A Question of Faith

IN THE BEGINNING

...God created heaven and earth.

-or-

...there was a compact ball of energy and matter that

exploded then expanded and it formed the universe.

*******

Is there a real bare bones difference between the big bang theorist and they of faith in God when you get right down to it - right down to how the universe began and what brought it all about? (Please no comments on whether I got either one exactly right - you get the idea from what I wrote above.)

I ask because I have always wondered about that - it seems both have faith in something they truly do not understand though both believe they understand. What I mean is this - if you go back to the very beginning of the big bang theory there was something - it went bang - and everything else is made up of that. The whole universe resulted. In Christianity and some other religions if you go back to the beginning there was god and God created the rest of the universe. Both believe the universe, at least as we know it will come to a cataclysmic end but that the essence of the universe - what created it - will remain.

So, to me, it stands to reason that - in one the universe is made by something that always was and always will be - in the other it is essentially the exact same situation - the universe was made by a being that always was and always will be.

Another thing that I find curious is that in each belief - religious or scientific - it is said that there is a universal or overall connectedness. In other words in religion it is believed (at least in Christianity, Judaism and probably Islam) that one single God is all knowing. In science it is believed that everything is universal or all encompassing - all part of one thing and therefore if a being would be all knowing as it in itself is everything even though there are separate entities within it.

It absolutely amazes me that others do not or simply refuse to allow themselves to see these similarities - especially the one about the beginning - whichever belief is right - that of course is if either one is right.

So dear readers, what do you think?

Of course, you need not answer this or post it - but it is a question that I am always interested in and I would love to read what you have to say about it. You will get no argument from me on it, I am just looking for your view of it.

Now mind you - I am not asking about the followers of either belief system and how they are different in living their lives, nor am I asking about all the particulars of each belief system and how they are alike or differ, I am asking about the basic tenet of each - the bedrock so to speak - the beginning. Are they the same thing? I think they just might be the same - each created the universe (which one depends on your view), each always was, is and always will be, each is all encompassing, each will remain once the universe ends as we know it, each is totally incomprehensible unless you take either one on faith.

So tell me, and be nice about it, what do you think when you get down to the bare essence of each belief - is there a difference in between them or just a difference in how we mere mortals view it all?

All the best,
Glenn B

Note: The above picture was found at this website: http://www.geocities.com/gccia02/faith.html. Despite there being no copyright for this pic on the page where I found it, I attempted to contact the owner of the site through the email link for permission to use the pic but the email was undeliverable to the address supplied. I then used the pic here as there was no copyright shown.

The Coffee Is Brewing...

...its aroma fills the air of the chilly kitchen while the English muffins turn a golden brown in the toaster. I can already taste them covered in melted butter and washed down with a good swig of OJ or coffee. A petite breakfast to be sure, but breakfast nonetheless. It is something of which I do not normally partake but I should because the pounds have started to work there way back under my belt. I lost about 18 pounds (had it up to 20 off but oh well) while in Tucson and I mean to make sure I do not gain em all back.

So, I had better start eating like I was when I was in Tucson. That means a fair to large breakfast usually with lots of bacon and eggs (and my lipid profile was excellent when doing it), some fruit, OJ and coffee and one piece of bread. Even if I go overboard and have two pieces of bread it will be okay so long as I make sure to eat breakfast. Then a snack at about 11 - consisting of an apple or two - Granny Smith please or a pear or orange or banana. Then a light lunch for me - maybe a McDonald's hamburger and fries with a diet soda (don't laugh - this is really how I lost 18 pounds and kept about 15 of it off over 6 months). Then maybe a snack of some Macadamia nuts in the afternoon. This will all be followed by a dinner fairly low in, but not lacking a decent amount of, carbs. Dinner might be a can of ravioli (yechhh) or a nice steak, or a hamburger (homemade this time) or meatloaf, or 1/2 a broiled chicken, or a Tuna Fish sandwich or some pizza. Any of them (except maybe the pizza) go okay with a salad and a potato (baked and plain or with butter), or a nice German potato salad (homemade of course) and some veggies. Maybe some more Macadamia nuts for desert. I do go lightly on the amount I am eating.

So how do I lose pounds on a diet like that? Well I simply, for the most part, cut out the junk food I eat. By junk food, mind you, I do not mean things like McDonald's' or pizza. I do mean pretzels, potato chips, corn chips, chocolate cake, Klondike Bars, chocolate chip cookies, any other cookies and cakes, a midnight bagel slathered with butter, candy of all sorts and so on. You will see one similarity among them all - very high carbs. Mine is not the Atkins diet but I suppose I take some hints from him in lowering carbs. The toughest thing is getting started for the first week. After that I am used to it and it will be easy to stick to; that first week though is a diet killer. So starting my actual diet may take several weeks until I get the true first week of my diet complete. As I said though, once I go a week without junk, I should be good to go for at least several months. Once I get it going again, I'll also cut out virtually all milk products. Me and milk don't get along even though I love dairy.

Maybe I'll lose some more than what I gained back, that would be great. Whatever I lose though it will a benefit to me though. I also plan to start hiking again if even only on the pavement or treadmill. I have not been working out at all since I came home. While in Tucson I was hiking from 6 to 10 miles per week or more. That translates into two trips per week up into the mountains. It is a lot more of a drive here on Long Island to get to some nice hiking spots in the mountains so I'll just have to find some nice urban places for walks while wearing a 25 pound pack on my back and my shooting iron on my hip.

All the best,
Glenn B