Fascinating Observations

Things I hold on to.

1984 Ink line in Glycerine.
When I was 17 I visited the Physics department at Oxford University.  The lecturer gave us an illustration of how apparently random acts actually contain symmetry.  He was explaining how detailed pictures of the internal structures of the human body can be made by manipulating the H2O molecules in the human body.  H2O molecules will orientate themselves within a strong magnetic field.  The patterns of their movement can be observed.  

His illustration was brilliant.  He took a glass jar, and fitted it into a slightly bigger glass jar so that the smaller jar was able to rotate on a vertical axis within the larger jar.  He then poured transparent glycerine in between the two jars. This meant that rotating the inner jar required a great deal more force to rotate as the sticky glycerine provided friction.  The lecturer then took a syringe full of black ink and inserted it between the two jars squirting a think injectioin of ink in a vertical line into the glycerine so that it was held in the suspension.  He then began to rotate the inner jar.  The line smeared out into the glycerine.  After one rotation the line was a mess.  After two rotations it had dispersed into the mix.  It looked as if the line was gone forever.  The lecturer then stopped.  He rotated the jar the other way. Once, twice three time, suddenly a vague black shadow appeared, then came into focus, and return exactly to the point it had started. the coordinates of the particles making up that line had always been there.  Apparent chaos was actually precise order.

It lead me to the idea that randomness and order are linked.  Imagine a pointy mountain, much like a mountain a child would draw.  A football is balanced on the point of the top of the mountain.  It teeters on the pinnacle.  Eventually a slight wind, or earth tremor unbalances the ball, it rapidly bounces down the side of the mountain, ricocheting off boulders, randomly following a contorted path to the bottom.  As the mountain is a cone, it would be fair to say that the point at which the ball comes to rest at the bottom of the mountain is going to be completely random.  However, the precise path the ball has taken is completely predicable.  If I know all the forces, angles of rocks, bounce of the ball, velocity and trajectories of the movements; If I have the most amazing computer in the world, I would be able to point the the exact resting place of that ball would come to.  

1988 Dr Roth- my psychology lecturer at Bristol university told us the story that all our current understanding of the various forces that hold water molecules together would lead us to conclude that water should not be a liquid, but a gas, under normal atmospheric conditions.  However it is a liquid, so we start at this point.  I experience a living relationship with God, even though I find a number of contractions in nature to force me to question my faith.

What is a relationship?
To me relationships involve 'transactions' - giving and receiving.  For healthy relationships this usually involves 'fun', creativity, and mutuality (ie it could not happen without the other.)  This is what I experience with God (and also interestingly our rabbits.)  

Systems
I guess this has always been an interest to me.
For example Dr Crook's (1989) lecturers on Ethology of Psychology.  He explained the theory of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book 'Beyond Boredom and Anxiety'.  Acceleration in evolutionary developments were explained through  virtuous circles of successful iterations, much like the creation of resonance frequencies observed in singing pipes.  

I find I am very much affected by the functioning of church systems, and inter-faith systems.  
I find in my current studies, the lack of connection between different models of therapy exercises me.  Also the creation  of new terms and jargon, when simpler terms could be used seems to me to contradict the premise of the subject.

Euro 2016

I dread the thought of June 23rd approaching because I can see a crazy decision on the horizon.

Reasons to vote for a united Europe.

• Britain has a long history of  arrogantly thinking it knows best.  It assumes it's hard done by.  Actually Europe has opened Britain up to being a much nicer place.
• "Borders", as Yehudi Menuhin once quoted, "are the prisons we choose to live behind."  Open borders bring freedom.
• Britain trades with Europe.  Bureaucracy of 'out' is far greater than 'in'.
• Europe has enabled all countries to prosper.  This is good for peace, and also creates larger, more equal markets.
• Arguably the West is in decline.  Britain leaving, and then dividing (as it surely will), may lead other parts of Europe to do the same.  It's easy to divide, much harder to unite.
• Graham will loose his job if we leave.
• 'Out' is is based on 'Nationalism', 'In' on Internationalism.  I believe in the world.
• France and Germany are ensuring peace in Europe though their pact.  Britain can help if it chooses.  All countries return to war at some point, it's an observable fact (excluding Switzerland!)  How does Europe ensure peace?
• Europe is is perhaps poor system, but it's the best we've got.  'Out' effectively turns Britain's back on it's neighbours, including Ireland.  It's an outrage.

High Level Walk Across Snowdonia

Start -Llanfairfechan  to Plas Gwyant

Cwm Bychan to Arthog

Day One (20 miles)

• Llanfairfechan Station to Drum.
• Foel-Fras
• Garnedd Uchaf
• Carnedd Llwelyn
• Carnedd Dafydd
• down to Cwm Lloer
• down to main road.
• Climb Tryfan
• Glyder Fach
• Down miner track to Roman camp
• Along Roman Raod to Llyn Gwynant camp site. (or YHA Bryn Gwynant.)

Day Two (20 miles)

• Climb through forest (Coederyr) to Bryn Bedd.
• Climb to Llyn Llagi, Llyn Adar, Llyn Cwn-Corsiog, and Llyn Clogwyn-Brith.
• Through quarry to moel Yr Hydd (border of National Park.)
• Trverse under Moelwyn Mawr round Llyn Stwlan to the dam.
• Decend to Tanygrisiau Reservior.
• Follow train tracks south to turning area.
• Left track down to Rhyd-y-sarn.  Take route up to Allt Goch.
• Road to Ffestiniog past waterfall.
• South to Roamn Camp.
• South to Trawsfynydd. Over reservoir foot bridge.
• Path to Cwn Bychan. (campsite)

Day Three (14 miles).

• Roman Steps up Rhinog Fawr.
• Rhinog Fawr and Llyn Hywel.
• Y Llethr
• Diffwys
• Ridge walk down to Barmouth.
• Arthog.

Son of God?

The Leicester Muslim-Christian forum presents many wonderful opportunities for jumbled thinking and beliefs to be challenged.  One of these is "Does God really have a son?"

"Does his wife know about this?"  And so the conversation continues.

Here is my explanation.

Let us assume that the universe and everything that exists has been deliberately created. 'Evolution' is not just the accidental interactions between the contents of a falling cocktail glass, as it journeys towards it's inevitable 'big bang'.

I exist- and my existence is held in a relation to my context;

• myself- 
• my family- 
• my community- 
• my environment- 
• my Creator.

The Creator holds the Creation in the palm of his/her hand.
I replicate this  by holding a tennis ball in my hand examine it closely.
The scale feels wrong so I exchange it for a table-tennis ball.
Again, it feels exaggerated, so I choose a marble.  This does not satisfy me.  I am moving closer and closer to a speck on my hand.  I can hardly see it but it is there.

Now I imagine the voice of God.
"I made these people- my creation, my children.  I love them, I long for them to be in communion with me, to be close to them; what I always intended."

The Creator knew it would be like this.  After all he/she had factored in their weakness.  People have always been free to choose their own path.

Like a Time Traveller who enters a new world, finding they are dropped into the driving seat of a car travelling at speed towards a brick wall.
"Swerve! Oh, you didn't make it - what a shame,  you're lost now - helpless."

But this was always known.  The Creator is out of time.  The Creators seen the beginning and the end.

So to the plan to sort out this spinning mess.

The Creator reduces himself/herself to smaller that the speck on my hand, and enters the world.
The Creator enters as a seed.  A single cell, that splits and divides.
The Creator is born, and faces all the risks of life.

This is not a 'Son of God', this is a 'Speck of God'.  God of the small things- choosing to be on our scale.  Interested in our little things.  Reconnecting.