The Trinity of Argument

By GJ Gillespie

We see in my other essay that the Toulmin Model of Inductive Arguments might be compared to the Christian trinity in that Reasoning is like the Son, Evidence is like the Father and the Claim is like the Holy Spirit.

Here I speculate that three basic types of arguments may also be analogous to the trinity.

First consider the three types of arguments: Arguments by rational analysis, arguments by credible authority and arguments by emotional narrative.

Incorporating all three elements of the triad is necessary to form the strongest possible argument case. Yet at the same time, each element possesses unique persuasive force that stands alone. There is unity in diversity in pure eloquence. When we look closely at the nature of each facet we find a correspondence with the three persons of the Christian trinity, shedding new light on the nature of effective rhetoric.

1. Arguments by analysis or sequential thinking may be associated with the divine Logos, the Word of God or the Son of God.

Analytical arguments require information processing on the left side of the brain.

There are two kinds of analytical arguments. The first are arguments by definition or genus (based on reasoning from generalization).

"All arguments made through genus are arguments based on the nature of the thing which is said to constitute the genus," according to rhetorician Richard Weaver who placed this form at the top of his hierarchy for ethical debate. (Weaver, Richard, The Ethics of Rhetoric. Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1953. 56).

Here the speaker appeals to rational principles or values which if accepted lead to conclusions.

"All men are created equal," or "Democratic forms of government are best".  We know that slavery is wrong because all men are created equal. We oppose dictatorships because democratic systems are ideal.

Appealing to powerful principles in proving a point is known as deductive reasoning. The debaters draws conclusions based on larger premises already accepted by the audience.  Utilizing deductive reasoning is like a ship captain looking to the North Star to guide a sea voyage.

A debater also uses left-brain thinking in making a second form of argument based on seeing cause-effect relationships.

"Since oil fracking pollutes ground water it should be banned." "We should reduce the size of government since lower taxes and fewer regulation spurs economic growth."

When an effect is attributed to a cause the mind begins with particular information that lead to a conclusion sequentially.

Argument from cause flows like an electrical current in an electronic device. Like cause-effect reasoning the persuasive power flows from a generating source to a destination which illuminates the light bulb.

Cause effect arguments are based on inductive reasoning -- when a speaker begins with diverse data or evidences which taken together make sense in the conclusion. The components of these arguments are particle-like -- the bits are fit together to form a coherent whole.

2.  Argument by Authority may be associated with God the Father.

These are arguments which rely on the strength of a trusted external source. Weaver offered the maxim "an argument based on authority is as good as the authority."

(Johannesen, Richard L., Rennard Strickland, & Ralph T. Eubanks, Eds. Language Is Sermonic: Richard M. Weaver on the Nature of Rhetoric. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1970. 216.) 
     

And I Think to Myself by GJ Gillespie. 

We do not accept the proof because we "think it through" ourselves. Rather we are persuaded by a conclusions of a credible outside source who we trust.

Ethos or ethical appeal--as defined by Aristotle --is probably the most powerful form of persuasion. When an audience respects the source of the information the conclusion advanced is usually accepted. We will be move moved to accept the position of an expert in a field with advanced degrees more readily than the opinions of a child or criminal. 

Expertise is a test of evidence. We ask, does the source have the qualification to make this claim? Can we trust this source? Highly credible authorities are difficult to dismiss since we are drawn by the persuasive force of their reputation and experience. Like smaller celestial objects attracted to the gravitational pull of a more massive object such as a planet, star or black hole, we are pulled in by the gravity of a expert's views.

When we take the whole universe into account, we see that only some objects possess a gravitational field. Most objects, such as a small asteroid or a single person, have a very weak gravitational attraction. In the same way, in the universe of a controversy only some sources have strong attraction. A speaker or writer will seek to discover which sources out of thousands have the rhetorical mass necessary to pull listeners into persuasive orbit.

In this way, referring to authority is as natural as gravity. It keeps our feet on the ground. By taking on the mind set of an authority the tentative thinking of listeners is brought into focus. Learning from authorities is essential for human interaction. Children learn from parents, students from teachers, novices from mentors and we all are influenced by opinion leaders in our social sphere. Humans are necessarily social creatures who, like our ancestors ten thousand years ago, look to tribal leaders for guidance.

