in depth at something simple as a cup
We experience man's inventiveness.
The one I see before my eyes is crafted porcelain,
Glazed white within and black without,
With an etched emblem on the side that faces me
When I grasp it by the handle.
I see the glaze and know it coats a rougher substance
From which it is shaped.
The separation of the colors is such that I wonder
How they made the line so perfect.
The figure on the outside is etched through the black
Into the grainy texture of the core.
It keeps my coffee hot for just long enough to enjoy
A moment of relaxation as I drink.
It was crafted by men who learned the art of making it
From labors built over many generations.
It was designed for a company which sells coffee at
A price far above their competition;
I know because their stamp of copyright is placed
Clearly on the bottom in four languages.
Someone spent a good deal of time designing the logo
Which is etched upon the cup.
That logo was then programmed into a machine designed
To etch it into the surface.
The glazes used upon the cup were mixed by a chemist
So they melted at a temperature
Below that which would destroy the matrix of the cup
Itself upon which they were applied.
After the cup was cooled it was packaged and shipped
To the various outlets of the coffee company
Which then made them available for sale to their
Highly devoted customers (of which I am not one.)
This single, simple cup was designed, manufactured, transported
And sold through a complex process
Involving many people scattered across the continent
To end up in my hand.
To me, that is truly extraordinary.
Just imagine the mind that designed the minds which
Are capable of such things....

The Tracks We Leave Behind

Although we sometimes think we're small

And no one knows our name

We leave our tracks upon the earth

That show the way we came.

Life is short, our days are few

But, think of where you go

For there are those who walk behind

That you may never know

Who seek to follow in your steps

Wherever they may trod.

So, make your pathway straight and true

Led by the Hand of God.

Obsessed by Politics?

I hate politics.  I hate politics.  I hate politics.

Now that you know how I feel about politics I'm going to write about politics.

I am fiscally conservative and somewhat middle-of-the-road on many social issues.  If I were to identify with any particular candidate it would probably be a mix of Ted Cruz and Rand Paul.  To sum it up, quit taking my money and spending it wastefully and quit trying to legislate morality.  Protect our borders, negotiate free trade, but let people live their life the way they want as long as it doesn't directly infringe on the rights of others.

The media is obsessed by politics.  Why?  I suppose it is the greatest source of drama and controversy available and we all know that is what sells.  The only possible greater source would be Hollywood which seems to thrive on controversy.  Both are driven by the "look at me" syndrome of a child who just wants to be noticed.

I suppose that in a nutshell, it takes a narcissist to want to be a politician.  I have a hard time going around begging people for money so that I can confiscate more of their money, attempt to run their lives and then expect them to "worship" me for what I did to them.  Just leave me alone.  Provide an environment in which I can take my own path in the "pursuit of happiness."  That's probably why I took a path other than politics.

Am I obsessed with politics too?  I guess in a way I am.  I am obsessed with a hatred of it.  Hate is a strong word that I don't use very often.  Perhaps righteous anger would be a better description of how I feel -- or may righteous indignation.  I am indignant that our political system has devolved to such a level.

It doesn't surprise me though.  Fallen mankind is acting out the age-old drama of placing "self" in the center of all things.  Until we elect political representatives (notice the switch in terms here) that place their faith in God rather than themselves, nothing will change.

Locks and Keys

I had to change out a doorknob this morning.  It quit working correctly a few days ago.  Actually, it worked OK if you turned it counter-clockwise, but, didn't work if you turned it clockwise.  Kind of strange.  Normally if they are going to go out, it seems to me that they don't work no matter how you turn them.

Anyway, I went down to the local hardware store and purchased a new one this morning.  It was only about a 5 minute job to switch it out.  Not a big chore, but, something that had to be done.

When I made my purchase, the clerk asked if I would like it keyed to any particular key.  I thought for a moment and said, "No, just leave it with the keys that came with it."

I realized at that moment that I didn't know which key in my keyring was the correct one for that door, or, for that matter, for any of the other doors to my house.  I don't ever use the key.  I come through the garage.  Then, upon further reflection, I realized that the few times I did need to use a key, it took multiple tries to find the correct one. 

You see, I carry quite a few keys.  Some unlock offices scattered across various states.  Some are for padlocks, post office boxes, lock boxes, cars, and on and on.  I had to search for the correct key to match the lock that was being replaced.  It only opened that one door.  I pulled it off of my key ring and replaced it with the new one.

As I looked at the keys on my ring I realized that I didn't know what all of them went to.  Oh, I had a vague idea, but, I suspect that a couple are to locks that no longer exist.  I hate to throw away the ones I'm not sure about because I fear I will need them some day.  You'd think I would have them labeled or something.  I've never taken the time.

I have keys in a box in my dresser drawer.  Some of them are for special things, like the Jeep and various things attached to, or, associated with it.  Most are of the unknown variety.  Again, why do I keep them?  Fear of needing them someday for some forgotten lock I guess.

