THE SCIENCE JESUS TAUGHT, TECHNOLOGY & BELIEFS

Believe in miracles? Keep reading. Don't believe that Jesus performed them, then STOP reading right now. This post may feel offensive to anyone who sees science and religion as two separate things. There is a scientific and technical side to religion as well as a spiritual side to science. Although most people separate the two they are intricately intertwined together. Everything in the universe exists in a manner that at some minuscule level impacts EVERYTHING else. Jesus introduced and represented a revolutionary scientific way of thinking, saying and doing. Some of the same results achieved by science and medicine today were reportedly demonstrated by Jesus in a day and time where superstitious, mysticism and magical beliefs were logically infused with science and religion. It's still easy to believe that the sun rotates around the earth based on simple observation. But that logic is as faulty as the theory of gravity in that day. Jesus was most likely regarded as an antagonist by the religious, scientific and government authorities of that era. The doctrine (teachings) of Jesus still threaten today's civil, technical and religious authorities and organizations. Think of all of the denominations in Christianity alone; is it not the new testament teachings of Jesus and his disciples at the core of differences and controversies? The scope of Jesus teaching were universal. Remember John 3:16 says God so loved the world - Not only the newly formed church, not just the bloodline of Israelite's, not really any one particular type or kind of people, but all people, even the most rebellious ones. It was this "scientific method" of inclusion from exclusion that could not be refuted by the rulers of that day or this one. The scientific method is an empirical method of acquiring knowledge that has characterized the development of science since at least the 17th century. Grafting together disparate genus of people, cultures and religions was unheard of. However the combination of his revolutionary theology combined with scientific and philosophical truths spoke for themselves. The wisdom of Jesus' logic could not be challenged.

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Logic whether abductive, deductive or inductive is learned/applied experimentally, instructively and intuitively. Technology is the application of scientific knowledge. How we apply logic with technology depends on multiple factors including reasoning, critical thinking, intuition, and training. Leaning towards our own understanding makes it even more difficult to get a proper perspective. The "scientific method" introduced by Jesus has spiritual attributes. It's hard enough for us to get out of our own way not withstanding the fact that we are constantly being bombarded by visually stimulating images designed to produce various feelings. The "scientific method" involves careful observation, applying rigorous skepticism about what is observed, given that cognitive assumptions can distort how one interprets the observation. Many of the things Jesus did which were considered miracles at that time might not be viewed in that way today. I'm sure the people of that time, unaware of electricity, would have been amazed by a simple flashlight. Just by higher knowledge - apart from all else - Jesus possessed superior capabilities. Knowledge is power! Jesus' scientific knowledge alone had to have been incredible! As far as which acts - and whether they were miracles or not - who's to say. But I'm sure that most of his actions seemed miraculous. In general religious people aren't science minded and scientist are not religious; but even that is changing. The gulf this creates limits our fundamental ability to explore and fully appreciate creation from a holistic perspective. Science is simply "the systematic and orderly arrangement of knowledge." To confine this definition only to the visible tangible aspects of life is to limit science itself. Science today reaches out into the galaxies and even beyond into parts of the universe we have yet to reach and can barely see.  How is it that we can identify with Star Trek and all of its twists on various forms of life visible and invisible, but can't reconcile science and spirituality in our own world. We are spiritual beings in human bodies with intellectual minds. The science of Jesus' teachings are quoted daily. Some examples are knowing a tree by the fruit it bears, turning the other cheek, loving our enemies and acting altruistically without letting our left hand know what our right hand is doing. Yes there is a method to the madness; there is a science to his sayings. To believe anything about Jesus without believing in miracles is contradictory. The miracles were a part of the ministry. They defined him, helped to establish him and were a huge part of what made him controversial.

When Jesus continued to defy the established religious, civil and scientific authorities of that day his enemies were made  into friends or at least into allies. Perhaps the enemy of an enemy is a friend. I often say that all the inhabitants of this planet will come together as soon as a common enemy from another planet threatens us all. I expect that after we repel our common enemy we'll go right back to infighting. Performing those "so-called" miracles must have caused quite an uproar in that day. How do we categorize, define or discredit a miracle? If the results are irrefutable but the source or cause can be considered questionable discredit the source or subject! Whenever we are persuaded by our biases we tend to look only for what "that perspective" shows us. Isn't this what is prevalent in today's politics. The religious leaders tried to explain it, The government had not sanctioned it and the scientific knowledge of that day could not account for it. Those miracles caused quite a stir because the evidence of them remained even after Jesus departed. Among the doctrines of that day there were three main philosophies that characterized Judaism. Just like Christianity today, disagreements in interpretation created these sects. Although the core beliefs were the same; there were the Pharisees, the Sadducee's and the Essenes. It was only the Sadducee's that did not believe in life after death or the resurrection. But when Jesus started raising DEAD PEOPLE the enemy of their enemy made them all friends. Can you imagine Jesus acting like a defibrillator and/or performing CPR! The fact is that these acts didn't occur within a few minutes after calling 911. In most instances there would be hours, days and maybe even weeks from the time someone died to the time Jesus RAISED THEM! This is why We started "this post" with a warning. There is a science of miracles, faith, and other spiritually discerned events. The miracles Jesus performed were not magical, there was and is a science behind them. Lazarus was simply one example of raising DEAD PEOPLE. Think about the finality and hopelessness of death that people experience. Imagine a rumor spreading across the internet going viral and proclaiming that the dead can be revived; not as zombies but restored to their former physical existence. If there were a sliver of truth to that rumor grieving people carrying corpses would flock to the source. Well what do we think happened back then? Most of us do believe in miracles within the limits of practicality. Perhaps the reason we rarely hear of someone truly and miraculously being raised from the dead is because just like faith being a part of fact it just doesn't make sense to us. Try practicing radical thinking while embracing the scientific method of believing that operates in faith through the invisible substance of hope. I believe that the first miracle Jesus truly performed came through the conviction of preaching. He inspired people to do the one thing he could not do for them. That was and is to change their thinking and thereby change their mind.

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