What God has forgotten about nothing is still far more than I'll ever know about anything.
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Christ the Commander
Karpas - Christ the Commander
To tell you the truth I've always had a similar view of Christ as a grown man to that expressed in this article by Doug Giles.
As a man I've always thought of Christ as being like an excellent military Commander, a true Crusading Commander. Not the kind of Crusader who desires to conquer and kill but the kind of Commander who is willing to risk the dangerous thing, to lead where other men will not, to do the impossible, who fears nothing and who any man could be proud to serve with, and follow.
The kind of Crusading Commander who says, "We're not taking this shit anymore, we're taking name and kicking ass gentlemen, and you boys are gonna work harder than at any time in your life, and when you're sure you're finished then you're gonna work even harder."
I can admire such a leader, and can easily see myself following such a man, because I do. I can easily see myself aligned with such a Savior in order to struggle for the Kingdom of God, both within myself and on the Earth. I've never much cared for the effeminate idea of Christ, because I see so little evidence that the man was effeminate. He certainly possessed abilities and traits many would consider effeminate; Forgiveness, Mercy, Grace, Patience, Peace, and these traits were immensely important but those same traits were also balanced by Justice, Strength, Toughness, Fearlessness in Struggle and inexhaustible Courage.
In short I see Him as a Model Man, a Gifted Savior, shrewd, cunning, strong, patient, an impeccable leader, Son of his Father.
When I personally think of Christ I think of enormous strength, and just to be honest the kind of man I'd like to be.
So I thought some of you might enjoy this article on the Eve before Christmas Eve.
From Townhall:
When Jesus Christ got injected into the human mix two thousand plus years ago, from the cradle to the cross, He was a lightning rod of controversy. His incarnation heated up the culture war more than O’Reilly could ever dream of doing.
Immanuel’s arrival upon the scene caused demon inspired, political idiots to try to kill Him while He was still cooing and pooing in His pampers. The dragon no likey his party getting ruined, and ruin it the Prince of Peace did.
The initial message the Wonderful Counselor preached, according to Dr. Luke’s take, ticked off the crowd He was addressing so thoroughly that they attempted to throw Him off a cliff. He nailed that haughty mob for the crud they were practicing—and He did so publicly. In public. Ouch. Snap! That’s not very “Christian” of Christ.
In reality (on this planet), Jesus received minimal accolades. No lucrative gigs with the Premier Speakers Bureau; no “isn’t He so nice let’s put Him on Oprah” invite; no fat, Creflo Dollar like honorariums; no limousine chariot services. He got nada, nothing, zilch, zero, zippo—and for those who haven’t seen The Passion of the Christ yet, it sorta got even rougher.
Today in our radically wussified, politically correct state of bland, we won’t embrace this Christ because He’d so get under our skin. And we like our skin. The truth of the matter is that what Jesus said and did caused more discomfort to man’s me-monkey human spirit than cheap Tequila and three bags of pork rinds drenched in hot sauce would to Martha Stewart’s colon (insert deep belch and loud fart noise here).
It’s funny that a bunch of churchgoers who worship Jesus probably wouldn’t hire Him to be their pastor today because He was too much of a hellrazer. His solid/ acidic, anti-bovine scatology posture towards politicians, priests, pet sins, oppressors and others who were playing games with God and man equates a resume that most pastoral search committees wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pew.
Y’know, most of us forget the above when we see sweet baby Jesus lying in a manger. Because of our rank illiteracy regarding the scripture, our prejudiced and politically correct approach to the Bible that’s custom tailored a Jesus of our own imaginations, we have developed a deep distaste for anything but a bespoke and neutered little “g” god.
My prayer for you and yours, our churches and our nation is that we flush the feckless, Lysol-disinfected, feminine hygiene Jesus we’ve created to mollycoddle our madness and go back to the rowdy Christ that would, lovingly of course, shake us into shape.
So, as we’re clicking our mouse and melting our plastic this holiday season in homage to the birth of heaven’s Beowulf, why don’t we go the second mile and follow His example by being more rowdy for righteous stuff in ’07. Yeah, that’s it. Make 2007 one where the clash aspects of Christ’s nature are emphasized. Possibly, by so doing, we will see personal sin, aggressive secularism and militant Islam get staved off like never before.
Have a merry contrarian Christmas and a happy, hellrazing New Year.
* Logon to www.ClashRadio.com and watch Giles’ new video blurb, “It’s Going To Get Rough, So Put On a Cup.” Also, check out Doug’s interview Dr. Elizabeth Kantor, author of the book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature. Giles gets the skinny from Kantor on what PC English professors don’t want you to learn from, Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Jane Austen,T. S. Eliot, Flannery O’Connor and others.