The wholly other God the Father is the most powerful authority imaginable. In the old testament we see that God issues the ten commandments to Moses. The ancient Hebrew community accepted the commandments because of the authority that issued them. Sacred scriptures of various religions -- as well as founding legal documents of a nation such as the Declaration of Independence or the US Constitution -- are accepted on the basis of authority.

3.  Arguments by Narrative may be associated with the Holy Spirit.

Telling a story which encapsulates your argument is persuasive since it appeals to emotional meaning that is processed on the right side of the brain. We are captivated by vivid stories or analogies that clarify an abstraction in our mind. Here the speaker appeals to the intuition or "heart knowledge" of the audience. It is the Pathos of Aristotle's classical proof.

Rather than sequential, bit by bit reasoning of cognitive analysis, intuitive thinking is "all at once" insight that comes from deep places of human unconsciousness.

Blooms cognitive domain is well known. But, he also referred to the affective domain of emotional meaning. Some people have high IQs, or intelligence, others have high EQs, or what is called emotional intelligence.

Weaver categorizes emotional arguments as those that appeal to similitude, analogy or metaphor. Poetic forms of expression often can say more than the propositions of rational thought since right brain holistic information processing permits "pattern recognition".  This is the creative side of human consciousness.

It is said that all language is metaphorical. New words are generated on the right, emotional side of the brain where similarities between diverse objects and experiences are perceived.

"My love is a red, red rose" is a metaphor that compares a plant to a person. Rationally such a comparison may be groundless, but emotionally the poetic image is appealing.

While rational proof and the proclamations of authority is "particle-like" when bits of data are added up to form a whole, narrative arguments are "wave-like" or "fuzzy". Waves of emotion carry the listener to the conclusion. We believe because of the gut level, all at once pattern recognition of emotional intuition.

Story telling is the most effective way to stir emotional in an audience. An inspiring narrative may make the point better than any argument from reasoning or authority alone. 

After hearing a vivid, emotional story our consciousness is transformed on a deep level. Like the revelation of the Holy Spirit, intuitive arguments provide insight that we know is true. We are convicted or enlightened.

The intuitive, emotional pathway to knowing leads us to valid conclusions unattainable by the digital, left sided thinking of reasoning.

Electric pianos have two master keys. One switch is labeled digital and the other analogical. When the digital mode is on, the piano sounds like a traditional piano. When the analogical switch is on, the music may sound like a drum, guitar or violin.

The difference between digital and analogical information is like the difference between music played on a CD and a vinal record. Some music lovers prefer vinal records because the life-like imperfections remind them of a live performance. The perfectly clear CD technology eliminates the random imperfections of authentic human experience.

In the same way, arguments by narrative express analogical meaning that permits a speaker to slip past the rational defenses of the audience and get to the heart of an issue.

Traditional formulations of the trinity assert that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son. Applied to our model this could be taken to mean that effective emotional arguments must follow careful reasoning that is also consistent with trustworthy authority. In this way, creative thinking expressed as narratives, metaphor or analogies must proceed from established reasoning and authority.

Moreover, we could consider that creative insight that produces works of poetry, music or art usually come after our rational analysis or effort is exhausted. We may think about a problem or work of art rationally and turn to the mentoring of some authority for instruction in our chosen field, but our own unique heartfelt discovery of truth usually comes afterwards. In this way, creative emotional expression proceeds from reasoning and from authority. A good story will be primarily grounded in reasoning as well as used by authorities.  

Overall, all three types of interconnected arguments will be present in the most persuasive cases. For example, the persuader will present some rational arguments, perhaps citing statistics, or show that advantages of a proposal outweigh the disadvantages. The speaker will refer to the positions of authorities respected by the audience. Finally he or she will tell stories, provide analogies or make creative metaphors or employ poetic figures of speech. Taken together this triad of proof make up the essence of eloquence.

GJ Gillespie

Triune Inductive Proof Matrix

By GJ Gillespie

There are three basic parts of an inductive argument: A claim is supported by evidence and reasoning. In other words, Evidence (data, supporting facts and opinions) plus Reasoning (the warrant, analysis, rational link, explanation) equals Claim (thesis, conclusion). (Toulmin model)

All three must be present and operating with equal weight in supporting relationship for an argument to be probable or strong. Each part must be equally valid.

•  A speaker will make observation of the evidence, then using his or her reasoning powers will advance a claim. The reasoning process leading to a conclusion is called Proof.
• Going from data directly to conclusion is intuition-like Inference. Or, evidence may lead directly to the claim--with the reasoning inferred–similar to an enthymeme.
• A firm conclusion requires both the heart felt conviction of truth and the process of rational analysis to confirm that the conclusion is possible, plausible and probable.

Analogy to the Trinity

Perhaps these three elements in an inductive argument are analogous to the divine persons of the Christian trinity? The trinity is conceived as the three divine persons existing as one God, equal in substance but distinct in their relationship to each other. The Orthodox formulation maintains that the Son proceeds from the Father and the Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son.

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness of me,” John 15: 26. Earlier in this chapter Jesus says that the Father sends him.

This triune interaction is the only possible way to distinguish between three equal points in a space without any other reference. The pattern forms a unique and irreducible relationship between the three. By unique I mean that there is no other combination of relationships between three equal points that are possible to indicate that each point is distinct. By irreducible I mean that all three elements must be present for each to remain recognizable. The relational structure permits unity within diversity. The same qualities of coherence seem to apply to a strong argument.

Analogy and its Implications

We may consider that the Claim is like the Holy Spirit, Reasoning is like God the Son, and Evidence is like God the Father.

• Claim is the Spirit (Revealer of truth, Spirit of Truth, liberator for action, life giving power, the essence). Notice that the Claim proceeds from Reasoning and from Evidence exactly parallel to the doctrine of the trinity in which the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.
• Reasoning is the Son (Logos, the Word, making known the Father, making the mysteries of life and cosmos understandable, like light in darkness).
• Evidence is the Father (Source of meaning, originator of truth, Ground of Being, Creator of diverse array of data in the cosmos, mysterious wholly other.)
• When the claim is inferred without reasoning, the process is analogous to natural revelation. “The law written on the heart.” (Romans chapter one.)

It is possible to come to the claim without evidence and rely only on reasoning. This is analogous to divine revelation. (The Bible, Word of the prophets.)

Ideally, both evidence and reasoning are equally employed in proving the claim. Evidence backed up by reasoning forms a line of thinking that is stronger in proving inductive arguments.
All three elements will usually have equal weight for the argument to be persuasive.

Fallacies as Heresies

Fallacies in argument may be analogous to theological heresies that fail to accept all three persons of the trinity, stressing one over the others.

• Monism that sees God as one only is like accepting a claim without any evidence or reasoning, failing to rationally account for the diversity of evidence.
• “Jesus only” is like refusing to provide evidence to support a reasoned understanding of a claim or equivocal reasoning for a vague claim.
• Polytheism or nature worship is denying importance of reasoning. It is having an irrational leap of faith in your beliefs, ignoring contradictions, going from one bit of evidence to the next without credible analysis.

More similarities between inductive proof and trinity

Using our reasoning ability to draw conclusions about truth from our experiences in the world is what makes human communication distinctive. Each of the three elements implies the others, exactly like the theological formulation of the trinity: beginning with the claim we can naturally infer both the evidence and reasoning, beginning with reasoning we can infer the evidence.

Evidence by itself without any rational explanation or linked to a specific claim may not inherently imply anything. But a piece of evidence does seem to call for analysis and some conclusion about it. A poll showing that 52 percent of respondents favor one candidate for president (evidence) taken by it self does not imply any conclusion necessarily. But, such a statistic might suggest in the mind of a reader reasoning and a conclusion. The statistic might imply the generalization that in a democratic society the will of the majority should rule. A natural conclusion might be the candidate favored by the larger poll number will win the election.

In the same way theologically, “I am in the Father, and the Father in me,” (John 14:11) and “I and the Father are one,” (John 10:30) are scriptures that show that Christ and the Father are equal and intimately related, just as reasoning and evidence merge in rational thought. In the natural world, the existence of a son implies the existence of a father. A father implies a son (or at least a child.)

The Holy Spirit may be thought of as the single unifying purpose or essence of the Father and the Son. The Spirit makes the Father known to worshipers. Through the Spirit the presence of Jesus is experienced. Just as evidence and reasoning lead to a single claim of truth, so the Father and the Son send the Spirit of Truth into the world.

