Inception

Inception - an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events.

My son Andy and I made time to go see the new Sci-fi thriller Inception Saturday night.  Having only read one review from Wired.com I was intrigued enough to shell out my dough for the ticket.  And, I'll say it is more than I thought it would be.  A central theme of the movie is planting an idea in ones mind through a dream.  Technology is used to do a Vulcan like mind meld and allow the team of thieves to interact with the target's lucid dream and eventually steal his secrets.  This all should sound familiar to those whom have had similar spiritual experiences.  Ideas are being "planted" like seeds all the time in our minds, and not always from our fellow humans.  No, not aliens folks, I'm not that wacky... yet.  It is most often very mundane. Advertising is the commercial practice of mind seeding for example.  Much research has been done over the decades in subliminal communications in one form or another.  It goes right down to the arrangement of product on the shelves, isles, color of packaging etc etc.  The gambling industry tries to make you feel rich before they take your hard earned money.   Automotive manufacturers show how you will become free, important, safe, cool and attractive in their product.  Advertising, politics, war, all use deception to win over their targets.  Inception by Deception.

Scripture has some good advice for that garden of the mind;

Php 4:8  Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things. 

A practical defense of the bombardment our minds take each day by our society is to 'displace' those seeds of deception by purposely thinking on good things.  First, know who you are in Christ.  Remember your identity, your heritage and future.   Nothing can beat eternal life.  Now that you have a good perspective, scrub away your mind with Bible study, prayer and meditate throughout the day on the things of God.  You'll be surprised at how even the common things in life contain some profound insights into the realm of the Eternal.

Interesting follow up article on wired.


 

Something just isn't right here.

Ever have that gnawing feeling that just won't go away?  That something just doesn't "feel" right.  It could be an everyday and common business transaction or a light conversation with someone you've known for years or even a perfect stranger.  It could be a series of seemingly unconnected events spanning years that suddenly point to something, a conclusion you have never considered, nor wanted to.  Or, something totally out of the blue.  A contempt for someone you know absolutely nothing about.  He or she could be the most likable gal or guy anyone has met including you.  But there it is, an angst about a person you can't trace to anything he or she has said or done by yourself or anyone else.  Or conversely, it is something said in jest or sincerity that piques your conscience, jabs at your heart.  A warning that what your seeing or hearing has roots that go deep.  The intellect kicks in right about here and says "there is no rational reason for you to feel this way".  Quickly you come to a conclusion that you have "issues" that need dealt with.  Maybe your just jealous.  That all common, awful rotten manifestation of the heart that can ruin a man.

  O! beware, my lord, of jealousy;  It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock.  The meat it feeds on.

~William Shakespeare, Othello

But then, you ask, "why would I be jealous of someone I don't know?"  "Am I insecure?"  (Whatever that means)  "That could cause feelings of being threatened....."  (from what?)  No man knoweth his own heart better than himself beside God alone.  "If jealousy, then kill it" you say.  You know your just as weak as the next person,  the Spirit has taught you this.  The only way to deal with the flesh is to deal whatever it tries to bind you with a death blow.  Self sacrifice.  Everything has to go on the line.  In the world, it would call for war, competition, "hard work" to mend those pangs of inadequacy and overcome the foe to prove your superiority.  Sports is the "soft porn" of this prideful way.  But in the Kingdom, fear, humility and faith are the rule.  There is no glory in man there.

Welcome to the realm of doubt, paranoia and the walk by faith alone.  Every Christian should feel this state of mind at one time or another or they are impostors.   The true Christian walk isn't all feel good honey sweet blue sky Joel Osteen kind of way.   If you feel a little uncomfortable around these kind of people don't be discouraged.  God doesn't enjoy "clanging cymbals" either.  He puts them in the same category with lukewarm water.  Rather, it's often more like hand-to-hand combat with the enemy, and that enemy in your face and in your nostrils is you. Once you put that "gut" feeling through the filter of self examination and prayer, maybe even seeking out godly advice from a trusted brother or sister, and you have a clear conscience, you have yourself a bona fide mystical experience.   Now is the time the opposition begins it's work.  The hidden truth has just now been exposed and the enemy of souls is never happy to have his dirty work known.  You will be a target.  And the very tests you put yourself through will be used against you.  You will be accused of jealousy for example, insecurity or any number of psychological  nonsense.  If you've already been there you can have confidence.   If not, if it was overlooked, you can stop and reconsider before moving on to the next step of faith.   It's about to get messy.

