... II. The Framework ...

values paradoxes

As recently as Bishop Ussher, i.e. in 1654 A.D., virtually all of the available time of all but the very elite was spent pursuing those activities necessary for sustaining daily life. This changed with the renaissance advent of the industrial revolution. Eventually resources were set aside for part of the population, those with philosophical inclinations, to study and contemplate differences between time and eternity. This resulted in the breakthroughs of Johann Kepler (the laws of planetary motion), Galileo Galilei (mechanics and motion), Isaac Newton (gravitation, calculus, and the three laws of motion), Herschel (the shape of the universe), and numerous others. These scientists were all working with very large objects and very large distances. These distances are measurable and re-measurable. Correlating these distances to light-years (the distance light travels in an earth-year) allows the distances to be referred to as time. These distances are so long compared to the life of a man, they can be considered to be an eternity.

In reflection seismology we measure the time it takes for seismic energy to travel from a seismic source, to a reflector, and back to a receiver (hydrophone or geophone). This two-way seismic travel-time is converted to distance, and the distance is a function of the velocities the seismic waves travel at along their path. The exponent size is the major difference from astrophysical measurements.

In another sense, and specifically from the religious perspective, heaven relates to eternity, and earth relates to time. Three scriptures come to mind, which have additional meaning and insight when the words are substituted, and both versions are contemplated:
  1. Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” would read, “In the beginning God created eternity and time.”
  2. Matthew 6:10 “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” would read, “They will be done in time, as it is in eternity.”
  3. Matthew 16:19 “whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” would read “whatsoever thou shalt bind in time shall be bound in eternity.”
 To the religious, a powerful motivation to do good accompanies contemplation of a physical and spiritual relationship with God, both in terms of our time in this earth life, and an eternal relationship in heaven. Of course, the only parts of this equation we currently have the tools to measure are in time and on earth. The eternal and heavenly parts of this equation require faith, in order to have any meaning in daily life.





timedex infinite grid

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