A claim founded upon compelling evidence and reasoning is a powerful motivator for action. “Your house is on fire!”(evidence). People who remain in a burning house usually die (reasoning). “Get out of the house now!” (claim) The power of the argument comes in the claim. The Spirit of God is his power in the world. The Spirit “convicts of sin,” or motivates action, just like a well argued policy claim calls for action.

The single sentence of the claim is “short hand” or embodies both the evidence and the reasoning without having to re-state either. When a neighbor in your back yard is yelling, “get out of the house!” he or she may not need to explain the reasoning or evidence for the claim. The claim by itself implies both. In this example at least, the support is “present” in the claim without being directly stated. In the same way, the Father and the Son are present in the Spirit.

The work of the Spirit functions as “short hand” for -- or represents -- the Father and the Son, signaling the central purpose of each of the other persons of the trinity in the world. It is through the Spirit that we know the Father and the Son. The Spirit reveals the Father and the Son, just as a valid claim will imply its backing in evidence and reasoning.

This triune inductive argument matrix, therefore, suggests that the Spirit may be thought of as God’s thesis statement for humanity. Just as a thesis summarizes the entire content of an article, the Spirit reveals the heart of God. The matrix also reminds us that the process of thinking inductively -- beginning with evidence, moving to reasoning and leading to a conclusion -- must be coherent in forming a single unity called an argument.

Next: The Trinity of Argument

Dandelion Wine

by G J Gillespie

Finding destination
Surging through our breast
Hurtling with watchfulness
Past lights of blur
Fleeting signs manifest
In the rushing blackness
Feeble progression

Stop now for a drink
Sleeping off the dreams
Boundless desires
Loom like candy cotton
Ready for a fix
Stations of refuge
Fill us with elixir

The gods know satiation
And angels dance on pins
Dandelions blow parachutes
Into our field of view
Showing ghostly attributes
Until weeds crowd out our breath
And the final sip is due

 

 

 

 

A Quantum Mechanical Explanation for the Problem of Divine - Human Interaction

by Gary Gillespie

Time Binding -- our ability to think about the past and imagine the future -- is evidence for the transcendent powers of the mind. If the human consciousness is above the physical, material universe, it implies that a transcendent reality (God) exists. Consciousness demonstrates thought abilities above the arrow of time, which is inconsistent with physical properties of the brain. In other words, nothing in the material universe that we know of is above or outside of the arrow of time. We do not observe effects before causes or see events suddenly flashing back or forward. But, our intuitions and imagination does this all of the time, suggesting that human consciousness is on a higher level than the physical universe.

The non-local like properties of the imagination could be a wedge for solving the problem of how a transcendent God interacts with humans.

Literature can be taken as an analogue for our world. How do author and characters communicate with each other? Usually the characters are not aware that they are in a story, that they are artifacts of a larger created reality. However, sometimes the characters "take over" a story and suggest the direction of the story line when the author permits this interference. We might call the influence a literary character exerts over the formation of a story "character intentionality".

Most authors welcome character intentionality since it indicates that the reality of the story has reached an authentic depth and richness. Dorthy Sayers is an exception -- she resisted letting characters influence her story.

With character intentionality, rarely does the character speak a string of words to the author. Instead the author "just knows" what the character wants to do, as if they are forcing him or her to turn the plot in a specific way. It is possible to imagine a story in which an extraordinary character has grasped the reality that he is a character in the author's mind. This character may specifically make requests of the author. With some exceptions, the author is not an element of the character's universe. Yes, communication is possible in the author's mind.

Our prayers asking for our God's influence in our world is possible in the same way that character intentionality might influence a story's author to make changes in the plot. Like a good author who seeks to fully understand his stories' setting, God is totally aware of every aspect of our universe, down to the subatomic level.

But, God's consciousness of the physical world is not a property of the physical world, like electrical impulses in neural correlates of thought. God's (That is Christ's) thoughts about our universe are above and outside of the arrow of time and space. The means of communication between the author and the characters takes a different form than normal communication between characters. The communication is more like a non-local all at once telepathy. It is a mental activity that is unbounded by the timeline of the story.