We are a society of locks and keys.  We have so much yet we fear loss of what we have.  Or, we fear someone gaining access to us or our possessions without our permission.  When I went to Niger a few years ago, there were a lot fewer locks.  Oh, you would see them here and there, but, many homes didn't have much of a door, let alone one with a locking knob, or, even a padlock.

But, there are other kinds of locks and keys in our lives.  We keep our thoughts and emotions locked away.  Sometimes I think we even forget how to unlock them.  The locks are rusted closed and it takes a lot to get into those closed and musty places.  I don't think that's the way God meant it to be.  After all, He is constantly asking us to open those closed places to Him.

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." __ Revelation 3:20

I don't think I really need all that many keys.....

Chris

Healing Reign

I had resolved a few weeks ago to quit writing about the extreme heat and wind.  I'm breaking my resolution.  At 3:53 p.m today it was 110 degrees in Amarillo with winds at 21 gusting to 31 and relative humidity of 4%.  I'm seriously considering a trip to Phoenix to cool off.  It is miserable outside.

I walked outside earlier to take care of a couple of things that needed done and decided to beat a retreat back in the house.  I don't think I left any skin, but, in a matter of minutes I probably lost 3 lbs. through evaporation!  I think it would be a cinch making jerky out there.  Just hang it on the fence for a couple of hours......

I was thinking earlier that it was probably a lot like this during the dust bowl.  There were a couple of differences then; the air was filled with blowing dirt because of poor farming practices and they didn't have air conditioning.  I'm wondering if maybe we shouldn't do some plowing to increase the particulate matter in the air so maybe a raindrop would have a chance of forming!  Well, with 4% humidity that's not likely.  Especially when you consider the dew point is at 20 F.  I don't think it's going to form any dew tonight let alone a raindrop.

Water restrictions are becoming common across the area.  So far most cities and towns are at stage one.  It won't be long until they move to stage 2 though if the weather doesn't break soon.  That will mean mandatory restrictions. 

Floods in the north, tornadoes across the eastern half of the nation, unprecedented drought in Texas and other parts of the Southwest; sounds a bit apocalyptic doesn't it?  Perhaps it is a sign that God wants us to turn to Him for relief.  I know that in this part of the world the prayers are going up pretty regularly.  The problem is, it is mostly prayers for rain, not a true healing of this land.  Maybe God would listen more if we didn't look to Him as a "Genie" to grant our wishes and instead saw Him as the sovereign Creator that He is.  We need to seek forgiveness and healing, not just rain.  That will come when we fall to our knees before Him and submit to His reign -- not our own.

Chris

Fullness

Sometimes I just get in one of those pensive moods.  I dive into my head and think about things a little bit farther toward the deep end of the pool.  You know, where you can barely touch the bottom if you're standing on the tips of your toes.

Today, I posted the following on Facebook.

"If Jesus came to give us life -- and not only that, He wants us to experience it in all its fullness -- why do we settle for mediocrity??"

Yeah, it seems a little strange to quote yourself, but, in the interest of accuracy, I am quoting my "status" on Facebook from earlier today.

Do you ever wonder what He meant  by experiencing life in all its fullness?  I do.

I think sometimes that it was a reference to the purely Spiritual.  At other times, I think He was referring to experiencing a small piece of the Kingdom of God while still on this earth.  Then, at times, I wonder if He meant something else altogether.

I guess that's where I was today when I posted that.  OK, I guess that's still where I am.  I think He meant something that has been lost in the jumbled thinking of today.

Perhaps it is that same jumbled thinking that makes me wonder about the concept of the fullness of life.  Maybe I'm pulling a little science fiction/fantasy into my thinking.  Or, maybe science fiction/fantasy, in one of its many manifestations, is drawing from a reality that we are only sometimes vaguely aware.

The Matrix, for example.  Does it touch on a reality that we somehow sense?  I don't mean literally that there is a world of machines that controls the human race -- what we think, do, say -- but, does it touch on the Spiritual aspect of our being?  Is there a duality to our nature?  Is there a Spiritual realm to which we are attached and yet only occasionally vaguely aware?

What if we could learn to more deeply touch the Spiritual?  I don't mean seances or talking to ghosts or something like that.  I mean truly getting in touch with LIFE -- that aspect of living to which Jesus referred.  Life Everlasting.  Eternity.  Our Spiritual being.

We are so trapped and therefore blinded by our physical self that we fail to nurture the Spiritual aspect of our being.  Only when we begin to feed the Spiritual self do we grow in that area.  Just thinking....

But, there is more to us than just the physical and the Spiritual.  There is also the mental and the emotional.  We are made up of four aspects to our nature.  Rare is the individual who is truly rounded in all of those aspects -- the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  What if we truly nurtured and fed all of those aspects of our being?  Could that be the "fullness of LIFE" that we should be experiencing but, don't?

Hmmmm....too far into the deep end for me.  I'd better return to the shallower water.  I might find something important if I keep going.....

Into the Deep Water

Walk with me now
Into the deep water
Where only by faith we can go;

Where held in the warmth
Of supporting embrace
The strength of our God we will know.

Walk with me now
Into the deep water
Where love and forgiveness shall reign;

Where cleansing begins
To take out the stains
So only the light will remain.

