Some physicists think the universe is actually a two dimensional hologram instead of three dimensions as we believe now. They're doing all kinds of academic and scientific experiments using a sensitive device called a holometer trying to decipher whether "space time is a quantum system just like matter is." I'm not comfortable writing about science since its not my area of expertise but I've thought for sometime now that physicists might one day be able to figure out the actual dimensions that exist in the universe and I don't think they are two but more than three. I believe that God exists in another dimension along with heaven. That's just my belief and it makes perfect sense to me. Anyhow, it makes me nervous to think that someday physicists might stumble onto that (the God dimension) and then what? God will have to figure that out or maybe God already has. Crazy that I should even think about such things.......
I found a very interesting quote from a Huffington Post article (which started me thinking about this again) titled, "Freaky Physics Experiment May Prove Our Universe is a Two-Dimensional Hologram." The article quotes Dr. Aaron Chou, who is the experiments lead scientist and project manager for the Holometer. This is the quote, "I have always believed that if indeed there is a creator, then the mechanism by which the world was created is not necessarily unknowable and if we delve deeply enough we might reach some very interesting and inescapable conclusions..........This topic brings up all sorts of interesting philosophical and theological questions......."
I'd say..... and I'd also say that it seems to me that Dr. Chou is looking for some theological answers with his Holometer.
Dr. Chou are you looking for God? Are you looking for the Creator? Because God does exist and God is very, very smart, (obviously) so I don't think this dimensional thing can be figured out, even with a Holometer (whatever that is). But who knows.... wouldn't it be amazing if its the physicists who someday state that it seems certain an intelligent Creator created the Universe because there is simply too much intelligent design, accuracy, diversity and exact mathematical calculations for it to be an accident. I'd like to see that day.........
NJA
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Fr. James Martin's Incredible Book- "Jesus-A Pilgrimage"
The Bible study class in my parish, that I attend, usually meets throughout the year except for the summer months. This summer some of us in that class decided to meet during the summer to read uplifting, spiritual books and discuss them once a week. The first book that someone suggested was not that uplifting but it was fascinating. I had never heard of it until the group mentioned it and it was written by a rabbi who happens to be a Messianic Jew (he believes in Jesus as Messiah). The book is a best seller and it is quite intriguing. The book is "The Harbinger" by Jonathan Cahn.
The next book we read was Scott Hahn's masterpiece, "The Lamb's Supper-The Mass as Heaven on Earth." It should be required reading for all Catholic high school students and RCIA participants. We recommended it for everyone in the parish to read though I'm not sure how many actually did.
The final book is a large one and it took us over five weeks to read but it is a truly amazing work and a great book. I highly recommend it. It's Fr. James Martin's "Jesus-A Pilgrimage." We are on the final 100 pages which we will complete discussing next Monday.
I've been reading religious, spiritual books my whole adult life (I've been on this journey a long time). But Fr. James' book is special, he pulls from so many good sources in his reflections and analysis. The book tells of his experiences as he makes a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with his priest-friend George. As a Jesuit, Fr. James shares a lot of his own experiences and thoughts as well as other Scripture scholars that he has either read or studied with. It's easy reading though the pilgrimage covers the serious subject and experiences of Jesus' life, his travels throughout the Holy Land, (his hidden life as well as his public ministry), his preaching, his relationship with his apostles and disciples and of course his intimate relationship with His Father.
The book is very good. If you get a chance to read it, don't rush through it. I'm now reading what is for me the most difficult part of Jesus' life to read about and that is the end of his life and his tragic and painful death. It is not easy for me to think about it and reflect upon it.
Fr. Martin is a great writer and all the praying he did in the Holy Land while taking notes for the book, seems to have paid off. His prayerfulness comes through the work.
NJA
The next book we read was Scott Hahn's masterpiece, "The Lamb's Supper-The Mass as Heaven on Earth." It should be required reading for all Catholic high school students and RCIA participants. We recommended it for everyone in the parish to read though I'm not sure how many actually did.
