This is a difficult question to answer. I feel that Jesus leaned toward being a deontologist. Someone of this consciousness, whom I would call an avatar, is simply beyond labels and rules. I believe they are so unified with Spirit that they act like a puppet, speaking, thinking, and acting almost entirely from their higher self. In this respect, they speak the thoughts and perform the actions which are in highest accord with the people and times in which they incarnate. They society in which the soul we call Jesus Christ incarnated was in need of greater clarity and rules. As a soul, I believe he is probably both, or neither, but I believe that in the role of Jesus Christ, that soul laid down some clear rules.
He chaised money changers from the temple which could be seen as deontological. However, he also allowed the disciples to pick some food from a field (corn I believe) and eat it on the Sabbath, saying "The Sabbath is for man, not man for the Sabbath." In this respect, Jesus was teleological. His Serman on the Mount outlined many principles which could be viewed deontological. In some ways Jesus was seeking to clarify the rules of his day which had become so convoluted due to the fact that the Pharisees were deontological to an extreme. When asked what the most important commandent was, he replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." Overall I believe Jesus was deontological, but his style was more pristine and clear than that of the Pharisees.
In addition to rules, he also taught principles such as humility by washing his disciples feet, and making comments about the kingdom of heaven such as, "He who is least shall be first," and in order to enter into the kingdom, we must become like children. He also emphasized humility when he instructed that one should go into their room and shut the door and pray in secret, not in public to receive attention.
Although as a soul I believe Jesus was probably both deontological and teleological, and could be either depending on what was needed in any occasion, but during the incarnation as Jesus Christ, I believe he was acting from a place where deontological teachings were of greater service to the people of those times.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Immutable Laws or Probabilities?
I am deeply interested in a question posed in class today: Is the universe governed by immutable laws or does it operate freely based on probabilities and tendencies?
As usual, I think it is probably both, but I deeply enjoy trying to see and understand the universe as governed by immutable laws. In the past we thought that natural phenomena such as the wind, or the tides, or lightning was the random action of a supernatural power. In time science discovered natural laws that explained these phenomena. We have explored the physical world in these ways both at the macro scale and the micro scale. I believe that both ends of the spectrum are infinite. The way I reason this to myself is this: if you cut a piece of matter in half, you get two pieces. If you cut those pieces, you get two more of each. This can occur indefinitely, getting smaller and smaller, or vice verse. What we tend to call random, chaotic, probability, or tendencies, seems to me to be those phenomena that lie beyond the micro or macro that we currently don't understand through our scientific studies.
What if these areas, however, are governed by collective thought. Perhaps the reason why particles appear to behave randomly is because we have reached a level that is so micro, that our thoughts themselves are moving the particles around. Perhaps because we as a collective humanity have such random and chaotic minds (not to mention oftentimes a lack of cohesiveness about our collective thoughts about things) this could affect what the particles of matter are doing at a micro level within any given piece of matter...a table, an automobile, a computer, etc. What appears at one level to be orderly, at another appears chaotic and random. It would be interesting to scientifically observe a large group of people centered in a room holding similar thoughts about an object, or set of objects, and observe the effects of this at a micro level in those objects using scientific instruments. I wonder if the particles would behave more predictably, less chaotically, and patterns could start to develop. The matter would still be subject to collective influences, but depending on the size of the group, and the power of the thoughts being transmitted, I wonder if order and laws could begin to be seen due to the coherent thought of the group, turning a random molecular scene into something more discernible.
The chaos at micro and macro levels makes me think that there is something affecting our perception that we are not seeing, perhaps thought, or perhaps not. Understanding what is affecting our perception could perhaps allow us to better see laws at work at these newly discovered quantum or macro levels that our instruments are now detecting.
I am definitely open to the possibility of a universe that is based on probabilities and tendencies, but I don't want to give up the desire to observe new laws. It seems like when we understand new laws, we are always benefited by this, because then we can use these laws. Hopefully we will use them for creation and not destruction. I'm sure that if new laws are observed at the quantum level, then we will have machines that eventually materialize our food, homes, etc., much like a holodeck. If laws are understood at deeper and deeper levels, then the spiritual universe becomes more one with the physical, and the so-called "miracles" of the past become commonplace. Even now we are dematerializing cancer cells with energy, and treating certain diseases with lasers. This would seem like a miracle to people in the past. Have we perfected it? No. But the desire to look deeply and discover new patterns, new laws, out of the seemly-random and chaotic, can lead to very helpful discoveries.
As usual, I think it is probably both, but I deeply enjoy trying to see and understand the universe as governed by immutable laws. In the past we thought that natural phenomena such as the wind, or the tides, or lightning was the random action of a supernatural power. In time science discovered natural laws that explained these phenomena. We have explored the physical world in these ways both at the macro scale and the micro scale. I believe that both ends of the spectrum are infinite. The way I reason this to myself is this: if you cut a piece of matter in half, you get two pieces. If you cut those pieces, you get two more of each. This can occur indefinitely, getting smaller and smaller, or vice verse. What we tend to call random, chaotic, probability, or tendencies, seems to me to be those phenomena that lie beyond the micro or macro that we currently don't understand through our scientific studies.