Walk with me now
Into the deep water;
A place we are never alone.

Where hope lights the fire
Of life in our hearts
Reflecting the power of God's throne.

Walk with me now
Into the deep water
Where Jesus has traveled before

To draw us into
His presence so pure
And dwell with Him there evermore.

Logical Creationism

If I decided to play God and build life, how would I logically start?

One thought is that I might start with a simple protein.  I could then replicate that protein with slight variations until I had a number of them that could be combined for a particular function -- much like modules in a computer software are developed.  By continuing the process of replication and alteration, I could begin to build more and more complex organisms.

In order to shortcut the process, it would be logical to build proteins that were capable of multiple functions depending on specific coded switches within them to determine how they would act.  Again, software is built similarly.  Over time, various modules could be "plugged" together to create a wide variety of organisms/biological machines that would display a huge variety of characteristics.

It would also be logical for simplicity sake to make the organisms self-sustaining through the ability to feed themselves and to reproduce.

If, at the end of a relatively long period of time, the knowledge to create these organisms was lost, it would be a matter of examining the wide variety of then living organisms to begin the process of analyzing them for clues of how they were made.  From the evidence available, it would appear that an evolutionary process occurred that involved tiny mutations at the most basic structural level (the protein) in order for such variety to arise.  A "Theory of Evolution" from an unknown source (primordial soup) of the original proteins would be a logical conclusion.  Although incorrect, such a theory would be "intuitively obvious" because of the minute differences in the makeup of various beings.  In fact, the genetic makeup of organisms as different as chimpanzees and humans would vary by only a tiny percentage.

Suppose the purpose of the creation process was ultimately to create a thinking being that would over time grow to a developmental level that would provide companionship for the original creator?  Suppose that to enter into such a relationship required the "leap" into a realm beyond the physical limitations of the created order?  Suppose that a "roadmap" was created to provide guidance to the created, self-replicating, thinking beings to find the "keys" to make that leap into the next realm which was in itself a "sifting" process?

Hmmm....like in most things, I won't get the patent on this one.  It seems to me that it has already been done.

If you are interested in what the current scientific thought on this might be, try the article linked here.

Leaping Beyond Knowledge

Occasionally, I will take on, or at least attempt, the debate of some topic or statement made by those who fall into an atheistic or agnostic category.  Such individuals are usually highly intelligent and highly educated.  Almost without exception they are highly self-focused.

Debating atheists/agnostics is difficult. They all have a set of canned arguments that generally end in some form of calling you ignorant/uneducated, etc. I try to stick to a reasoned, educated, informed argument but, there are many times that I run out of answers. There almost always comes a time though, of complete rejection by the person with whom I am "discussing" the topic with my position. I suspect such an abrupt end comes for one of two reasons; either 1) I hit close to home or 2) they become frustrated with my unwillingness to "cave" to their position. 

Again, most who are in the atheist or agnostic camp are highly educated. I don't see their belief system as a result of their education, I see it as a part of the same makeup that drives them to a higher level of education. Perhaps it is a drive to know and understand, or maybe just a rejection of that which can't be explained. It seems tied to a high level of intelligence. But, along with that intelligence comes a sense of reliance on self-understanding. A sense that if I can't touch it, feel it, understand it, it can't be real. It is a rejection of the concept of the unexplainable. It is the idea that if "I" only had more information, "I" could understand it/repeat it/whatever. It is the placing of "self" at the pinnacle. Yet, those same individuals are the first to believe that man evolved from a "primordial soup" into this "high" being of which they are among the elite highest.  And they are often the first to place mankind in general on the same level as animals or even inanimate objects.


(Aside:  It is tempting at this point to state that one of the distinguishing points between Liberals and Conservatives is a "humility" toward self, but, some of the most arrogant individuals I have ever met are Conservatives.  It just seems there are a greater number of arrogant Liberals.)

The placing of "self" above God is where it all started.  Satan thought he was just as smart as God and set himself up in opposition to Him.  In the Garden of Eden man thought, through the prompting of Satan, that he knew as well as God and chose to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree in opposition to God.  Hmmm....seems to me to be the same disease -- self in opposition to God.

To me, our very existence requires a Creator.  The Creator must lie outside the created.  That which is within the created cannot know the Creator except as the Creator reveals Himself to us.  Trying to understand the creation by looking from the inside out is like the blind men and the elephant.  One sees a rope, another a tree, another a wall, yet none see the totality with any sense of understanding because they only see a part of the whole.

I believe mankind has tremendous cumulative knowlege of the created order.  I also believe there is tremendous misunderstanding of that knowledge.  Wisdom is the proper understanding and application of knowledge. Do I claim wisdom for myself?  Only to the extent that I understand that my knowledge is incomplete and therefore imperfect.  I also realize that perfect knowledge lies beyond the scope of human understanding -- either individually or cumulatively.

Belief in a Creator requires a leap of faith.  It is a leap to something that defies explanation and is by definition greater than self or the cumulative knowledge of man.  It is a leap that seems especially difficult for some.