Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Despised and rejected

It was late, as I finally made my way towards home. I was alone in the street, with the hush of night surrounding my existence.
As often happens in such a situation, I thought of the miracle of our existence. I don't understand. Why am I here and now? How come there are these elementary particles flying all over the place, with natural laws governing them all?

13.7 billions years of physical abundance, and presto, we are here, as conscious beings, the enigma of the mind-body remaining unsolvable as in the days of Baruch Spinoza. The efforts towards the solution have not moved an inch.

I am not associated with any organized religion. However, at such moments I am convinced of an order beyond human comprehension, which we might refer to in the name of God, not necessarily meaning human-like, but some "entity" responsible for the whole thing.

Among those who consider themselves rational, the very idea tends to be rejected, as something that belongs to prejudices and superstitions of past times.

The Bible describes the life's processions of Jesus Christ with poetic precision of human psychology. The observation is keen and without mercy.

He was despised and rejected.

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering (Isaiah)."

What the Bible describes in this great passage about the fall of the savior has always been a source of inspiration for me.

What is essential and fundamental can be despised and rejected, as if it was worthless, something to be disposed of.

This truth, put to beautiful music by George Frideric Handel in Messiah, is something to be cherished and thought over when you approach an idea which tends to be ridiculed by the intellects of the day.

4 comments:

Petrusa de Koker said...

Ken, today your blog-entry left me speechless and in deep deep thought. I can only agree with you.
If we refer to God as human-like, it is only because of the limitations of our comprehension. I have thought about this very often and read many articles and essays on the concept of GOD. However, I always find myself thinking in a human mindset, trying to apply human experiences, emotions, senses, knowledge, measures… and I am afraid this is way too limited.
“What is essential and fundamental can be despised and rejected, as if it was worthless, something to be disposed of.” This is so true. What if we are looking for answers in all the wrong places, while the truth is right in front of us and we are rejecting it as worthless?

(ma)gog said...

"Why are we here now?" is the ultimate question we human beings ask ourselves since our history began. Is it correct to ask "Why?", or is it meaningless as we are here without any reason, as it has just "happened"?

This universe started with this enormous explosion, and at the same time came forth all the physical matters, which eventually would create us, "in accordance with" the law of the universe.

It is awesome just to think about the fact that at this very moment we are traveling in the universe at the speed of 30km per second around the sun, and the sun 600km per second around its orbit!

As you say, there must be an order beyond human comprehension, otherwise the universe couldn't exist in a way as it is. Each of us appears to have come here as if it had happened coincidentally, but as we are part of this universe governed by its law, perhaps we are all destined to be here.

Jesus taught us the love of God. The love of God, which often put us to such a hard trial as self- sacrifice even for your enemy. Jesus was rejected by the people who just expected from him something tangible. “Self-sacrifice for your enemy” is even now is the most difficult demand for us normal human beings.

A mother can sacrifice herself for her child, this is the fundamental love of all the living creatures. It is sometimes scientifically explained however, the secret of this love for your child lies in the selfish gene which consists in our DNA, to keep our species to evolve and prosper. And with this scientific view, one could tend to make a mistake to believe in the tangible fact itself, and to ignore the ultimate question “why” things are as they are.

The more we learn about the universe, the clearer it becomes that this universe is governed beautifully by its law, which could probably described as God, or the consciousness of the universe. We pray to God when we are in despair, or we thank Him when we are happy. Although God keeps silence, there He is everywhere, and let us be here and let the things happen at every moment of the existence of this universe.

Ken Mogi said...

Dear, Petrusa. Being deprived of words is, I think, one of the most blissful experiences in one's life.
It must be spring in South Africa now. How wonderful.

moomin0sun said...

 I had a wonderful time in Tokyo last night. I was listening to Jazz
of Yosuke Yamasita, a big name player of the piano. His sound is cool and cool. He has free style that is generous and harmonise,
althogh when it sounds like thunder.
As if it has just "happened"!!
Dr.Mogi,from my point of view your words are free like this. Thanks.