Two books

A friend of mine who is a physics lecturer has a great challenge he uses on his students. As most scientists (especially physicists) are active atheists professing Christians are not very common. My friend however sees it as his duty to speak out where he can. The challenge he uses is that at the start of every lecture course he holds up two books. The first is a copy of the Feynmann lectures and the second is his Bible. He then issues the challenge to any student present to tell him the difference between the two books. Most comment on how the Feynmann lectures are a comprehensive guide to the universe and its complex workings while the Bible is an old mythical text when perpetuates a outdated mode of thinking and lifestyle. His response was one of the greatest things I heard as a physics undergraduate. It goes something like this; Both these books tell us the fundamental truth about our existence. However they do so in different ways, one tells us how the system works, how the structure is built and the rules that hold it all together. The other teaches us about our place in this system and how to live in it together. As I have mentioned before I do not believe there is a conflict between science and religion, only its "followers". Once we learn to understand that neither takes away from the other but can actually add to our understanding we will be better off. Until the we must rely on people like my friend fighting in and lighting his small corner and we must do the same in our own.

John 1:1-14 (KJV)

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
    There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Grandad

As has already been mentioned the last year and a half has not been the easiest for me. I have lost the girl I was going to marry and have had 6 deaths in the family in 8 months. However in this post I would like to pay tribute to my Grandad. He was an amazing man who had a huge impact on my life. Although he was born in 1919 and had very little formal education to speak of he was always the only one to show an interest in my studies and research. He was a source of constant encouragement and yet never made me feel as though I had to do anything to gain his approval. A visit to see Grandad would guarantee that we would both end up smiling no matter how we felt or the circumstance. I can not articulate into blog form just how much this man meant to me. In addition to all of this he was the most amazing Christian I ever met. During his funeral the tributes were full of amazing things he had done that he had never mentioned to his family. Stories of his generosity and kindness that we knew existed but never knew the extent of his charity. My hope in life is that when I die the tributes given for me will be a fraction of that given to my Grandad, that I can be anywhere near the Christian he was. I am glad that he lived long enough to see me return to the Church in which he raised his family, I will never forget the smile on his face that day. God bless you Grandad.

Galatians 6:1-10

    Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
    Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.
    Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.
    Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others-ignoring God!- harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
    So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

Anger

There is a lot going on in my life right now which I have yet to talk about on here and which very few people know about anyway. This coupled with living at home with my parents and next door to a very unpleasant family with unsocial tendencies has led to me harbouring a lot of anger and negative feelings recently. Because of this I decided to look at how Jesus reacted if and when he became angry to try and learn how to react in a Christian way. I know there are situations in the Bible where Jesus lost his temper such as in the temple, Matthew 21:12-17. But is our anger the same? The anger I am feeling currently is due to other people and the faults I perceive them to have. In these situations it is not Christlike to feel anger, but to try and forgive. It is very hard and I know with my personality it is something I am likely to struggle with for the rest of my life. But the scriptures do help; Ephesians 4:26 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry-but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. And also; James 1:19-20 Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger.