MEASURE FOR MEASURE? OR RATHER............

"It is not sufficient to be good and do the right thing. You must have goodness stamped upon your life by the superscription of Jesus Christ. The whole secret of a Christian's character is that the supernatural has been made natural in his life, by the grace of God. The supernatural influences natural human life, not just in granting us secret communion with God; it flows out of us in the practical workings of our daily lives."

"What results do we see? When problems come, to our great astonishment, we have a power we never had before--a power that keeps us wonderfully poised in the midst of it all. And this is because of the supernatural grace of God, working within us and flowing out of us." (think Flo)---From Oswald Chambers

There are many, many things in creation and in human life that defy logical and mathematical analysis. For Miss O'Connor, it was the peacock. For Dr. Kurt Wise, the Harvard-trained paleontologist, it is the trilobite's eye. Yet here they are/were. And although many "Stoics and Epicureans" have their "theories of Everything," none of them are verifiable or even testable; because they are based at least on a single leap of faith, i.e. God is not. Further, that our 5 senses and 3 lb. human brain can assess everything that is relevant to life, "lacking nothing."

It is worthy of note that, if supernatural creation/sustenation is so shaky, why do 40% of scientists still believe in God? Which is the same result obtained in the same study of scientists' opinions studied 100 years ago, and recently repeated. That study was designed to show that belief in God would, as Voltaire predicted, disappear with scientific advances. And that's just the scientists, not counting people like Mortimer Adler, T.S Eliot, and even Norman Mailer and Kurt Vonnegut (while not giving up on their overweening egos and desires to shock and annoy)

If anything, research per se has discovered even more problematical entities, as Einstein implied would happen.

The latest issue of Discover magazine is devoted to things we cannot see or grasp. The most revealing article is the one entitled, "The Streetlight Effect"; which is based on the old joke about the kop on the beat seeing a drunk on his hands and knees under a streetlamp, looking around desperately at the sidewalk."I'm looking for my wallet, offisha!"
"Where did you lose it?" "In the alley over dere." "Why are you looking over here, then?"

"Because the light's so much better over here."

Unpack that!

The author refers mainly to medical research,which we know to be increasingly flawed many times over. But he largely leaves out what we used to call "basic science," as somehow purer and more trustworthy. But to the individual or team looking for either a billion dollar patent, or the others seeking other-esteem or lasting fame, there is little difference to the human psyche. Moreover, the rule still is, "publish or perish," is it not? (By the way, the real way to make yourself famous now is by debunking the work of others-- and it's so much easier than either basic or original research!!!--and fits so well with our Zeitgeist!!!)

The TNY quote I mentioned would fit well here, but time is running out. For the basics I can refer you to Paul's discourse at the Areopagus. There were two reponses:"We want to hear more."; and ridicule. This is the same rather limited variety of responses we see today from those who consider themselves authorities. I always find it interesting that the responses I have observed run a short gamut from studied indifference to ridicule and innuendo esp guilt by association, and from thence very quickly to fiery rage. It is up to the Christian to respond as Paul responded, as Oswald Chambers notes above, and not respond, "measure for measure."