Monday, August 13, 2007

Does the FUTURE cause the PRESENT?

There is a must read article in the July 30th issue of Newsweek. An online version of the article can be found here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19875410/site/newsweek/


Part of the article quotes Paul Davies in his new book Cosmic Jackpot. I plan on purchasing it soon, and given my well-known obsession with quantum physics (?), I should be through it rather quickly.

Here is the part of the article I found most interesting. When conducting an experiment with photons, researchers found that: "The act of observing alters what the photons did earlier, somehow changing things.... There are 'many histories' a photon could have...." Furthermore, phsicicst Jeff Tollaksen of George Mason University argues that "Something that happens now is affected by something that happens in the future....It suggests that the universe has a destiny--a destiny that is out there and coming back to us from the future."


Is that crazy? To me (cue warning bells of theologian attempting to understand quantum physics), it implies that not only do we exist spatially in the perfect part of the universe/galaxy to allow life to exist, but our temporal location may be equally significant. There may be things going on in the subatomic world in the future that allow this to be the perfect point in time for us to exist.


There are, of course, great spiritual metaphors to be drawn from this as well. Just as a photon's current conduct may be based upon its future, so might we say that our progressive sanctification is contingent upon our ultimate glorification. Is it possible that our future (glorification) affects our present (sanctification) as much as our past (initial salvation)?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Okay, Seriously Pastor Daniel, my brain hurts a little after reading that entry. THanks though, for the many laughs and insiteful entries!! We really enjoy both your and Whitney's blogs!
Rosie, Ryan, and the boys :)

Grammy said...

"Hmmmmm...Very Interesting" as one of the characters on Laugh-in used to say. (Probably a little before your time).
Love,
Grammy