Doug Giles is the creator and host of The Clash radio shows, winners of seven Silver Microphone Awards and two Communicator Awards in the last three years, and a contributing columnist on Townhall.com.
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To tell you the truth I've always had a similar view of Christ as a grown man to that expressed in this article by Doug Giles.
As a man I've always thought of Christ as being like an excellent military Commander, a true Crusading Commander. Not the kind of Crusader who desires to conquer and kill but the kind of Commander who is willing to risk the dangerous thing, to lead where other men will not, to do the impossible, who fears nothing and who any man could be proud to serve with, and follow.
The kind of Crusading Commander who says, "We're not taking this shit anymore, we're taking name and kicking ass gentlemen, and you boys are gonna work harder than at any time in your life, and when you're sure you're finished then you're gonna work even harder."
I can admire such a leader, and can easily see myself following such a man, because I do. I can easily see myself aligned with such a Savior in order to struggle for the Kingdom of God, both within myself and on the Earth. I've never much cared for the effeminate idea of Christ, because I see so little evidence that the man was effeminate. He certainly possessed abilities and traits many would consider effeminate; Forgiveness, Mercy, Grace, Patience, Peace, and these traits were immensely important but those same traits were also balanced by Justice, Strength, Toughness, Fearlessness in Struggle and inexhaustible Courage.
In short I see Him as a Model Man, a Gifted Savior, shrewd, cunning, strong, patient, an impeccable leader, Son of his Father.
When I personally think of Christ I think of enormous strength, and just to be honest the kind of man I'd like to be.
So I thought some of you might enjoy this article on the Eve before Christmas Eve.
From Townhall:
When Jesus Christ got injected into the human mix two thousand plus years ago, from the cradle to the cross, He was a lightning rod of controversy. His incarnation heated up the culture war more than O’Reilly could ever dream of doing.
Immanuel’s arrival upon the scene caused demon inspired, political idiots to try to kill Him while He was still cooing and pooing in His pampers. The dragon no likey his party getting ruined, and ruin it the Prince of Peace did.
The initial message the Wonderful Counselor preached, according to Dr. Luke’s take, ticked off the crowd He was addressing so thoroughly that they attempted to throw Him off a cliff. He nailed that haughty mob for the crud they were practicing—and He did so publicly. In public. Ouch. Snap! That’s not very “Christian” of Christ.
In reality (on this planet), Jesus received minimal accolades. No lucrative gigs with the Premier Speakers Bureau; no “isn’t He so nice let’s put Him on Oprah” invite; no fat, Creflo Dollar like honorariums; no limousine chariot services. He got nada, nothing, zilch, zero, zippo—and for those who haven’t seen The Passion of the Christ yet, it sorta got even rougher.
Today in our radically wussified, politically correct state of bland, we won’t embrace this Christ because He’d so get under our skin. And we like our skin. The truth of the matter is that what Jesus said and did caused more discomfort to man’s me-monkey human spirit than cheap Tequila and three bags of pork rinds drenched in hot sauce would to Martha Stewart’s colon (insert deep belch and loud fart noise here).
It’s funny that a bunch of churchgoers who worship Jesus probably wouldn’t hire Him to be their pastor today because He was too much of a hellrazer. His solid/ acidic, anti-bovine scatology posture towards politicians, priests, pet sins, oppressors and others who were playing games with God and man equates a resume that most pastoral search committees wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pew.
Y’know, most of us forget the above when we see sweet baby Jesus lying in a manger. Because of our rank illiteracy regarding the scripture, our prejudiced and politically correct approach to the Bible that’s custom tailored a Jesus of our own imaginations, we have developed a deep distaste for anything but a bespoke and neutered little “g” god.
My prayer for you and yours, our churches and our nation is that we flush the feckless, Lysol-disinfected, feminine hygiene Jesus we’ve created to mollycoddle our madness and go back to the rowdy Christ that would, lovingly of course, shake us into shape.
So, as we’re clicking our mouse and melting our plastic this holiday season in homage to the birth of heaven’s Beowulf, why don’t we go the second mile and follow His example by being more rowdy for righteous stuff in ’07. Yeah, that’s it. Make 2007 one where the clash aspects of Christ’s nature are emphasized. Possibly, by so doing, we will see personal sin, aggressive secularism and militant Islam get staved off like never before.
Have a merry contrarian Christmas and a happy, hellrazing New Year.
* Logon to www.ClashRadio.com and watch Giles’ new video blurb, “It’s Going To Get Rough, So Put On a Cup.” Also, check out Doug’s interview Dr. Elizabeth Kantor, author of the book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature. Giles gets the skinny from Kantor on what PC English professors don’t want you to learn from, Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Jane Austen,T. S. Eliot, Flannery O’Connor and others.
Doug Giles is the creator and host of The Clash radio shows, winners of seven Silver Microphone Awards and two Communicator Awards in the last three years, and a contributing columnist on Townhall.com.
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Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Wednesday Religious Assessment 12/20/06
Wednesday Religious Assessment
The Wonderlost
The New Jew?
Newton, Einstein, and Maxwell - All three were devout men who believed God had ordered the world and universe in a fascinating and ultimately understandable way.
These two articles lay out Maxwell's Science, which was profound, and His Faith, which was equally profound
State Group Proposes Cloning Ban
Divine Architecture
Intellectuals for the Latin Mass
Christmas Sermons
New National Security Threat?
HUMANITY AWAITS THE RENEWAL THAT CHRIST BRINGS
VATICAN CITY, DEC 20, 2006 (VIS) - Christmas was the central theme of the Pope's catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall.
"In these final days of Advent," said the Holy Father, "the liturgy invites us to approach ... the stable in Bethlehem where the extraordinary event that changed the course of history took place: the birth of the Redeemer. On Christmas Eve, we will stand once again before the manger, and contemplate in wonder the 'Word made Flesh.' ... The chosen people awaited the Messiah but imagined him to be a powerful and victorious leader who would free his people from foreign oppression. Yet the Savior was born in silence and in absolute poverty."
"Does mankind in our own time still await the Savior?" the Pope asked. "It appears that many people consider God as foreign to their interests. They have no apparent need of Him, and live as if He did not exist or, worse still, as if He were an 'obstacle' to be removed in order to achieve self-fulfillment. Even among believers ... are those who let themselves be attracted by alluring mirages and distracted by misleading doctrines that propose illusory shortcuts to happiness.
"And yet," he added, "with all their contradictions, their anguish and their dramas - or perhaps precisely because of them - men and women today seek a road of renewal, of salvation, they seek a Savior and await, sometimes without knowing it, ... the coming of Christ, man's only true Redeemer."
"Of course, false prophets continue to propose 'low cost' salvation, which always ends up delivering resounding disillusionment. Indeed, the history of the last 50 years provides an example of this search for a 'low cost' Savior and highlights all the consequent disillusionment."
For this reason, the Pope concluded, Christians must, "with the testimony of their lives, propagate the truth of Christmas, which Christ brings to all men and women of good will. Born into poverty in the manger, Jesus came to offer everyone the joy and peace which alone can satisfy the needs of the human soul."
In his Italian-language greetings at the end of the audience, Benedict XVI said: "In a few days it will be Christmas, and I imagine that, in your homes, you are putting the final touches to your nativity scenes, which are such an evocative depiction of Christmas. I hope that this important element, not only of our spirituality but also of our culture and art, may endure as a simple and eloquent way to remember the One Who came 'to dwell among us'."
After the audience, the Pope was awarded the "Prize for Charity" by the "Banca Alimentare," an Italian foundation that organizes, among other initiatives, the National Day of Food Collection. The reason for granting the prize, says a communique released by the foundation, is that since the start of his pontificate, the Holy Father "has sought to present charity - the sincere giving of oneself to others - as a natural dimension of Christian life."
Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., speaking during a meeting between the Vatican Publishing House and other international publishers, highlighted the fact that the award coincides with Benedict XVI's decision to donate part of his copyright earnings to a study center founded by his former theology students.
AG/CHRISTMAS/... VIS 061220 (570)
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The Wonderlost
The New Jew?
Newton, Einstein, and Maxwell - All three were devout men who believed God had ordered the world and universe in a fascinating and ultimately understandable way.
These two articles lay out Maxwell's Science, which was profound, and His Faith, which was equally profound
State Group Proposes Cloning Ban
Divine Architecture
Intellectuals for the Latin Mass
Christmas Sermons
New National Security Threat?
HUMANITY AWAITS THE RENEWAL THAT CHRIST BRINGS
VATICAN CITY, DEC 20, 2006 (VIS) - Christmas was the central theme of the Pope's catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall.
"In these final days of Advent," said the Holy Father, "the liturgy invites us to approach ... the stable in Bethlehem where the extraordinary event that changed the course of history took place: the birth of the Redeemer. On Christmas Eve, we will stand once again before the manger, and contemplate in wonder the 'Word made Flesh.' ... The chosen people awaited the Messiah but imagined him to be a powerful and victorious leader who would free his people from foreign oppression. Yet the Savior was born in silence and in absolute poverty."
"Does mankind in our own time still await the Savior?" the Pope asked. "It appears that many people consider God as foreign to their interests. They have no apparent need of Him, and live as if He did not exist or, worse still, as if He were an 'obstacle' to be removed in order to achieve self-fulfillment. Even among believers ... are those who let themselves be attracted by alluring mirages and distracted by misleading doctrines that propose illusory shortcuts to happiness.
"And yet," he added, "with all their contradictions, their anguish and their dramas - or perhaps precisely because of them - men and women today seek a road of renewal, of salvation, they seek a Savior and await, sometimes without knowing it, ... the coming of Christ, man's only true Redeemer."
"Of course, false prophets continue to propose 'low cost' salvation, which always ends up delivering resounding disillusionment. Indeed, the history of the last 50 years provides an example of this search for a 'low cost' Savior and highlights all the consequent disillusionment."
For this reason, the Pope concluded, Christians must, "with the testimony of their lives, propagate the truth of Christmas, which Christ brings to all men and women of good will. Born into poverty in the manger, Jesus came to offer everyone the joy and peace which alone can satisfy the needs of the human soul."
In his Italian-language greetings at the end of the audience, Benedict XVI said: "In a few days it will be Christmas, and I imagine that, in your homes, you are putting the final touches to your nativity scenes, which are such an evocative depiction of Christmas. I hope that this important element, not only of our spirituality but also of our culture and art, may endure as a simple and eloquent way to remember the One Who came 'to dwell among us'."
After the audience, the Pope was awarded the "Prize for Charity" by the "Banca Alimentare," an Italian foundation that organizes, among other initiatives, the National Day of Food Collection. The reason for granting the prize, says a communique released by the foundation, is that since the start of his pontificate, the Holy Father "has sought to present charity - the sincere giving of oneself to others - as a natural dimension of Christian life."
Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., speaking during a meeting between the Vatican Publishing House and other international publishers, highlighted the fact that the award coincides with Benedict XVI's decision to donate part of his copyright earnings to a study center founded by his former theology students.
AG/CHRISTMAS/... VIS 061220 (570)
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Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
An Introduction to God Technology: A Basic and Working Definition
Invisible Hand - An Introduction to God Technology: A Basic and Working Definition
I wrote this article as a result of a brief exchange that passed between another blogger and myself on her blog about the nature of modern technology and informational overload. I began discussing with her that her observations were reflective of several of the problems associated with God Technology and from her responses I understood that she did not really understand what I was speaking about. Which is completely understandable as the term is of my own coinage (I am not aware of anyone else using the term and especially not of using any related term as I define it) and I have, outside of discussions with a few close friends and closely guarded and tightly circulated papers, never before made the details of these ideas public.
But after the exchange described above I felt it would be easier to start to more widely publish these ideas and essays in order to avoid having to explain them at length every time I mention the term God Technology.
I have over the years developed several papers and essays regarding the ideas surrounding God Technology (and related theories and applications) but have always resisted fully discussing the term, or publishing my own theories concerning God Technology. But I’ve come to a point where I now feel it is the appropriate time.
So, after my exchange with Heather I sat down and wrote this basic introductory work to the theory.
If after reading this article you wish to comment, send me an email, or discuss these ideas here in more detail, please feel free to do so. I would both enjoy, and find interesting, the feedback of the public.
If you like this article please encourage your friends and family to read it as well and let me know what they think.
I’m also going to post this article to Digg. If you like the article then you can Digg it too.
This will be only the second article I have ever posted to Digg.
In the future I’m going to be posting other papers, theory papers, essays, and articles generally related to this subject. Sometimes on this site, the Missal, and sometimes on one of my other blogs, on the B-Reader, or in my newsletters. Perhaps also I will do some publishing in certain magazines and periodicals. But for now I am posting this introductory article here, so as to establish a foundation and basic definitional set for a more fully developed discussion of these ideas at a later time.
Jack.
An Introduction to God Technology: A Basic and Working Definition
God Technology is simply the theory I have had for years now concerning technology that mimics or replicates powers traditionally ascribed to God, and the stages by which that technology is manifested in human society, and what form that manifestation takes in each separate stage.
For instance the television is God Technology, though because we are so used to it and it is so ubiquitous few people ever think of it that way. But the television intercepts hidden and invisible and otherwise undetectable (without the use of technology) radio waves, in real time, which also are capable of carrying visual data and through use of an interface allows the viewer to see things occurring well beyond the range of their own optical senses. God can see distant places which no human could perceive because of sensory limitations, and yet now through devices like the television, internet, radio, radio antennas, satellite transmissions, cell phones, etc men can partially and practically mimic more and more of those same capabilities of perception and communication.
With computers men can accumulate, store, and replicate data that would normally be inaccessible to any ordinary individual, no matter the context, content, or volume of the data point.
Video and computer games allow people to enter virtual environmental mock-ups of the real world and practice real world skills in game form (though this application is rarely if ever fully and properly exploited by either player or game designer/manufacturer), thereby developing latent or nascent talents in an individual that might otherwise never be exploited or exercised. These skills of course in no way need necessarily be limited to "game skills in an artificial and unreal environment" but could also include the practice of real world mental, psychological, behavioral, spiritual, and (as control schemes and devices become ever more biologically and one day even genetically interactive) probably even physical skills.
And that's what I mean by God Technology. God has the ability to intercept, perceive and make use of, as well as decode and decrypt, huge amounts of data and information which no other individual or singular operative could possible perceive (because of sensory and physical limitations) and then discern or even create practical patterns in that informational background environment in a useful way. Instead of the general background radiation field of the universe, think of it as a General Background Informational and Data Field of the World.
Because there is currently so much data available in the world no human being, or even corporate cluster of human beings, can efficiently absorb and employ such a swell of information and such an array of indecipherable data patterns. Technologies are now being developed, and will continue to be developed, to sift this almost constant and ceaselessly changing data stream to better allow humans to perceive such patterns and to make better use of a stream that is moving far too fast and is far too large in volume for individuals to properly exploit. However much more work needs to be done in the area of developing technologies that make God-like data fields understandable and useful to the ordinary and average human consumer of information. Or even to the technical specialist.
If I may use a simplistic analogy, several centuries ago data streams were just that, small streams of basically disconnected data and information which were available to relatively few individuals who could make relatively little use of that data (in comparison to the full potential implications of the data) and could access that information in what was in effect only a very limited number of ways. A century ago that data began to collect in larger and larger tributaries and eventually into huge rivers, which might be compared analogously to the Mississippi or Amazon Rivers, or like the Nile.
Now data is clustered into huge, but as still not fully connected or linked, seas similar in many ways to the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. And these data seas are accessible at numerous points. But because these data seas are in such a constant state of flux, are so huge, and in some cases, still so difficult to access it is impossible for an individual to successfully fish that Sea for everything they want, or could even potentially make use of for simple reasons of physical limitations and geography. (I'm speaking about data and informational geography, not just physical geography.) And in some cases real geographic, political, and cultural barriers prevent "sea-hopping" from one body of data, information, and even intelligence, to another.
Eventually technologies will have to be developed to allow humans to better "fish" the Seas for what they want, can make use of, or to be able to better discern patterns and information hidden beneath the surface. Because soon enough those Seas of Data will become Oceans of Data, Information, and Intelligence.
But suffice it to say that God Technology is simply any technology that allows man to mimic powers and capabilities and abilities traditionally ascribed throughout history to God. To see the invisible, hear the silence, reduce distance, manipulate time and space, discern behavioral patterns, deduce intuitive answers and solutions in a real time fashion, solve complex problems interactively and/or near instantly, and so forth and so on. As a matter of fact most any piece of human technology can be used as God Technology if it is properly employed in that way and is thought about in that way. God Technology is not simply the technology itself, but the application and how it is employed.
I've written, or am in the process of writing, several papers on this and related subjects, such as:
"The Stages of God Technology in Human Historical, Cultural, and Scientific Development," "Private Intelligence and Investigative Networks," "Methods of Predicting, Anticipating, and Interdicting Individual Criminal Behavior," "Can God Technology Be Used Successfully Against International Criminal Cartels?" "Military Applications of God Technology," "Non Lethal and Less than Lethal God Technology," "God Communications (Transmitting and Transceiving as God Might)," "The Intelligence Applications of God Technologies," "Spiritual, Psychological, and Societal Implications of Mimicking the Capabilities of God in the Form of Human Technology," "Transferable Real World Skills: The Virtual Transference of Real Human Skills Through Game and Media," “God Technology and Animals: Developing Parallel Human Intelligence in Higher Animal Species,” along with a few other papers.
Eventually I hope to tie several of these related ideas into a sort of grand scheme or structure which will allow God Technology efforts in several spheres of human activity, such as the scientific, religious, artistic, cultural, military, intelligence, law enforcement, exploratory, communicative, and academic arenas to proceed in an interrelated fashion of cross fertilization.
For now I'll just close this introductory article with a simple, Basic and Working Definition of God Technology:
God Technology: Any technology or technological device that allows the user or users to mimic, imitate, or replicate those abilities, capabilities, powers, and capacities historically and previously ascribed only to God. God Technology is not simply the matter of the functional capability of the technology itself, but also the manner and method of the applications of the various functional capabilities of a given technology.
© JWG, Jr. 2006
Post Script: For the interested Reader you may also wish to read a rather fascinating and extensive essay by Neal Stephenson (with secondary source annotations) which indirectly addresses somewhat related matters.
See: The Command Line of God
I wrote this article as a result of a brief exchange that passed between another blogger and myself on her blog about the nature of modern technology and informational overload. I began discussing with her that her observations were reflective of several of the problems associated with God Technology and from her responses I understood that she did not really understand what I was speaking about. Which is completely understandable as the term is of my own coinage (I am not aware of anyone else using the term and especially not of using any related term as I define it) and I have, outside of discussions with a few close friends and closely guarded and tightly circulated papers, never before made the details of these ideas public.
But after the exchange described above I felt it would be easier to start to more widely publish these ideas and essays in order to avoid having to explain them at length every time I mention the term God Technology.
I have over the years developed several papers and essays regarding the ideas surrounding God Technology (and related theories and applications) but have always resisted fully discussing the term, or publishing my own theories concerning God Technology. But I’ve come to a point where I now feel it is the appropriate time.
So, after my exchange with Heather I sat down and wrote this basic introductory work to the theory.
If after reading this article you wish to comment, send me an email, or discuss these ideas here in more detail, please feel free to do so. I would both enjoy, and find interesting, the feedback of the public.
If you like this article please encourage your friends and family to read it as well and let me know what they think.
I’m also going to post this article to Digg. If you like the article then you can Digg it too.
This will be only the second article I have ever posted to Digg.
In the future I’m going to be posting other papers, theory papers, essays, and articles generally related to this subject. Sometimes on this site, the Missal, and sometimes on one of my other blogs, on the B-Reader, or in my newsletters. Perhaps also I will do some publishing in certain magazines and periodicals. But for now I am posting this introductory article here, so as to establish a foundation and basic definitional set for a more fully developed discussion of these ideas at a later time.
Jack.
An Introduction to God Technology: A Basic and Working Definition
God Technology is simply the theory I have had for years now concerning technology that mimics or replicates powers traditionally ascribed to God, and the stages by which that technology is manifested in human society, and what form that manifestation takes in each separate stage.
For instance the television is God Technology, though because we are so used to it and it is so ubiquitous few people ever think of it that way. But the television intercepts hidden and invisible and otherwise undetectable (without the use of technology) radio waves, in real time, which also are capable of carrying visual data and through use of an interface allows the viewer to see things occurring well beyond the range of their own optical senses. God can see distant places which no human could perceive because of sensory limitations, and yet now through devices like the television, internet, radio, radio antennas, satellite transmissions, cell phones, etc men can partially and practically mimic more and more of those same capabilities of perception and communication.
With computers men can accumulate, store, and replicate data that would normally be inaccessible to any ordinary individual, no matter the context, content, or volume of the data point.
Video and computer games allow people to enter virtual environmental mock-ups of the real world and practice real world skills in game form (though this application is rarely if ever fully and properly exploited by either player or game designer/manufacturer), thereby developing latent or nascent talents in an individual that might otherwise never be exploited or exercised. These skills of course in no way need necessarily be limited to "game skills in an artificial and unreal environment" but could also include the practice of real world mental, psychological, behavioral, spiritual, and (as control schemes and devices become ever more biologically and one day even genetically interactive) probably even physical skills.
And that's what I mean by God Technology. God has the ability to intercept, perceive and make use of, as well as decode and decrypt, huge amounts of data and information which no other individual or singular operative could possible perceive (because of sensory and physical limitations) and then discern or even create practical patterns in that informational background environment in a useful way. Instead of the general background radiation field of the universe, think of it as a General Background Informational and Data Field of the World.
Because there is currently so much data available in the world no human being, or even corporate cluster of human beings, can efficiently absorb and employ such a swell of information and such an array of indecipherable data patterns. Technologies are now being developed, and will continue to be developed, to sift this almost constant and ceaselessly changing data stream to better allow humans to perceive such patterns and to make better use of a stream that is moving far too fast and is far too large in volume for individuals to properly exploit. However much more work needs to be done in the area of developing technologies that make God-like data fields understandable and useful to the ordinary and average human consumer of information. Or even to the technical specialist.
If I may use a simplistic analogy, several centuries ago data streams were just that, small streams of basically disconnected data and information which were available to relatively few individuals who could make relatively little use of that data (in comparison to the full potential implications of the data) and could access that information in what was in effect only a very limited number of ways. A century ago that data began to collect in larger and larger tributaries and eventually into huge rivers, which might be compared analogously to the Mississippi or Amazon Rivers, or like the Nile.
Now data is clustered into huge, but as still not fully connected or linked, seas similar in many ways to the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. And these data seas are accessible at numerous points. But because these data seas are in such a constant state of flux, are so huge, and in some cases, still so difficult to access it is impossible for an individual to successfully fish that Sea for everything they want, or could even potentially make use of for simple reasons of physical limitations and geography. (I'm speaking about data and informational geography, not just physical geography.) And in some cases real geographic, political, and cultural barriers prevent "sea-hopping" from one body of data, information, and even intelligence, to another.
Eventually technologies will have to be developed to allow humans to better "fish" the Seas for what they want, can make use of, or to be able to better discern patterns and information hidden beneath the surface. Because soon enough those Seas of Data will become Oceans of Data, Information, and Intelligence.
But suffice it to say that God Technology is simply any technology that allows man to mimic powers and capabilities and abilities traditionally ascribed throughout history to God. To see the invisible, hear the silence, reduce distance, manipulate time and space, discern behavioral patterns, deduce intuitive answers and solutions in a real time fashion, solve complex problems interactively and/or near instantly, and so forth and so on. As a matter of fact most any piece of human technology can be used as God Technology if it is properly employed in that way and is thought about in that way. God Technology is not simply the technology itself, but the application and how it is employed.
I've written, or am in the process of writing, several papers on this and related subjects, such as:
"The Stages of God Technology in Human Historical, Cultural, and Scientific Development," "Private Intelligence and Investigative Networks," "Methods of Predicting, Anticipating, and Interdicting Individual Criminal Behavior," "Can God Technology Be Used Successfully Against International Criminal Cartels?" "Military Applications of God Technology," "Non Lethal and Less than Lethal God Technology," "God Communications (Transmitting and Transceiving as God Might)," "The Intelligence Applications of God Technologies," "Spiritual, Psychological, and Societal Implications of Mimicking the Capabilities of God in the Form of Human Technology," "Transferable Real World Skills: The Virtual Transference of Real Human Skills Through Game and Media," “God Technology and Animals: Developing Parallel Human Intelligence in Higher Animal Species,” along with a few other papers.
Eventually I hope to tie several of these related ideas into a sort of grand scheme or structure which will allow God Technology efforts in several spheres of human activity, such as the scientific, religious, artistic, cultural, military, intelligence, law enforcement, exploratory, communicative, and academic arenas to proceed in an interrelated fashion of cross fertilization.
For now I'll just close this introductory article with a simple, Basic and Working Definition of God Technology:
God Technology: Any technology or technological device that allows the user or users to mimic, imitate, or replicate those abilities, capabilities, powers, and capacities historically and previously ascribed only to God. God Technology is not simply the matter of the functional capability of the technology itself, but also the manner and method of the applications of the various functional capabilities of a given technology.
© JWG, Jr. 2006
Post Script: For the interested Reader you may also wish to read a rather fascinating and extensive essay by Neal Stephenson (with secondary source annotations) which indirectly addresses somewhat related matters.
See: The Command Line of God
Monday, October 16, 2006
Peharim - How I would Reform the Priesthood
Pesharim - How I would Reform the Priesthood
1. Celibacy would be optional. It would be neither encouraged nor discouraged, but would be considered a high personal honor, yet freely chosen or not chosen. Married priests would be able to become Bishops as well but only celibate priests could become Archbishops.
2. Priests would be able to engage in enterprises and co-ops and investments in order to generate funds and to raise Capital and to build businesses. Such businesses and enterprises and investments would have to be of a high moral nature of course and be dedicated to God but priests would be encouraged to become more actively involved in the world economically and financially.
3. Each married priest would be encouraged to undergo a 30 day period of personal celibacy each year working out the details with his wife of course.
4. I would greatly encourage the development of Lay Priests to assist the priest and to serve in functions in which a priest could not.
5. I would place far greater importance on Confession and in confession I would do away with penance in favor of Repentance, Reform and Restitution.
6. Once every three to five years I would require every priest to go on Sabbatical to a monastery and Order of his choice for a sabbatical period of between one month and one year.