The final book is a large one and it took us over five weeks to read but it is a truly amazing work and a great book. I highly recommend it. It's Fr. James Martin's "Jesus-A Pilgrimage." We are on the final 100 pages which we will complete discussing next Monday.
I've been reading religious, spiritual books my whole adult life (I've been on this journey a long time). But Fr. James' book is special, he pulls from so many good sources in his reflections and analysis. The book tells of his experiences as he makes a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with his priest-friend George. As a Jesuit, Fr. James shares a lot of his own experiences and thoughts as well as other Scripture scholars that he has either read or studied with. It's easy reading though the pilgrimage covers the serious subject and experiences of Jesus' life, his travels throughout the Holy Land, (his hidden life as well as his public ministry), his preaching, his relationship with his apostles and disciples and of course his intimate relationship with His Father.
The book is very good. If you get a chance to read it, don't rush through it. I'm now reading what is for me the most difficult part of Jesus' life to read about and that is the end of his life and his tragic and painful death. It is not easy for me to think about it and reflect upon it.
Fr. Martin is a great writer and all the praying he did in the Holy Land while taking notes for the book, seems to have paid off. His prayerfulness comes through the work.
NJA
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Robin Williams Senseless Death-The Devil's "Hand" In It
It's hard to imagine how someone as talented, admired, successful and loved as Robin Williams was could take their own life in suicide. Just the other morning the serious topic of depression came up in a summer book club, that I'm a part of, at my parish. We are reading the great book by Fr. James Martin, "Jesus-A Pilgrimage," and the topic of depression came up by one of the participants. I responded that a severely depressed person has to seek professional help because depression can lead to suicide. I've read that and unfortunately it happens a lot.
Apparently from an article I read, Robin Williams' was at high risk for suicide because of his age, and that he suffered from chronic depression and substance abuse. His wife recently admitted that he also had the early signs of Parkinson's Disease. But still you wonder why no one saw it coming and tried to get him the help he needed.
They say he was a comic genius. Genius in human beings can work both ways, it can make you incredibly creative but it is a two-edged sword. It can also make you depressed and cause you to suffer from highs and lows.
According to data, many suicides take place at night. Doctors should insist that depressed people who admit to having suicidal thoughts take a sleeping pill or anti-anxiety medicine which promotes sleep if any negative thoughts come into their mind. Things always look more hopeful in the morning. That should be reinforced over and over again in therapy and counseling.
Just tragic how his life could have ended so bleakly. He was a generous, gifted actor and he had a lot to live for. Life is precious, every life and it's so sad that people are in such pain, that they take their own life.
I'm convinced that people who suffer from depression are targets for the devil. The devil preys on disturbed and confused minds. I know there are people, especially most professionals, who would not agree and think that's ridiculous but I think it's the truth.
May Robin Williams rest in peace and may his family be given the peace and respect they deserve at this time.
NJA
Apparently from an article I read, Robin Williams' was at high risk for suicide because of his age, and that he suffered from chronic depression and substance abuse. His wife recently admitted that he also had the early signs of Parkinson's Disease. But still you wonder why no one saw it coming and tried to get him the help he needed.
They say he was a comic genius. Genius in human beings can work both ways, it can make you incredibly creative but it is a two-edged sword. It can also make you depressed and cause you to suffer from highs and lows.
According to data, many suicides take place at night. Doctors should insist that depressed people who admit to having suicidal thoughts take a sleeping pill or anti-anxiety medicine which promotes sleep if any negative thoughts come into their mind. Things always look more hopeful in the morning. That should be reinforced over and over again in therapy and counseling.
Just tragic how his life could have ended so bleakly. He was a generous, gifted actor and he had a lot to live for. Life is precious, every life and it's so sad that people are in such pain, that they take their own life.
I'm convinced that people who suffer from depression are targets for the devil. The devil preys on disturbed and confused minds. I know there are people, especially most professionals, who would not agree and think that's ridiculous but I think it's the truth.