When I am writing a story I imagine a scene that follows a time line. The author puts him or herself into the story's universe to imagine the direction of the plot. Sometimes characters interact with the mind of the author, influencing the direction the story will take. Christ is the author of our universe and we may interact with him when his consciousness and ours overlaps. Prayer is permitting the cosmic storyteller's consciousness to enter our own.

By knowing something of the mind of Christ, our next steps in the story line are made clearer. "God, should I take that job? Marry that person?" Prayer is like a dialogue with another person to the extent that words in sentences are often used, but in this case the person we are communicating with is the author of the universe who knows the beginning from the end. Prayer is entering the mind of God (that is Christ as the Cosmic Logos, Divine Mediator and Creator, see Colossians 1: 15 - 20 ).

The God we pray to is an all knowing point that fills every point in our world just like an author's consciousness fills every point of the imagined story since it is a construct of his mind. When characters in a story communicate with each other, they rely on the resources and properties of the universe in which they inhabit. The language, information and cultural meanings that characters share are the ground for shared understanding that is direct and has consequences. But, when a character wants to communicate with the author, he or she must enter into the perspective of the author who is present at every point in the character's universe, but also transcends it, living in the author's universe above. This character-author interaction is necessarily remote and requires the grace of the author to listen and if he or she chooses grant the request.

Communication between author and character-- like prayer -- implies that consciousness is not a linear, bio-chemical impulse exchange in the brain, but is a transcendent property that permits a persona to become unbounded by the timeline of his or her world and think outside of physical constraints of time and space. Instead, consciousness is revealed in the neural correlates, just as words on paper provides evidence of an author's thoughts.

God-in-Christ's observation of phenomena influences the properties just as measurement of objects influence and change them. The communication between God and humans is the result of this influence. (See Wheeler).

So, prayer is more like quantum entanglement (action at a distance) or the effects of measurement on objects that collapse superpositions in a quantum field. (Not that it is the same thing, but is like it). Measuring an electron collapses its position, forever forcing it to assume a single path or form. God's observation of our prayers changes our reality without changing neural electrical interactions directly.

God is the actor and we are the created artifacts. God's grace permits changes in our timeline as a result of our prayers in some cases.

Therefore, we can understand prayer in the same way that we think of a literary character communicating with an author. We do not expect that this communication between character and author will follow the same linear manner or use the same code of linguistic processes as the communication that occurs between characters in a story and in fact we will expect that the substance of such interaction is quite different.

This difference between the mind of a character and the mind of author is much like difference between the macro scale physical world we live in and subatomic quantum mechanics in which time and space break down. That is, the characters -- like us -- live in a universe that is coherent and follows a shared timeline and cultural space. God, like an author of a story filled with conscious personae, is both in the universe at every point and transcends that universe at the same time by inhabiting another, unseen, but superior world above which is necessarily unbounded by the constraints of normal time and space.

In summary, since consciousness structures physical reality it must supersede it.

Time Out of Mind by GJ Gillespie.

Consciousness Generation in Persons, Literary Characters and Robotics

Shelter from the Storm by GJ Gillespie

An a Inkling By GJ Gillespie

Quantum physics gives us a quite different picture of reality than we might expect. In our daily life, we do not see physical objects popping in and out of existence.

It has been observed that when two bars of metal polished extremely flat are placed near each other in a vacuum they will behave in strange ways. Not only do the two bars move closer to each other, but it can yield the production of photonic energy from nothing.

Virtual particles are said to pop in and out of existence from a pervasive super position in the microscopic quantum realm.

For the first time, we know that technology manipulated by conscious agents can create energy from nothing. Creation ex Nihilo has previously been limited to an act of God.

The physicist say that matter could also be created if there was enough energy applied to the process.

I wonder if generating something from nothing with this two facing mirrors process might be analogous to the self reflection necessary for the emergence of consciousness?

When a mind has been programed by the inter-subjectivity of a social system, learning language, norms and values from a culture there comes a point of maturation when a child begins to see him or her self as an object in the world. Perceiving the self as an object permits identity to emerge as the person chooses to integrate social norms and values into his or her interactions with others. The person can compare him or her self to role models in the social system and tact back and forth in forming an interdependent self.

