Regarding the claim that "miracles occurred--but not by
> interference," may I say that not all miracles are biblically characterized
> as a Spirit moving over the waters. For example, I find it inexplicable
> (and incoherent) to take seriously the Christian notion of the
incarnation
> and to interpret miracles per se as "non-interference" events. For me,
the incarnation is one (but one sufficient) reason why it is not acceptable
to view "this mystery of the relationship of God to us ... generally" as a
> non-interference movement of Spirit.
Russ Maatman wrote:
Perhaps it is a matter of semantics. I'm quite pleased to say that in the
Incarnation God entered history. But that is not to say this entrance is an
interference. Surely the Incarnation was a part of God's eternal will,
which (I think) can be termed "prescriptive law," a law that takes care of
all events. Citing the miracle of the Incarnation and other miracles ought
to emphasize the human-ness of descriptive laws.
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We cannot say whether God's acts in history are "interferences" or not.
We don't know enough. Burgy's review of "The End of Science" is timely
in this connection. Whenever one gets the impression that we know
practically everything, nature comes up with a new mystery. I predict
that that will happen in the next century (if it hasn't already). Not that I
personally have anything against the Standard Model; I think it is the
greatest achievement of our time, period. But not something to get arrogant
about.
When Jesus performed miracles in Galilee, was it by "interference" or
an application of unknown somethings in nature?
Imagine this: A Harrier jet lands in the Temple Court in Solomon's time.
The pilots step out, and show their night-vision sensors and laptop
computers to the priests. They do some audio/video recordings, and then
project them on a screen. They set up a laser at night and have a
light show with recordings of Bach fantasias. Then they pack up and fly
away, straight up into the clouds.
Is there any rigorous way for these priests and scholars to determine if
they have seen events that "interfere" with nature?
Paul Arveson, Research Physicist
Code 724, NSWC, Bethesda, MD 20817-5700
73367.1236@compuserve.com arveson@oasys.dt.navy.mil
(301) 227-3831 (W) (301) 227-1914 (FAX) (301) 816-9459 (H)