I think about weird things
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Illustration from The Upside Down World by my sister Cindy
At the very end of my book The Upside Down World – A Book of Wisdom in Progress, I have a section which I called “Quantum Christianity”. It consists of several pages of fairly random notes about a variety of subjects ranging from quantum physics to abortion. I don’t usually makes notes, but I do usually think about a variety of odd things. I like thought experiments. I like logic puzzles. I like looking for odd connections between seemingly unrelated things. My favorite item from this section of the book is this thought experiment: What if everything in existence -galaxies, quarks, people, cells in your body – experienced its lifespan as a hundred years long?
I don’t know why, but I do spend an unusual amount of time thinking about weird things. My 16 year old keeps telling me that I need to get a hobby – other than thinking. So, in the spirit of “Quantum Christianity”, here are some of the odd things that I’ve been thinking about lately:
1. Motion as a source of clean energy. I have heard of using the motion of vehicles and foot traffic to create power, but I wonder if there might be a way to capture the deep motions of the earth in order to create power. Perhaps technology from a super sensitive seismograph machine and material that amplifies motion together?
2. How the progression of technology – particularly new forms of communication – affect our understanding of God and spirituality. Until a little over 100 years ago, no one had ever heard the voice of someone who wasn’t there unless they were mystics or crazy. But now its common place. Does the experience of carrying on a relationship via telephone enhance our ability to have a real relationship with God? What about internet relationships? Some of them are very real and rely on typed words to be created. Does this make us more open to interacting with the words of scripture in a more dynamic way – since we are more familiar with the potential problems associated with communicating via written words alone?
3. The similarity between regular dysfunctions and addictions. Both can seem impervious to our attempts to change and both are forms of coping with a world that is too much for us. Both require learning new, healthier ways to cope with the stresses of life. Perhaps the reason that we hear so much about various shopping or sex or internet addictions is because the pathology of addiction is essentially the same for all forms of dysfunction. We just don’t label it addiction unless it has physical rather than relational and emotional effects.
I would love to hear about any weird things other people find themselves thinking about! More kindling to the fire. 😉
BTW, If you like the things I write here or found this story interesting or intriguing in any way, I hope you will consider purchasing a copy of my book, The Upside Down World. It’s an ecclectic collection of essays, short stories, poetry, ideas, spiritual memoir and more. In it are many of the things I have written that I personally go back to for inspiration and comfort when I need it. The book can be purchased on Amazon. I am also offering a buy-one-give-one deal on full price copies of the book ($12 plus $2 shipping) ordered directly from me. For each copy of the book purchased directly from me, I will donate a copy to Transport for Christ or Freedom Works Prison Fellowship. These are two local groups who have agreed to give copies of the book free of charge to people they minister to. If you are interested in the buy-one-give-one offer, please email me at ratrotter73@yahoo.com with “b1g1″ in the message.