Moreover, the socially conscious part of the self is now able to reflect upon the physiological, autonomic aspects of the self guiding urges with mindfulness. The mature self is able to control the automatic impulses that would otherwise motivate behavior in ways that are socially unacceptable.  Self reflection -- observing the self as an object in the world -- permits a person to change behavior consistent to an identity.

This mental interaction that occurs when a person is self aware is what George Herbert Mead calls the I and the ME dialogue. A person faced with an urge to act in an animal-like, unthinking way to satisfy some need may moderate the urge by talking back to it until it yields to the socially acceptable self image.

This mirroring effect is the basis for moral and ethical behavior as the maturing person compares potential actions with the socially conscious aspect of the self.

Something new is generated in the physical realm of time and space by the symbolic interactions in the mind of a person who is self reflecting.

Or perhaps it would be more correct to say that the consciousness of the person is revealed by the mental interactions? That is it existed before in virtual form and and is made real in time and space by the self reflection process -- exactly like the experiment with the polished bars.

In this sense the developing human brain crafted by social and cultural linguistic forces becomes a consciousness-generating machine, revealing the presence of a soul ex Nihilo that stands above and outside the physical universe.


If something new is generated by symbolic processes in the brain of a self reflecting person, it may be possible to mimic this process in the literary personae of creative writing. The author generates a literary self that has the appearance of reality because it  follows the same processes that lead to the emergence of consciousness in physical humans. If a literary person has a near-real or a soul like consciousness, the same could be possible for virtual persons in video game like universes or in robots.
_________________

I am surprised by the number of viewers who are reading this blog post. 

Some of these ideas are more fully explained in another article that goes into more detail and is documented. See: Gillespie, Gary Pinocchio Shrugged: Character Intentionality as Artificial Intelligence — the Suspension of Disbelief in Robots as Persons. A version presented at the Faith in the Humanities Conference, Kirkland, Spring 2009.

Giant Sloth Invades NU

By GJ Gillespie

Kirkland authorities report that a large, slow moving South American marsupial known for hanging out all night foraging for food has recently been sighted on campus. This seemingly harmless beast should be approached with caution.

If bitten students may experience lethargy, shortness of breath when walking to chapel, inability to concentrate, disruption of social life, lack of self-esteem, depression and a progressive difficulty with waist management that can last for decades.

While dangling from trees constantly munching snacks, barely moving its body more than inches at a time, may be natural for the nocturnal three-toed sloth, such behavior for the college student can lead to life long health problems.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics 65% of Americans 18 years and older are overweight and 30% are obese. Being overweight is associated with diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and heart attacks and causes 300,000 deaths a year.

Scarier for college students is that a lack of exercise and poor eating habits slow the brains ability to process information.  That means that letting your self get out of shape devastates academic performance. 

You may think that a pattern of sleeping in, attending classes and club meetings all afternoon without taking time to workout or eat regular meals, then staying up until 3 AM cramming course material– along with bags of Doritos– and downing massive quantities of coke or coffee is the ideal study method. It isn't.

Saint Thomas Aquinas said that the antidote to the deadly sin of slothfulness is the virtue of diligence.

So this semester fight off your inner sloth. College is a time to expand your mind, not your pant size. You may be exposed to unlimited delicacies in the cafeteria all day long and your schedule is tight. But, with some planning you can eat right and choose to exercise daily. In the next 12 weeks make your goal to get into the best shape of your life.



My Sloth Defense Tips:
*Eat five small meals each day. Ive found that it is easy to add two more meals by fixing a protein shake at 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM. Satisfied by the shake, I am less likely to overeat at lunch or dinner.

*Eat breakfast. Eggbeaters and oatmeal is my choice.

*Drink a gallon of water a day. Simple when I space out four quart sized bottles.

*Run or walk. Move your body. A lap around the field near my home or walking down town with and back with my wife is a great workout.

*Go to the gym and learn how to transform your body by resistance training.  I do six times a week and love it.

*Be sure to sleep 7.5 to 8 hours each night. Lack of rest is associated with weight gain.

*Eat small portions. Try a fist sized amount of protein and an equal amount of carbs every meal. No seconds. I eat all the veggies that I want. Once my stomach shrank, I never feel hungry.

*Limit desserts to once a week.

*Keep a food journal. I do that whenever the scales are up. Works every time.

Check out the inspiration and easy instruction of the Body for Life program as taught by fitness expert Bill Phillips. 