Collimation

One of my rediscovered interests has been astrophotography.   I have been enjoying the process of learning the intricacies of digital photography and telescope operation all at once.  It has been a lifelong love of the skies that I have been encouraged to return to my childhood hobby.  There is something more awe inspiring about seeing those familiar celestial objects in real life rather than relying on someone else's work.  For me, it's parallels my Bible study in quality time with the Lord.  I think He likes those of faith who want to look at His handiwork up close, with eyes that see them for what they really are.  Not just glowing balls of gas or pock marked dead planets and moons, but works of wonder reflecting the majesty and glory of it's Maker.  But with untrained spiritual eyes we see things rather fuzzy and out of focus.  The beauty is blurred by crooked thinking and ideas born of this world that cause the light to be deflected from it's intended destination, hence the full impact of that information, that picture is lost.  Thats why the astronomer needs to collimate his instrument of exploration, the telescope, and why the theologian needs to align his heart and life with the source of all light, God.  Look at these two images closely and you will see distortion caused by poor collimation.  Imagine how much better they will be with a little collimation.  Next week.

Update 7-5-10 Post collimation with laser device.

Flight to Heaven

Captain Dale Black, retired commercial airline pilot and survivor of a tragic airplane crash when he was 19 years old, goes public after forty years with his new book Flight To Heaven.  If you have listened to or read other accounts of near death experiences and were left with doubts about the credibility of those stories, this one will be different.  I would recommend purchasing the audible version here and listen to Captain Black read his story to you himself.

I felt this account was most helpful in reassuring the Christian that there truly is a better place after this life and it won't be totally unfamiliar apparently.  Along with his experience, you will hear the salvation message clearly explained so if you have friends or relatives that you want to present to the Lord, this would be an ideal resource for you.

The Atheists Among Us

While perusing Hulu.com for anything worth watching while waiting for my last stint of night shift for the week, I ran across a book review recorded in San Francisco last March that piqued my interest with the title: In the Land of Believers: An Outsider's Extraordinary Journey Into the Heart of the Evangelical Church.  My first reaction was disgust at the revelation this author had the temerity to sneak into Jerry Falwells church and pose as a believing Christian for two years merely to make a name for herself among her atheist peers and write a book about "those" people.  Made my skin crawl.  But, I continued to watch Gina Welch as she discussed her book with the interested left in the "Bay" and I began to soften my attitude.  Gina seemed somewhat contrite about the experience and expressed a desire to be a bridge builder between the Evangelical Church and the Atheist Left of the Intelligentsia.   Whether that is at all possible remains to be seen but like any good ole 'Falwellite' would say' "everything has a purpose".  Gina may be unwittingly a key part of a plan she doesn't believe in.  Yes, God does have a wonderful sense of humor.  Gina is teaching Creative Writing at George Washington University.

Signature in the Cell

With the recent news from the J. Craig Venter Institute, regarding the announcement of the success of the manufacture of synthetic life and the myriad of problems coaxing a host cell to "boot up" a synthetic DNA molecule, science is reaffirming the complexity of life and the incredible design of even the simplest of cell.  In Stephen C. Meyer's latest work, Signature of the Cell, a case for design rather than random mutation and natural selection (Darwinism) is meticulously laid out.  DNA, the source of the incredibly precise information contained within every cell in every living thing and directing the manufacture of every function of life, bears all the appearance of an intelligent designer.  A prediction of further complexity and design to be found by the researchers in genomics is now expected using the scientific model of Intelligent Design or otherwise known as ID.  Rather than considering the information contained within DNA as accidental as in Darwinism and therefore couching new findings in that paradigm,  ID presumes design and attempts to understand the mechanisms in that light.  It promises to open new vistas in biological sciences Darwinism fails to envision.

Recent links:
Discovery Institute: Dogmatic Signs

Synthetic Life

In the news this week the J. Craig Venter institute  announced the creation of the first synthetic DNA cell.  If your worried we're going down a perilous path your not alone.  

Full length video here.