What a simple word—time. We use that word endlessly throughout the ‘run of a day’ and, likely, never once consider just what we are saying nor what it means. Some examples: what time is it?’ I’ve got time to make it, if I hurry; he annoys me all the time; do you have time to help me for a minute to move this table, my heart is beating only 45 times a minute—need a pacemaker; I’ve got time for one more hand, if we hurry; what time are we leaving in the morning? —just to mention a few examples.
I’d venture a small wager that the average person would stammer, hesitate, and, while making several loquacious attempts, would fail miserably to succinctly define time. Sure, everybody knows what ‘time’ is—or do they? Test yourself and see if you really know.
Time is one of those words we ‘grow up’ with, use repeatedly, assume we know its meaning, but then are baffled when ask to specifically define it. And I am no different from you. Had I not taken a special interest in attempting to understanding and explain, both philosophically and scientifically, the basic nature of our universe and its creator, if any, I likely would be stammering also.
As best I can determine, the simplest, most straightforward, scientific definition of time is this: Time is a ‘measure of change’. You might ask, “what is changing?”, and I would answer, “every tangible thing in our universe”. You also might ask, “why is everything changing, and when did time begin?”—unwittingly, two of the most fundamental questions of our existence.
Once upon a time, there was no time—the universe did not exist— a void of total nothingness. At a moment, roughly 13.8 billion years ago, A Perfect Rational Being whom we call God released his energy in the form of perfect particles, collectively known as quanta (pleural of quantum)—the smallest particle in existence which cannot be further subdivided. At that instant, those particles set about the business for which they were designed, and change (time) began. There are many different types of quanta but each of its type is identical to its counterparts, each is perfect in both form and function, each is unchanging and unchangeable, and not one, more nor less exists today that did not exist at the moment of their release—the Big Bang. Therefore, like God, they exist in eternity—they are God. Yet, they make up everything in our universe which is constantly changing. We humans, in our need to get in sync with that change, developed systems for calibrating that observable change and called that calibrated change ‘time’. That calibration enables us to better order our lives and plan and act accordingly—schedule.
The next, most fundamental question one might ask is, ‘why did God create a universe which is constantly changing’ and, more fundamental yet, ‘how’.
The ‘how’ is easy to explain—the ‘why’, not so easy.
To the ‘how’: knowledgeable scientists have known for a long time that an energy imbalance exists in our universe—they call it entropy. That imbalance demands change as each system attempts to balance itself and come to equilibrium. We are now 13.8 billion years into that imbalanced timeframe. Again, some scientists have suggested it will require another 75 to 100 billion years before that equilibrium is achieved—and time ceases.
Now, to the ‘why’—a genuine sixty-four-thousand-dollar question. Throughout recorded history, people have pondered that question and, furthermore, have come to rather similar conclusions. Almost all have attributed the changes they have observed, both good and bad, to a higher power to which they have attached numerous designations—God, Allah, Yahweh, Brama, Buddha, and dozens of others. Invariably, they have understood their ‘higher power’ to be responsible for both the good things and the bad things in their lives. Most have interpreted the bad things to be the result of vengefulness of their god and have developed schemes of ‘appeasement’ in hopes of restoring themselves into a more favorable position with that being. Such attempts at appeasement are known as religion. Seemingly, not one of them has ever recognized the Perfect Nature of their Supreme Being because most, if not all, are perpetually attempting to appease him and, worse yet, begging him to change his perfect nature and revert to the imperfect nature of ours—they want him to change—come out of eternity and share our misery. You might say: “Oh no, I don’t want that. I just want God to perform a miracle for me. That’s what I pray for”. Do you not see that, in all reality, that is blasphemous? You are begging God to break his own rules of Perfection and become imperfect like us.
God’s Nature is exhibited in every changing entity in this universe. When you pray and ask God to do something ‘unnatural’, you are asking God to destroy his Perfection just for your selfish desires. Consider this: God’s Perfect Nature demands that when the elements Chlorine and Sodium are introduced to each other, they immediately form ‘table salt’—every time. They represent God’s Perfection, God’s Will, God’s perfect Nature. And you would dare beg God to change his perfect Nature just to ‘satisfy your whim’?
I understand perfectly well why you may feel justified in such prayers. Just like I, you have been brainwashed by religion into such thinking. But those who perpetuate such ideation do not know God. They do not know the one and only Perfect Rational Being. Therefore, they cannot possibly know that such a Perfect Rationality cannot possibly change or be changed.
I would suggest to anyone who cares to listen, you will be very happy if you simply ‘get in line’ with God’s Will. Instead of begging God to change, thank God for your existence, for your sustenance, and for your salvation as exhibited through Jesus the Christ. Rather than begging God to bend his will to ours, we should be humbly bending our will to his—then, and only then, will we be happy—I’ll guarantee it. Sooner or later, everybody’s life hits a ‘major snag’—incurable disease, major trauma, etc. We must humble ourselves to that reality and accept that inevitable ‘change’—God’s Perfect Rationality demands it. Such humility will not change anything except our attitude—a most beneficial change. Whatever the misery, the fear, the pain, it will be more tolerable knowing it is God’s Perfection, God’s Will at work.
Eventually, our time of ‘conscious change’ on this earth will cease, but the endless change of location of the particles of energy which make up our bodies will never cease until time ceases and all return to the Singularity. The particles which God’s Perfect Nature ‘loaned’ to our bodies will eventually be assimilated into millions, maybe billions of other entities before perfect equilibrium is reached and time ceases.
What we do not know is what happens to our spirit, our existence giving principle, when our time of conscious change on this earth ceases. We believe and hope that it is God and that, in some mode, we will have an ‘identity’ in God.
Thousands of years ago, those purveyors of religion learned it could be a grand ‘tool’ for, not only controlling the masses,’ but, more importantly, for extracting their hard-earned money. Preachers have become our mediators—for a ‘pretty penny’.
Go ahead— the next tine you speak to your preacher or minister of any kind, ask him/her to define the ‘essence’ of the God of whom they speak. If they do not respond that God is A Perfect Rational Being, their god is a myth. If the response is as I said, then the question is: why are we asking a Perfect Rationality to change? Are we not blaspheming? Should we not be showering our God with incantations of love, praise, and thanksgiving. Isn’t that what Jesus commanded is to do? The answers will be very interesting, indeed—give it a try.
Most of you know I have written extensively about this subject and many akin considerations in my little books, Wilderness Cry, Peace in Spirituality, and Provocative Catholic. If you have not read them, I strongly encourage you to do so for your peace of mind—time’s a ‘wasting—be gone before you know it. For a little diversionary fun you might consider reading my Growing Up in Fancy Farm Kentucky. All are available from Amazon-Kindle and from me, handg@philosphyscienceofgodtheuniversehilarylhuntmd
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WILDERNESS CRY by Hilary L Hunt MD 