When Worlds Collide

by Gary Gillespie

Today's text: Romans 6:3-4;8  

Pinball Wizard by GJ Gillespie.

Imagine the world’s last night. The sun goes down without hope of it coming up again. That is a scene in the 1951 film “When Worlds Collide” – a classic sci-fi that my wife Teresa and I recently enjoyed. Steven Spielberg is planning to make a new version.

In the story astronomers discover that a rogue red star named Bellus and its Earth-sized planet companion, Zyra, are on a collision course with the earth. Zyra will pass close to the earth then begin orbiting the sun. But, eight months later Bellus will hit and destroy the earth.

Humanity’s survival depends on Dr. Cole Hendron, a heroic rocket scientist, who hurriedly builds a space ship to ferry forty people, picked by lot, to the new world -- which they hope will support life.

A subplot involves David Randall, a flyboy pilot, who falls in love with the scientist’s lovely daughter Joyce. When the days on the calendar finally count down to zero, David and Joyce embrace to witness earth’s final sunset.

For the disciples Good Friday looked like the world’s last night. Their Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had been executed. On Saturday they entered a state of shock and grief. All their hopes that they had found the long awaited messiah were crushed. They scattered in fear.

In a sense, for us every day is like the Saturday after Good Friday and before Easter because we live in a broken world of disappointment and travail.

“For we know that all creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time.” Romans 8: 22.

Although we may anticipate a future daybreak when we might see face-to-face, in this mortal life we see only dimly. The truth is we are all marked by an expiration date. One of the characteristics that separate humans from animals is that we can contemplate our own death. The day will come when we will watch “The End” appear before the credits roll on the screen of our life.

My wife and I live in a wooded neighborhood in Kirkland near the university. Recently our neighbor next door to the north revealed to me that a woman in his Bible study complained of a headache at home one evening and died of an aneurism five minutes later. The young couple next door to the south also experienced a sudden tragedy when both of the husband’s parents were killed in a car crash while traveling to Harrison Hot Springs. His dad had just helped him build a new fence the week before.

We may be reminded of death constantly in this world, but like a baby bird without feathers, one glad morning we hope to fly away. That is why we Christians put our trust in Jesus. By assuming a radical identification with Christ's death, burial and resurrection we are saved. As Paul says:
“Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death … Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” Romans 6:3-4, 8.

The Greek word for baptism is to submerge, immerse, plunge or wash. One commentator says that the word suggests a sunken ship, swamped and waterlogged, sent to rest on the ocean floor. “A sunken wooden ship is a baptized ship.” Baptism signifies that our sinful nature has been permeated by the living water of the Holy Spirit and sunk to the bottom of the sea of God’s forgetfulness.

Now like an unborn child churning to breath amniotic fluid and weakly kick, or an insomniac in bed staring at the electric clock that seems to endlessly read “02:00 AM,” we wait for our deliverance.

Last year Odyssey Marine Exploration, a wreckage salvage company, discovered the largest lost treasure in history when robotic submarines excavated the sunken Merchant Royal, which went down in a storm off the coast of England three hundred and forty years ago. The load of silver and gold coins recovered from the shipwreck is worth an estimated 500 million dollars.

Our baptism into Christ is like recovered sunken treasure. While the first part of baptism is submersion, the second is resurfacing into new life. We are reborn from death into eternal life. We've hit the jackpot.

In Jesus Christ God became a man to exchange his divine glory to purchase our redemption. Like a Special Forces Team rescuing hostages, when Christ died he descended into Hades for our benefit to save those held captive and bring them back alive.

In a museum in Stockholm, Sweden a 371 year-old ship recovered form the ocean floor is on display. The Vasa was a war ship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. It sits preserved in a special humidified room.  Years ago I was close enough to touch the water soaked planks of that vessel.

We believe that when our Saturday turns to Sunday, God will perform his own salvage operation. He will go treasure hunting. One day the ship of our life will be raised from the ocean of death, rebuilt better than before, and set to sail on a new sea in a new world. That is the hope we celebrate on Easter.


Prayer: Lord Jesus, you went before us to show us the way. Rescue us from this world of sin and brokenness. Let us live and believe in you so that we may never die.

Enter by the Gate by GJ Gillespie.