May Robin Williams rest in peace and may his family be given the peace and respect they deserve at this time.
NJA
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Why Is Experimental Serum for Ebola Being Withheld From Sick People Who Need It?
The deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa is the deadliest one in history. There is a lot of misinformation and confusion about this scary disease in West Africa and elsewhere. But there are a lot of questions and I have quite a few.
Life is precious, all life is precious, I would hope we can all agree on that. There must be other doses of the experimental serum that helps treat people who are infected with the deadly Ebola virus. The experimental serum that was given to Dr. Kent Brantley and Nancy Writebol seems to have worked. It has also been effective in trials with infected animals, in a laboratory, who were given the serum. The sooner it is given after a person (or animal) shows symptoms the greater chance they will survive the deadly disease. There must be doses of this experimental serum, (ZMapp) somewhere, and yet they are being withheld. I can't understand this. According to CNN chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, within 24 hours of Dr. Brantley being given the serum, he started to show signs of improvement. Nancy Whitebol took a little longer but she is also improving. They were given the serum in Africa, before they were flown to America. One company, whose stock was soaring on Friday, Tekmira pharmaceuticals, is developing a vaccine and/or serum to fight Ebola. They must have some serum that is available. (I just read they have a very limited supply of their experimental medicine.)The experimental serum is very promising so what's holding up the distribution and manufacture of it? After all, it's an international health crisis. People are dying, children are sick and yet where is the serum? Is it because more testing is needed, its not conclusive? Do you think people who are dying are going to care about side effects or exhaustive trial studies? Or does it have to do with cost?
Even if there are 50 doses of this serum available, why not give it to 50 sick people? Children? Who is holding this up? And why isn't the process to manufacture more of this serum being expedited? (According to a New York Times article I just read from Sat. Aug. 9th, "There are virtually no remaining supplies of the drug....... And in a few months there will only be a few hundred doses"......I find it hard to believe).
From what I've read all the medical trials and experiments on infected animals in the laboratory, so far have been promising. And also with human beings as I've written above. So what's holding up giving this serum to sick people? Why isn't it being distributed to Doctors Without Borders (who do such great work in West Africa) for use? Or more importantly why not rush to manufacture additional doses to halt the epidemic and save lives and continue safety trials on the drug at the same time.
In one article I read about this deadly outbreak, the doctors and nurses who were treating dying patients said people dying from the virus had one last request. Most victims just wanted someone to hold their hand while they were dying. I felt so sorry for these poor people. More must be done and quickly.
NJA
Life is precious, all life is precious, I would hope we can all agree on that. There must be other doses of the experimental serum that helps treat people who are infected with the deadly Ebola virus. The experimental serum that was given to Dr. Kent Brantley and Nancy Writebol seems to have worked. It has also been effective in trials with infected animals, in a laboratory, who were given the serum. The sooner it is given after a person (or animal) shows symptoms the greater chance they will survive the deadly disease. There must be doses of this experimental serum, (ZMapp) somewhere, and yet they are being withheld. I can't understand this. According to CNN chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, within 24 hours of Dr. Brantley being given the serum, he started to show signs of improvement. Nancy Whitebol took a little longer but she is also improving. They were given the serum in Africa, before they were flown to America. One company, whose stock was soaring on Friday, Tekmira pharmaceuticals, is developing a vaccine and/or serum to fight Ebola. They must have some serum that is available. (I just read they have a very limited supply of their experimental medicine.)The experimental serum is very promising so what's holding up the distribution and manufacture of it? After all, it's an international health crisis. People are dying, children are sick and yet where is the serum? Is it because more testing is needed, its not conclusive? Do you think people who are dying are going to care about side effects or exhaustive trial studies? Or does it have to do with cost?
