Reality, like a magnet, consists of two polar components; subjectivity and objectivity. Unless such a connection is in place and operation, reality does not exist. Only that which appears can be that which is real.
Subjectivity by itself nullifies reality because it effects a state of nonconsciousness. When there (non)exists absolutely nothing of which the subject can be conscious, then no reality can exist. Nonconsciousness is different from unconsciousness. Unconsciousness constitutes merely a reduced form of reality. A person in a coma retains a somatic consciousness of heartbeat and breathing, and this condition constitutes his or her reality. But nonconsciousness has absolutely nothing of which to be conscious, and that condition nullifies reality.
Objectivity by itself also nullifies reality because no power adheres to it or inheres within it which can separate something from nothing. When there (non)exists absolutely nothing that holds the power to separate something from nothing, then no reality exists. Objectivity by itself is different from potential objectivity. Potential objectivity exists in a universe which contains a subject capable of discovering it and thus separating it from its equality to nothing and thus bringing it into reality. When the Hubble telescope discovered the light of galaxies in small spots of space that were formerly dark, then it brought these galaxies into the scope of a subject which separated them from nothing and made them real. In the absence of all subjectivity, a consciousless universe holds no power within itself to separate galaxies from nothing, or even to tell whether galaxies exist or not. No power exists within a consciousless universe that can tell where something is, or what it is, or if it is. Such a consciousless universe may be absolutely empty, and even if it contains something, that something can only be equal to absolute emptiness.
Materialists think that they can imagine a consciousless universe. But they forget that they have already used their imagination to separate something from nothing when they make this effort. A truly consciousless universe absolutely cannot be imagined.
Materialists imagine that matter and energy by itself can evolve consciousness. But such a process constitutes merely a metaphysical assumption which they have never even come close to proving. As a matter of fact, some of their own mathematicians have already shown them that such a process is absolutely impossible. Yet, they continue to hold to this metaphysical belief because they imagine that it relieves them of all responsibility to God.
Subjectivity is that necessary power of the universe that causes reality to exist. For that reason, Infinite Consciousness has always existed and He has created our universe and the finite life within it.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
Information and the Mind
Read John 1:1-5 Psalm 147:5
Modern science has discovered that a third component of the universe exists in addition to that of matter and energy. That third component is information. Language, mathematics, the DNA code and musical codes are some of the ways that information expresses itself within creation. Language, mathematics and musical codes were given directly to finite intelligent minds so that we could easily distinguish bits of information from each other to be reused in combinations of ideas in our own creative ways.
There can be no information without mind, and there can be no mind without information. These are mutually inclusive. No human has ever created anything without the use of his or her mind and the information contained within it.
Since the DNA code and the laws of nature exist and are far more complex than any finite mind could ever create, then an Infinite Mind must exist infused with Infinite Information who created life and the laws of nature.
Each bit of information within the Infinite Mind must itself be infinite. Thus, the Infinite Mind does not need an inner code to distinguish each bit of information, but knows the Infinite Information directly. This can only mean that the Infinite Mind must be identical with His Infinite Information.
But when God decided to create a finite world with intelligent creatures, then he had to base His creations on finite codes and give finite codes to His intelligent creatures so that they could obtain a finite understanding of His creations. However, God also knew that His intelligent creatures would possess a very limited ability to understand Him since He is Infinite. Therefore, after the fall of man, God began to reveal His Living Word to mankind; first through His prophets and later through His infallible written Word, the Holy Bible (KJB).
Modern science has discovered that a third component of the universe exists in addition to that of matter and energy. That third component is information. Language, mathematics, the DNA code and musical codes are some of the ways that information expresses itself within creation. Language, mathematics and musical codes were given directly to finite intelligent minds so that we could easily distinguish bits of information from each other to be reused in combinations of ideas in our own creative ways.
There can be no information without mind, and there can be no mind without information. These are mutually inclusive. No human has ever created anything without the use of his or her mind and the information contained within it.
Since the DNA code and the laws of nature exist and are far more complex than any finite mind could ever create, then an Infinite Mind must exist infused with Infinite Information who created life and the laws of nature.
Each bit of information within the Infinite Mind must itself be infinite. Thus, the Infinite Mind does not need an inner code to distinguish each bit of information, but knows the Infinite Information directly. This can only mean that the Infinite Mind must be identical with His Infinite Information.
But when God decided to create a finite world with intelligent creatures, then he had to base His creations on finite codes and give finite codes to His intelligent creatures so that they could obtain a finite understanding of His creations. However, God also knew that His intelligent creatures would possess a very limited ability to understand Him since He is Infinite. Therefore, after the fall of man, God began to reveal His Living Word to mankind; first through His prophets and later through His infallible written Word, the Holy Bible (KJB).
Friday, May 24, 2013
The Known and the Unknown
If a man takes a drug that causes him to have an hallucination of a pink elephant, we often say that he saw something which does not exist. Actually, when we say this, we do not mean that elephants or pink do not exist. We simply mean that no physical elephant or pink thing appeared to the man when he had his hallucination.
Do we mean then that the hallucination itself does not exist? We cannot mean this either for the simple reason that the man actually saw a real mental representation of a pink elephant. We can never contend that mental representations are not real because we only have mental representations of things that are useful and actual. Mental representations are always real for the same reason that a picture of an elephant is as real as is a physical elephant.
We never have mental representations of unknown things except by means of a logical inference of the possibility of their existence. Such logical inferences can be either true or false combinations of real ideas. For example, Leucippus and Democritus inferred the existence of an unknown thing called an atom. They did this by logical speculation about real things that they did know about such as motion, space and matter. As it turns out, modern science has discovered that their combination of real ideas that produced the idea of the atom was a true combination.
On the other hand, some theorists once postulated that space was filled with a substance called ether. When experiments proved that ether does not exist, then the idea of ether became equivalent to the idea of nothing. The combination of real ideas that produced the theory of ether had proven to be false. Only the combination and the idea of ether was false. The theory itself comprised only real and true ideas.
All of the basic elements, that which Locke called the simple ideas, that appear within the realm of conscious experience are always real. They are real because consciousness raises them above the level of nothingness, and because consciousness happens to be that sole necessary dynamism that establishes reality. The only false ideas we have result from false combinations of real ideas.
It matters little whether we know only our ideas about reality or directly know reality itself. In either case, our conscious experiences are all real, and if there is a thing-in-itself behind reality, then it is unknown, and therefore, cannot be real. All that matters is that which affects conscious experience. That which does not affect conscious experience does not matter, and cannot matter until such a time as it does affect consciousness. The unknown cannot matter because it can only affect nothingness.
If there were no consciousness, then all would be unknown and reality could not exist because absolute nothingness would prevail. Leucippus and Democritus could speculate about the existence of atoms only because they had minds that they could use to form a true combination of ideas. Those who postulated the existence of ether could do so only because they had minds that they could use to form a false combination of real ideas.
The only falsity within reality is that which equals nothing. Therefore, in the absence of consciousness, only absolute nothingness could non-exist. For these reasons, within absolute nothingness ether would be equal to atoms except in one respect. Atoms would possess potential reality only if there existed an intelligent consciousness capable of knowing them. In the absence of all consciousness, both atoms and ether would be equal to absolute nothingness.
That combination of real ideas called God would be false if God, like ether, could be proven to be nonexistent. But God must be a true combination of real ideas because if He did not exist, then reality would have been equal to nonexistence prior to the existence of finite consciousness making it impossible for it ever to become real.
Do we mean then that the hallucination itself does not exist? We cannot mean this either for the simple reason that the man actually saw a real mental representation of a pink elephant. We can never contend that mental representations are not real because we only have mental representations of things that are useful and actual. Mental representations are always real for the same reason that a picture of an elephant is as real as is a physical elephant.
We never have mental representations of unknown things except by means of a logical inference of the possibility of their existence. Such logical inferences can be either true or false combinations of real ideas. For example, Leucippus and Democritus inferred the existence of an unknown thing called an atom. They did this by logical speculation about real things that they did know about such as motion, space and matter. As it turns out, modern science has discovered that their combination of real ideas that produced the idea of the atom was a true combination.
On the other hand, some theorists once postulated that space was filled with a substance called ether. When experiments proved that ether does not exist, then the idea of ether became equivalent to the idea of nothing. The combination of real ideas that produced the theory of ether had proven to be false. Only the combination and the idea of ether was false. The theory itself comprised only real and true ideas.
All of the basic elements, that which Locke called the simple ideas, that appear within the realm of conscious experience are always real. They are real because consciousness raises them above the level of nothingness, and because consciousness happens to be that sole necessary dynamism that establishes reality. The only false ideas we have result from false combinations of real ideas.
It matters little whether we know only our ideas about reality or directly know reality itself. In either case, our conscious experiences are all real, and if there is a thing-in-itself behind reality, then it is unknown, and therefore, cannot be real. All that matters is that which affects conscious experience. That which does not affect conscious experience does not matter, and cannot matter until such a time as it does affect consciousness. The unknown cannot matter because it can only affect nothingness.
If there were no consciousness, then all would be unknown and reality could not exist because absolute nothingness would prevail. Leucippus and Democritus could speculate about the existence of atoms only because they had minds that they could use to form a true combination of ideas. Those who postulated the existence of ether could do so only because they had minds that they could use to form a false combination of real ideas.
The only falsity within reality is that which equals nothing. Therefore, in the absence of consciousness, only absolute nothingness could non-exist. For these reasons, within absolute nothingness ether would be equal to atoms except in one respect. Atoms would possess potential reality only if there existed an intelligent consciousness capable of knowing them. In the absence of all consciousness, both atoms and ether would be equal to absolute nothingness.
That combination of real ideas called God would be false if God, like ether, could be proven to be nonexistent. But God must be a true combination of real ideas because if He did not exist, then reality would have been equal to nonexistence prior to the existence of finite consciousness making it impossible for it ever to become real.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Obedience Better Than Sacrifice
Read Exodus 17:5-7 Numbers 20:7-13 I Samuel chapter 15 Acts 21:4 Acts 21:10-13 (KJB)
The above verses tell the stories of the disobedience of three great men of God, not because of their willfulness, but because of carelessness; because of inatentiveness and wrong assumptions. These stories indicate the important need for every believer to pay very close attention to the exact wording of God's Word when they read it.
The inner weaknesses of every believer causes us to bring the pressures of the teachings of our denomination, custom and tradition, and our own personal preferences into consideration whenever we read the Word of God. This condition causes us sometimes to read into the Word of God ideas which it does not state, and to ignore teachings which it does state. In other words, outside influences and inner preferences sometimes cause believers to misread the Word of God. Inner preferences sometimes cause us to read into the Word of God that which we we want it to teach, as well as sometimes to ignore that which it does teach, instead of that which it actually teaches. This condition partly accounts for the large number of denominations within the realm of Christendom.
These three great men disobeyed God because they failed to heed the exact instructions of God's Word, and not because of any willful desire to do so.
Moses simply assumed that because God had told him to strike the rock with his rod the first time, then that made it all right to strike it the second time. Because of his carelessness and inatentiveness to the exact Words of God, he failed to speak to the rock as God had instructed him. As a result of his disobedience, God punished him by not allowing him to enter the Promised Land with the rest of God's people. Neither Moses' greatness nor God's love for him were diminished in the least because of his disobedience. God's moral for this story was simply that error can occur if one fails to pay very close attention to God's exact Words.
King Saul disobeyed God because of his carelessness, his pride, and his weakness for giving in to the whims of his people. God had instructed Saul through His prophet Samuel to destroy the Amalekites and all that they possessed completely. But when Saul's soldiers began to spare some of the sheep and cattle for future sacrifices to God, Saul deferred to their wishes, no doubt rationalizing that they should have their sacrifices because the sheep and cattle would be killed in either case. Saul also spared the life of the king of the Amalekites probably as a trophy to his pride so that he could personally kill him later before the people in a ritualistic manner. Thus, Saul disobeyed God because of his indulgence and pride.
When Samuel arrived later and found that Saul had disobeyed God, Samuel gave Saul his strongest remonstration. Saul had proven that he was not the kind of leader that God needed. When Samuel told Saul in verse 22: "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice....," he meant that sacrifice is useless when obedience is not exact. One of the lessons of life is that often success in some project requires an exact attention to every detail and a willingness to get all aspects of one's project right. Man's disobedience cannot thwart God's will, but disobedience can cause God to reject one person's service and choose another who will accomplish His will. But this condition causes grief to God when He must reject and punish one of His servant, and choose another.
The great Apostle Paul disobeyed God toward the end of his ministry when he was determined to go to Jerusalem when God had told him to go directly to Rome. We know that God had instructed Paul to go directly to Rome from his mission field by that which Paul wrote in Romans 15, and by the instructions of the Holy Spirit through the church to him in Acts 21. But Paul revealed his attitude in Acts 21:13 when he said that he was willing to die in Jerusalem for the cause of Christ. Apparently, Paul had allowed a little pride to enter into his thinking because he had forgotten that he was not allowed to decide where he would be martyred, but that was God's decision.
On the other hand, God knew that Paul desired to go to Jerusalem because of his great love for his fellow Jews. More than anything, the Apostle Paul desired to win his fellow Jews to faith in Christ. Perhaps, Paul thought that if his fellow Jews should kill him, then his martyrdom might be the catalyst that would cause his fellow Jews to turn to Christ. He should have known better since the martyrdom of the deacon Stephen and other fellow Christians had not turned his nation to Christ.
Despite his disobedience, God did not harshly punish Paul. God simply made sure that He would turn Paul around and send him back in the direction of Rome. Nevertheless, Paul had unnecessarily to suffer a beating, imprisonment and shipwreck before he got to Rome. But God did not replace the Apostle Paul with another Apostle because God honored the fact that Paul was at least partly motivated by his great love for his fellow Jews. By so doing, God honored His own Word in Proverbs 10:12. God verifies His own Word when He mitigates the punishment of those who are partly motivated by love when they sin. But no man is capable of being wholly motivated by love when he sins. Always, the weakness of original sin causes pride or some other sinful motivation to vitiate the motivation of love as in the case with Paul. However, God's punishment for sins at least partly motivated by love is usually fairly light.
The message of the stories of these three great men of God is that God's people must pay very close attention to the exact Words of God so that they may believe it and obey it exactly. One must pray fervently for the guidance of the Holy Spirit when one reads the Word of God, and strive mightily to put aside all outside influences and inner preferences.
The best example for why "obedience is better than sacrifice" adheres to the life of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus always exactly obeyed His Father in every detail of everything His Father told Him to do. For this reason, Jesus led an absolutely perfect life. If Jesus had not done so, His sacrifice on the cross for the salvation of mankind would not have worked. If Jesus had ever failed to obey His Father, even in the smallest detail, He would have died for His own sins and not for others. His sinless perfection caused his sacrifice to effect the salvation of mankind because as the innocent Lamb of God He could die in the place of the guilty, taking their sin upon Himself and cleansing them with His holy shed blood.
The above verses tell the stories of the disobedience of three great men of God, not because of their willfulness, but because of carelessness; because of inatentiveness and wrong assumptions. These stories indicate the important need for every believer to pay very close attention to the exact wording of God's Word when they read it.
The inner weaknesses of every believer causes us to bring the pressures of the teachings of our denomination, custom and tradition, and our own personal preferences into consideration whenever we read the Word of God. This condition causes us sometimes to read into the Word of God ideas which it does not state, and to ignore teachings which it does state. In other words, outside influences and inner preferences sometimes cause believers to misread the Word of God. Inner preferences sometimes cause us to read into the Word of God that which we we want it to teach, as well as sometimes to ignore that which it does teach, instead of that which it actually teaches. This condition partly accounts for the large number of denominations within the realm of Christendom.
These three great men disobeyed God because they failed to heed the exact instructions of God's Word, and not because of any willful desire to do so.
Moses simply assumed that because God had told him to strike the rock with his rod the first time, then that made it all right to strike it the second time. Because of his carelessness and inatentiveness to the exact Words of God, he failed to speak to the rock as God had instructed him. As a result of his disobedience, God punished him by not allowing him to enter the Promised Land with the rest of God's people. Neither Moses' greatness nor God's love for him were diminished in the least because of his disobedience. God's moral for this story was simply that error can occur if one fails to pay very close attention to God's exact Words.
King Saul disobeyed God because of his carelessness, his pride, and his weakness for giving in to the whims of his people. God had instructed Saul through His prophet Samuel to destroy the Amalekites and all that they possessed completely. But when Saul's soldiers began to spare some of the sheep and cattle for future sacrifices to God, Saul deferred to their wishes, no doubt rationalizing that they should have their sacrifices because the sheep and cattle would be killed in either case. Saul also spared the life of the king of the Amalekites probably as a trophy to his pride so that he could personally kill him later before the people in a ritualistic manner. Thus, Saul disobeyed God because of his indulgence and pride.
When Samuel arrived later and found that Saul had disobeyed God, Samuel gave Saul his strongest remonstration. Saul had proven that he was not the kind of leader that God needed. When Samuel told Saul in verse 22: "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice....," he meant that sacrifice is useless when obedience is not exact. One of the lessons of life is that often success in some project requires an exact attention to every detail and a willingness to get all aspects of one's project right. Man's disobedience cannot thwart God's will, but disobedience can cause God to reject one person's service and choose another who will accomplish His will. But this condition causes grief to God when He must reject and punish one of His servant, and choose another.
The great Apostle Paul disobeyed God toward the end of his ministry when he was determined to go to Jerusalem when God had told him to go directly to Rome. We know that God had instructed Paul to go directly to Rome from his mission field by that which Paul wrote in Romans 15, and by the instructions of the Holy Spirit through the church to him in Acts 21. But Paul revealed his attitude in Acts 21:13 when he said that he was willing to die in Jerusalem for the cause of Christ. Apparently, Paul had allowed a little pride to enter into his thinking because he had forgotten that he was not allowed to decide where he would be martyred, but that was God's decision.
On the other hand, God knew that Paul desired to go to Jerusalem because of his great love for his fellow Jews. More than anything, the Apostle Paul desired to win his fellow Jews to faith in Christ. Perhaps, Paul thought that if his fellow Jews should kill him, then his martyrdom might be the catalyst that would cause his fellow Jews to turn to Christ. He should have known better since the martyrdom of the deacon Stephen and other fellow Christians had not turned his nation to Christ.
Despite his disobedience, God did not harshly punish Paul. God simply made sure that He would turn Paul around and send him back in the direction of Rome. Nevertheless, Paul had unnecessarily to suffer a beating, imprisonment and shipwreck before he got to Rome. But God did not replace the Apostle Paul with another Apostle because God honored the fact that Paul was at least partly motivated by his great love for his fellow Jews. By so doing, God honored His own Word in Proverbs 10:12. God verifies His own Word when He mitigates the punishment of those who are partly motivated by love when they sin. But no man is capable of being wholly motivated by love when he sins. Always, the weakness of original sin causes pride or some other sinful motivation to vitiate the motivation of love as in the case with Paul. However, God's punishment for sins at least partly motivated by love is usually fairly light.
The message of the stories of these three great men of God is that God's people must pay very close attention to the exact Words of God so that they may believe it and obey it exactly. One must pray fervently for the guidance of the Holy Spirit when one reads the Word of God, and strive mightily to put aside all outside influences and inner preferences.
The best example for why "obedience is better than sacrifice" adheres to the life of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus always exactly obeyed His Father in every detail of everything His Father told Him to do. For this reason, Jesus led an absolutely perfect life. If Jesus had not done so, His sacrifice on the cross for the salvation of mankind would not have worked. If Jesus had ever failed to obey His Father, even in the smallest detail, He would have died for His own sins and not for others. His sinless perfection caused his sacrifice to effect the salvation of mankind because as the innocent Lamb of God He could die in the place of the guilty, taking their sin upon Himself and cleansing them with His holy shed blood.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Permanence and Change
Everything is real. All appearances are real as basic elements, whether these be sensory representations or solely mental representations. All of the basic elements of reality are useful, whether these are employed as abstract plans in the mind or as practical projects in the world. All that is useful must also be real. All basic elements are real whether they be abstract or concrete, universal or particular, subjective or objective, have a direct or indirect appearance, and even if the appearance were vague or clear. "Roundness" as an abstract idea in the mind is just as real as any round object observed in the world. Any abstract number in the mind is just as real as any number of objects measured in the world. "Justice" as an abstract idea in the mind is just as real as are laws and courts in the world.
The basic elements of reality can be combined into good combinations or false combinations. The good combinations always effect a useful and creative purpose. The false combinations always effect a uselessness and nothingness. Nevertheless, the basic elements of all true and false combinations always remain real. The falsity of any false combination always adheres to the nothingness inherent in the combination itself and never to the basic elements which are always real.
For example, if one adds 2+3=5 in one's mind, then one has put together a true combination of real basic elements that effects a useful result, even if that useful result only reaffirms the permanence of this useful combination. If one selects two oranges from one pile of mixed fruit and puts them together in a bowl with three oranges selected from another pile of mixed fruit, then one has put together a true and practical combination of five oranges that applies to the world. The results of this combination are useful whether one intends to make ambrosia or merely to reaffirm the fact that oranges are the same kind of fruit.
On the other hand, if one miscalculates that 2+3=6 in one's mind or as misapplied to the world, then one has put together a false combination even though all of the basic elements of the false combination are real. "Two," "plus," "three" "equals" and "six" are all real basic elements but, nevertheless, the combination is false. The combination is false because it is useless. The false combination really equals nothing because it has no usefulness or meaning.
The entire history of the human race consists of a process of inventing and discovering true and useful combinations of real basic elements, and usefully discarding false combinations of real basic elements. True and useful combinations are permanent and never change, just as 2+3=5 never changes. The only changes that occur, in the mind or in the world, are from one permanent combination to another permanent combination, or from a good combination to a false one or vice versa; and also from the inventions of good or false combinations using the basic elements of reality. Such changes may happen very swiftly or very slowly.
For example, Newton's law of gravitation consists of a permanent mathematical description of a good combination. Should the sun fail to come up in the morning, then this will happen only because this good combination of basic realities has changed to a false combination of basic realities. Perhaps the sun exploded in the night, and even though "sun" is a basic reality and "explosion" is a basic reality; the combination of these effect a useless and destructive result; that is, the removal of the law of gravity as it applies to the earth and the sun and its replacement with a false combination that effects the destruction of the earth and the sun. Nevertheless, the change from the good combination to the false combination never alters the permanence of the law of gravity itself. The law of gravity itself will work the same throughout eternity so long as other basic real elements are never added or subtracted from it. For this same reason, the miscalculation that 2+3=6 never changes the true permanent combination that 2+3=5.
For example, a man may invent a machine to accomplish some desired effect, only to find that the machine does not work. He has invented a false combination of basic realities. A woman may come along and look at the machine, and help the man out by subtracting certain parts and adding other parts until she causes the machine to work and produce the desired result. The new inventor has changed the false combination into a good combination. For the same reason, a teacher may change a student's false combination of 2+3=6 into a true combination of 2+3=5 by erasing the 6 and replacing it with a 5.
For example, Heraclitus said that one can never step into the same river twice, but Cratylus said that one can never step into the same river even once. Cratylus was right because in every fraction of a second a flowing river changes from one permanent system to another permanent system. Even though the positions of each molecule of water may change from each fraction of a second to another; nevertheless, the forces that determine the positions of every molecule of water in every fraction of a second never change. For the same reasons, one may quickly change the good combinations 2+3=5 to 1+4=5 to 0+5=5. But these quick changes from one permanent system to another never changes the good combinations 2+3=5 or 1+4=5 or 0+5=5 themselves. Should one reverse a film of a flowing river and rerun it, one will find that the positions of each molecule of water in each fraction of a second will be the same as in the first run.
For example, if one should view a coin from a perpendicular angle, the coin will appear to be round. If one should change to another system by subtracting the perpendicular angle and adding a horizontal angle from which to view the coin, then the coin will appear to be elliptical. All of the elements of both combinations are real. Yet, the first combination is a good one and the second is false. The world uses round coins, not elliptical ones. For these same reasons, 2+3=5 has proven to be useful in the mind and in the world, whereas 2+3=6 has proven to be completely useless.
For example, the idea of "justice" in the mind may evoke a good combination of real ideas that results in an ideal system that always effects "justice." But as practically applied to the world, the ideal system of justice sometimes fails because the laws and the courts have become infected with false systems. For the same reasons, 2+3=5 is always true in the mind, but when applied to the world it may prove to be part of a false system because a measured 5 may prove to be too much or too little to solve a particular problem.
In summary, reality consists of the useful and permanent good combinations of the basic real elements as well as the basic real elements of false combinations. Change consists of shifts from permanent combinations to other permanent combinations, or from good combinations to false ones and vice versa, or from inventions of good or false combinations using the basic real elements. This means that everything is real, and that falsity always equals nothingness. But since our minds can recognize this good combination, then the idea of nothing must also be a basic element of reality. Reality also consists of using the good combinations that have been invented or discovered, and usefully discarding the useless and destructive false systems.
God created the world as a highly complex interconnection of good systems. But when sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, all of creation became subject to the law of entropy which is a false system even though all of its basic elements are real. However, God has invented a plan by which sin and entropy can be eliminated and He can recreate the heaven and the earth.
The basic elements of reality can be combined into good combinations or false combinations. The good combinations always effect a useful and creative purpose. The false combinations always effect a uselessness and nothingness. Nevertheless, the basic elements of all true and false combinations always remain real. The falsity of any false combination always adheres to the nothingness inherent in the combination itself and never to the basic elements which are always real.
For example, if one adds 2+3=5 in one's mind, then one has put together a true combination of real basic elements that effects a useful result, even if that useful result only reaffirms the permanence of this useful combination. If one selects two oranges from one pile of mixed fruit and puts them together in a bowl with three oranges selected from another pile of mixed fruit, then one has put together a true and practical combination of five oranges that applies to the world. The results of this combination are useful whether one intends to make ambrosia or merely to reaffirm the fact that oranges are the same kind of fruit.
On the other hand, if one miscalculates that 2+3=6 in one's mind or as misapplied to the world, then one has put together a false combination even though all of the basic elements of the false combination are real. "Two," "plus," "three" "equals" and "six" are all real basic elements but, nevertheless, the combination is false. The combination is false because it is useless. The false combination really equals nothing because it has no usefulness or meaning.
The entire history of the human race consists of a process of inventing and discovering true and useful combinations of real basic elements, and usefully discarding false combinations of real basic elements. True and useful combinations are permanent and never change, just as 2+3=5 never changes. The only changes that occur, in the mind or in the world, are from one permanent combination to another permanent combination, or from a good combination to a false one or vice versa; and also from the inventions of good or false combinations using the basic elements of reality. Such changes may happen very swiftly or very slowly.
For example, Newton's law of gravitation consists of a permanent mathematical description of a good combination. Should the sun fail to come up in the morning, then this will happen only because this good combination of basic realities has changed to a false combination of basic realities. Perhaps the sun exploded in the night, and even though "sun" is a basic reality and "explosion" is a basic reality; the combination of these effect a useless and destructive result; that is, the removal of the law of gravity as it applies to the earth and the sun and its replacement with a false combination that effects the destruction of the earth and the sun. Nevertheless, the change from the good combination to the false combination never alters the permanence of the law of gravity itself. The law of gravity itself will work the same throughout eternity so long as other basic real elements are never added or subtracted from it. For this same reason, the miscalculation that 2+3=6 never changes the true permanent combination that 2+3=5.
For example, a man may invent a machine to accomplish some desired effect, only to find that the machine does not work. He has invented a false combination of basic realities. A woman may come along and look at the machine, and help the man out by subtracting certain parts and adding other parts until she causes the machine to work and produce the desired result. The new inventor has changed the false combination into a good combination. For the same reason, a teacher may change a student's false combination of 2+3=6 into a true combination of 2+3=5 by erasing the 6 and replacing it with a 5.
For example, Heraclitus said that one can never step into the same river twice, but Cratylus said that one can never step into the same river even once. Cratylus was right because in every fraction of a second a flowing river changes from one permanent system to another permanent system. Even though the positions of each molecule of water may change from each fraction of a second to another; nevertheless, the forces that determine the positions of every molecule of water in every fraction of a second never change. For the same reasons, one may quickly change the good combinations 2+3=5 to 1+4=5 to 0+5=5. But these quick changes from one permanent system to another never changes the good combinations 2+3=5 or 1+4=5 or 0+5=5 themselves. Should one reverse a film of a flowing river and rerun it, one will find that the positions of each molecule of water in each fraction of a second will be the same as in the first run.
For example, if one should view a coin from a perpendicular angle, the coin will appear to be round. If one should change to another system by subtracting the perpendicular angle and adding a horizontal angle from which to view the coin, then the coin will appear to be elliptical. All of the elements of both combinations are real. Yet, the first combination is a good one and the second is false. The world uses round coins, not elliptical ones. For these same reasons, 2+3=5 has proven to be useful in the mind and in the world, whereas 2+3=6 has proven to be completely useless.
For example, the idea of "justice" in the mind may evoke a good combination of real ideas that results in an ideal system that always effects "justice." But as practically applied to the world, the ideal system of justice sometimes fails because the laws and the courts have become infected with false systems. For the same reasons, 2+3=5 is always true in the mind, but when applied to the world it may prove to be part of a false system because a measured 5 may prove to be too much or too little to solve a particular problem.
In summary, reality consists of the useful and permanent good combinations of the basic real elements as well as the basic real elements of false combinations. Change consists of shifts from permanent combinations to other permanent combinations, or from good combinations to false ones and vice versa, or from inventions of good or false combinations using the basic real elements. This means that everything is real, and that falsity always equals nothingness. But since our minds can recognize this good combination, then the idea of nothing must also be a basic element of reality. Reality also consists of using the good combinations that have been invented or discovered, and usefully discarding the useless and destructive false systems.
God created the world as a highly complex interconnection of good systems. But when sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, all of creation became subject to the law of entropy which is a false system even though all of its basic elements are real. However, God has invented a plan by which sin and entropy can be eliminated and He can recreate the heaven and the earth.
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