7. I would encourage Parish and local Priests to be the representatives of the church to local governmental and political representatives and agencies. Bishoprics and Archbishoprics would be forbidden to become directly involved in governmental affairs at their level. Rather Bishops and Archbishops would be involved with and be liaisons to businesses, corporations, educational and charitable institutions.
8. I would encourage priests, bishops and archbishops to spend part of their time in service to parishes and churches outside their own nation.
9. I would encourage priests, bishops and archbishops to put aside their offices, collars and robes at some point in their career to spend a period of time in service to the poor and the sick. I would also require that they spend part of their career as missionaries, dressed in normal street clothes.
10. I would allow and encourage the development of Priestesses as long as such a Priestess met all of the same requirements as a male Priest, accounting for gender differences of course.
11. I would encourage Ecumenical activities on the parts of local and parish Priests.
12. I would reform the Parish and Service/Station system.
13. I would reform the funding/donation/charity system to make it as transparent as possible.
14. I would reform the pay system so that priests who are considered exceptionally good (or Bishops or Archbishops for that matter) could receive higher salaries and could earn pay directly from local sources.
15. I would encourage each priest to contribute 15% of all incomes received from investments or enterprises and all salaries received from work to church and charity. Each Bishop would be encouraged to give 20% of all monies received and each Archbishop 25% of all monies earned or received to church and charity.
16. At death I would encourage all priests, bishops and archbishops to give away any monies not inherited by wife or children to church and charities.
17. I would require that at some point during his priestly career each and every priest live for a short period of time on charity and alms.
18. I would encourage far greater involvement in scientific activities, research and experimentation among priests. I would return Science to the church from which it originated, maybe even creating an Order of Scientific Priests.
19. I would encourage the development and study of Art in the Priesthood. Perhaps even creating an Order of Priests dedicated to the study, development and production of Sacred Art, Film, Letters, and Culture.I may think of others later.
1. Celibacy would be optional. It would be neither encouraged nor discouraged, but would be considered a high personal honor, yet freely chosen or not chosen. Married priests would be able to become Bishops as well but only celibate priests could become Archbishops.
2. Priests would be able to engage in enterprises and co-ops and investments in order to generate funds and to raise Capital and to build businesses. Such businesses and enterprises and investments would have to be of a high moral nature of course and be dedicated to God but priests would be encouraged to become more actively involved in the world economically and financially.
3. Each married priest would be encouraged to undergo a 30 day period of personal celibacy each year working out the details with his wife of course.
4. I would greatly encourage the development of Lay Priests to assist the priest and to serve in functions in which a priest could not.
5. I would place far greater importance on Confession and in confession I would do away with penance in favor of Repentance, Reform and Restitution.
6. Once every three to five years I would require every priest to go on Sabbatical to a monastery and Order of his choice for a sabbatical period of between one month and one year.
7. I would encourage Parish and local Priests to be the representatives of the church to local governmental and political representatives and agencies. Bishoprics and Archbishoprics would be forbidden to become directly involved in governmental affairs at their level. Rather Bishops and Archbishops would be involved with and be liaisons to businesses, corporations, educational and charitable institutions.
8. I would encourage priests, bishops and archbishops to spend part of their time in service to parishes and churches outside their own nation.
9. I would encourage priests, bishops and archbishops to put aside their offices, collars and robes at some point in their career to spend a period of time in service to the poor and the sick. I would also require that they spend part of their career as missionaries, dressed in normal street clothes.
10. I would allow and encourage the development of Priestesses as long as such a Priestess met all of the same requirements as a male Priest, accounting for gender differences of course.
11. I would encourage Ecumenical activities on the parts of local and parish Priests.
12. I would reform the Parish and Service/Station system.
13. I would reform the funding/donation/charity system to make it as transparent as possible.
14. I would reform the pay system so that priests who are considered exceptionally good (or Bishops or Archbishops for that matter) could receive higher salaries and could earn pay directly from local sources.
15. I would encourage each priest to contribute 15% of all incomes received from investments or enterprises and all salaries received from work to church and charity. Each Bishop would be encouraged to give 20% of all monies received and each Archbishop 25% of all monies earned or received to church and charity.
16. At death I would encourage all priests, bishops and archbishops to give away any monies not inherited by wife or children to church and charities.
17. I would require that at some point during his priestly career each and every priest live for a short period of time on charity and alms.
18. I would encourage far greater involvement in scientific activities, research and experimentation among priests. I would return Science to the church from which it originated, maybe even creating an Order of Scientific Priests.
19. I would encourage the development and study of Art in the Priesthood. Perhaps even creating an Order of Priests dedicated to the study, development and production of Sacred Art, Film, Letters, and Culture.I may think of others later.
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