What if these areas, however, are governed by collective thought. Perhaps the reason why particles appear to behave randomly is because we have reached a level that is so micro, that our thoughts themselves are moving the particles around. Perhaps because we as a collective humanity have such random and chaotic minds (not to mention oftentimes a lack of cohesiveness about our collective thoughts about things) this could affect what the particles of matter are doing at a micro level within any given piece of matter...a table, an automobile, a computer, etc. What appears at one level to be orderly, at another appears chaotic and random. It would be interesting to scientifically observe a large group of people centered in a room holding similar thoughts about an object, or set of objects, and observe the effects of this at a micro level in those objects using scientific instruments. I wonder if the particles would behave more predictably, less chaotically, and patterns could start to develop. The matter would still be subject to collective influences, but depending on the size of the group, and the power of the thoughts being transmitted, I wonder if order and laws could begin to be seen due to the coherent thought of the group, turning a random molecular scene into something more discernible.
The chaos at micro and macro levels makes me think that there is something affecting our perception that we are not seeing, perhaps thought, or perhaps not. Understanding what is affecting our perception could perhaps allow us to better see laws at work at these newly discovered quantum or macro levels that our instruments are now detecting.
I am definitely open to the possibility of a universe that is based on probabilities and tendencies, but I don't want to give up the desire to observe new laws. It seems like when we understand new laws, we are always benefited by this, because then we can use these laws. Hopefully we will use them for creation and not destruction. I'm sure that if new laws are observed at the quantum level, then we will have machines that eventually materialize our food, homes, etc., much like a holodeck. If laws are understood at deeper and deeper levels, then the spiritual universe becomes more one with the physical, and the so-called "miracles" of the past become commonplace. Even now we are dematerializing cancer cells with energy, and treating certain diseases with lasers. This would seem like a miracle to people in the past. Have we perfected it? No. But the desire to look deeply and discover new patterns, new laws, out of the seemly-random and chaotic, can lead to very helpful discoveries.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
The Use of Sacraments
I really enjoyed Dr. Tom's definition of the term sacramental experience today as the contact between the human and the divine. Seeing the use of sacraments as an opportunity for us to experience this sacred contact is a truly beautiful idea to me. Growing up in the Episcopal church, I think that I always intuitively (and somewhat experientially) felt the holiness of communion. I knew that it was symbolic, but no one impressed the idea upon me that any experience where the human contacts the divine is truly a sacramental experience.
This opened me to the thought of defining this term to a congregation and then opening the floor to new ideas for the creation of sacramental experiences in worship services. In Unity we have created (or adapted...sorry I don't know enough about the history of burning bowl and other such ceremonies) ways in which we can come together and have these sacramental experiences beyond the seven sacraments that were introduced to me in the Episcopal church in which I grew up. It is exciting to think about defining this term for congregants, and then seeing what new ideas (or re-vamped old ones) that we can come up with. Perhaps this can evoke new ways in which people can come together in unity to have spiritual experiences without evoking a form of religion that may be associated with painful memories to some. Maybe more modern symbols and rituals can be created to make the service feel more up-to-date, and yet no less spiritual.
I also like Dr. Tom's idea of using some of the old sacraments, such as communion, more often in our Unity services. I think that if the meaning of these practices can be described in a way that is deep and expanded, a new feeling of depth, love and joy can be brought out of an ancient practice, thereby utilizing the collective energy surrounding this sacrament and merging it into modern thought and modern times. Perhaps mixing some new sacraments with the old ones could create a more meaningful link with our past traditions and yet provide a chance to express and create new ones. Could there be a sacramental experience surrounding modern music in the church for instance? Could we create some modern chants in english to accompany some really amazing modern music and collectively have a sacramental experience? Ideas like this seem to blend old and new in an honoring way allowing us to be joyful of our past and creative with our future. I find this idea of finding new ways to create sacramental experiences in Unity an exciting and uplifting thought.
This opened me to the thought of defining this term to a congregation and then opening the floor to new ideas for the creation of sacramental experiences in worship services. In Unity we have created (or adapted...sorry I don't know enough about the history of burning bowl and other such ceremonies) ways in which we can come together and have these sacramental experiences beyond the seven sacraments that were introduced to me in the Episcopal church in which I grew up. It is exciting to think about defining this term for congregants, and then seeing what new ideas (or re-vamped old ones) that we can come up with. Perhaps this can evoke new ways in which people can come together in unity to have spiritual experiences without evoking a form of religion that may be associated with painful memories to some. Maybe more modern symbols and rituals can be created to make the service feel more up-to-date, and yet no less spiritual.
I also like Dr. Tom's idea of using some of the old sacraments, such as communion, more often in our Unity services. I think that if the meaning of these practices can be described in a way that is deep and expanded, a new feeling of depth, love and joy can be brought out of an ancient practice, thereby utilizing the collective energy surrounding this sacrament and merging it into modern thought and modern times. Perhaps mixing some new sacraments with the old ones could create a more meaningful link with our past traditions and yet provide a chance to express and create new ones. Could there be a sacramental experience surrounding modern music in the church for instance? Could we create some modern chants in english to accompany some really amazing modern music and collectively have a sacramental experience? Ideas like this seem to blend old and new in an honoring way allowing us to be joyful of our past and creative with our future. I find this idea of finding new ways to create sacramental experiences in Unity an exciting and uplifting thought.
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