Even if there are 50 doses of this serum available, why not give it to 50 sick people? Children? Who is holding this up? And why isn't the process to manufacture more of this serum being expedited? (According to a New York Times article I just read from Sat. Aug. 9th, "There are virtually no remaining supplies of the drug....... And in a few months there will only be a few hundred doses"......I find it hard to believe).
From what I've read all the medical trials and experiments on infected animals in the laboratory, so far have been promising. And also with human beings as I've written above. So what's holding up giving this serum to sick people? Why isn't it being distributed to Doctors Without Borders (who do such great work in West Africa) for use? Or more importantly why not rush to manufacture additional doses to halt the epidemic and save lives and continue safety trials on the drug at the same time.
In one article I read about this deadly outbreak, the doctors and nurses who were treating dying patients said people dying from the virus had one last request. Most victims just wanted someone to hold their hand while they were dying. I felt so sorry for these poor people. More must be done and quickly.
NJA
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Peace in the Holy Land?....Cure for Ebola?...Some Good News Lord..
On Tuesday, August 5th a 72 hour cease fire between Israel and and Hamas was agreed upon and went into effect, please Lord let it hold. Israeli ground forces have also been removed from Gaza, which is another hopeful sign. Let there be peace in that part of the world, we call Holy. Let the violence end and peace talks begin. There needs to be a lasting solution so that Israeli children and Palestinian children grow up in a peaceful world, where peaceful co-existence is achieved through negotiation and common sense solutions that work. How hard can this be?
Please Lord, I pray that the experimental serum that was given to Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol, both afflicted with that dreadful disease Ebola, will be the cure and it will be marketed as soon as possible. This process must be sped up. If people are dying and it seems to have worked on these two cases, what's the sense in waiting to help others. Who cares about side effects when without the serum, death is almost certain, especially in Africa.
I'm always amazed at selfless, compassionate people who risk their lives and travel to foreign countries and put themselves in danger to help others. Missionary work is truly a noble undertaking, as Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity as well as others, like Christian missionaries from all denominations, have showed us so often. They are truly heroes! Their deep faith and their desire to make a difference is what brought Dr. Brantly and Nancy Whitebol to Africa.
So hopefully the summer news will improve, the Ebola outbreak in Africa will be brought under control, a cure will be found and better health facilities will be built in Africa and other third world countries because we are all interconnected.
The billionaries of the world (all wealthy people) have to step up and share their wealth, to improve conditions for everyone on this planet. The 85 richest people in the world who have a substantial amount of the world's wealth (according to a latest study), could really make an enormous difference. Of course many are already giving and doing a lot through their foundations. But more has to be done. Everyone deserves access to good health care, education, housing and nutritious food and peace, regardless of what part of the world they live in. Isn't that what Jesus taught over and over again?
NJA
Please Lord, I pray that the experimental serum that was given to Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol, both afflicted with that dreadful disease Ebola, will be the cure and it will be marketed as soon as possible. This process must be sped up. If people are dying and it seems to have worked on these two cases, what's the sense in waiting to help others. Who cares about side effects when without the serum, death is almost certain, especially in Africa.
I'm always amazed at selfless, compassionate people who risk their lives and travel to foreign countries and put themselves in danger to help others. Missionary work is truly a noble undertaking, as Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity as well as others, like Christian missionaries from all denominations, have showed us so often. They are truly heroes! Their deep faith and their desire to make a difference is what brought Dr. Brantly and Nancy Whitebol to Africa.
So hopefully the summer news will improve, the Ebola outbreak in Africa will be brought under control, a cure will be found and better health facilities will be built in Africa and other third world countries because we are all interconnected.
The billionaries of the world (all wealthy people) have to step up and share their wealth, to improve conditions for everyone on this planet. The 85 richest people in the world who have a substantial amount of the world's wealth (according to a latest study), could really make an enormous difference. Of course many are already giving and doing a lot through their foundations. But more has to be done. Everyone deserves access to good health care, education, housing and nutritious food and peace, regardless of what part of the world they live in. Isn't that what Jesus taught over and over again?
NJA
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