Earthquake in Haiti
Some Thoughts
Mirza A. Beg
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Earthquake in Haiti
Tens of thousands dead
Perished without warning
Silencing thoughts and feeling
Mourned by dazed family and friends
Another human calamity
As in disasters before
Earthquakes and Tsunamis
Volcanoes and typhoons
In times and places before
A wrath of God, fury of nature
Or simply an occurrence
Powerful and amazing
As Galaxies colliding
Indifferent to humanity
An event predetermined in time
Propelled by the laws of nature
With no malice or blame
Ants crushed by a bulldozer
Insects under passing feet
Geologic plates moving, colliding
Directions determined eons ago
By forces of cosmic creation
Unconcerned by our feelings
Humbling the arrogant humanity
Inadvertently the Nature tests
Our own nature and values
Some condemn the victims
For inviting the wrath of God
Some don’t even notice and go on
But many find morality in piety
Helping the injured and destitute
Giving meaning to our lives
Compassion for fellow beings
Scripts the nobility of being
Mirza A. Beg can be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com or http://mirzasmusings.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Eid & Moon Sighting 07-10-12
The joy of Eid and the Problems of Moon Sighting
Mirza A. Beg
Friday, October 12, 2007
Indian Muslims, info news. October 13, 2007 http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/oct/13/joy_eid_and_problems_moon_sighting.html
My News.In, Tuesday, October 17, 2007
http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=926
Eid ka Chand (The crescent moon of Eid)) evokes precious childhood memories. We used to gather at our Grandfather's sprawling patriarchal house on Eid. The uncertainty of moon sighting on the 29 th day of the lunar month gave a special urgency to the evening. The excitement of gazing into the sky not dark enough to make the moon sighting easy was exhilarating. As soon as it was sighted the faces became radiant with joy. Children got new outfits and some cash from all the elders in the extended large family, to spend the following Eid morning. We sweet-talked them to give more.
The next morning, Eid prayers were held at a large open courtyard like Mosque called Eidgah. By the time I was 10 years old, I was in charge of the younger siblings and cousins. After the Eid prayers, under the watchful eyes of elders, we gave alms to the supplicants lined out side the Eidgah gates. Then came the fun part, I supervised the buying of toys from the street vendors lined outside Eidgah. The girls usually bought dolls the boys invariably gravitated towards the horns and drums. The house was a pandemonium for couple of hours, a bunch of excited children running around with un-orchestral noises, while a stream of guests arrived to meet and greet, and partake of special Eid sweet dishes. The saving grace for the adults was that most of the cheap noisemakers were broken in couple of hours. That was the uncontroversial side, at least in those days.
In busy modern life when people travel long distances to be home for Eid, the uncertainty of the traditional moon sighting at times causes chaos. I remember one year my father missed Eid altogether. At Fatehpur, the town where he was posted, it was declared that the Eid will be the next day, so he took the night train to Jaunpur to join us at our grandfathers house, where the Eid was celebrated the previous day.
As a young enthusiastic scientist, when I knew a lot more than I know now, or so I thought, I was a vociferous advocate of well established astronomically calculated date for the Lunar months, especially the sighting of the new moon of Eid. Arguing how easy and scientific it was, and all the advantages that accrue from it. Of course it can be done with great demonstrated accuracy, but a vast majority of traditionalists does not agree. They insist of doing it, the way it has always been done. Though in the Islamic countries they do send airplanes above the clouds to check on the moon, a modern facility, not available in the real old days.
It took a few gray hairs to realize that social traditions have a dynamics of their own. Reasoned, they almost never are! Reason only gets in the way of feelings. I have accepted it as a quaint tradition. I did not throw in the towel in the sense of the phrase that "if you can't lick em join em". I realized that people feel very strongly about traditions. So unless the traditions are doing a great harm, let them be, and chalk it to the freedom of belief and choice. That is what brings color to the cultures; things are because they are. Let people have their say and celebrate Eid on whatever day and be grown up enough to tolerate others feelings. Or perhaps have it both days, the more the merrier.
We had Eid on Friday. Prayers in the morning, and a family Eid feast this evening. I am inviting different sets of friends for the next two days. In the US we tend to go for convenience and celebrate many things on the weekends. To achieve long weekends, congress had passed a law of Monday holidays where many of the holidays related to birthdays such as Presidents day, Martin Luther King's birthday and some others are celebrated on Mondays closest to the real day, in order to have a three-day weekend. I some times jest that this year the Good Friday is on Monday. Warm regards and Eid Mubarak (greetings) to all.
Mirza A. Beg can be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com, or mirsasmusings.blogspot.com
Mirza A. Beg
Friday, October 12, 2007
Indian Muslims, info news. October 13, 2007 http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/oct/13/joy_eid_and_problems_moon_sighting.html
My News.In, Tuesday, October 17, 2007
http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=926
Eid ka Chand (The crescent moon of Eid)) evokes precious childhood memories. We used to gather at our Grandfather's sprawling patriarchal house on Eid. The uncertainty of moon sighting on the 29 th day of the lunar month gave a special urgency to the evening. The excitement of gazing into the sky not dark enough to make the moon sighting easy was exhilarating. As soon as it was sighted the faces became radiant with joy. Children got new outfits and some cash from all the elders in the extended large family, to spend the following Eid morning. We sweet-talked them to give more.
The next morning, Eid prayers were held at a large open courtyard like Mosque called Eidgah. By the time I was 10 years old, I was in charge of the younger siblings and cousins. After the Eid prayers, under the watchful eyes of elders, we gave alms to the supplicants lined out side the Eidgah gates. Then came the fun part, I supervised the buying of toys from the street vendors lined outside Eidgah. The girls usually bought dolls the boys invariably gravitated towards the horns and drums. The house was a pandemonium for couple of hours, a bunch of excited children running around with un-orchestral noises, while a stream of guests arrived to meet and greet, and partake of special Eid sweet dishes. The saving grace for the adults was that most of the cheap noisemakers were broken in couple of hours. That was the uncontroversial side, at least in those days.
In busy modern life when people travel long distances to be home for Eid, the uncertainty of the traditional moon sighting at times causes chaos. I remember one year my father missed Eid altogether. At Fatehpur, the town where he was posted, it was declared that the Eid will be the next day, so he took the night train to Jaunpur to join us at our grandfathers house, where the Eid was celebrated the previous day.
As a young enthusiastic scientist, when I knew a lot more than I know now, or so I thought, I was a vociferous advocate of well established astronomically calculated date for the Lunar months, especially the sighting of the new moon of Eid. Arguing how easy and scientific it was, and all the advantages that accrue from it. Of course it can be done with great demonstrated accuracy, but a vast majority of traditionalists does not agree. They insist of doing it, the way it has always been done. Though in the Islamic countries they do send airplanes above the clouds to check on the moon, a modern facility, not available in the real old days.
It took a few gray hairs to realize that social traditions have a dynamics of their own. Reasoned, they almost never are! Reason only gets in the way of feelings. I have accepted it as a quaint tradition. I did not throw in the towel in the sense of the phrase that "if you can't lick em join em". I realized that people feel very strongly about traditions. So unless the traditions are doing a great harm, let them be, and chalk it to the freedom of belief and choice. That is what brings color to the cultures; things are because they are. Let people have their say and celebrate Eid on whatever day and be grown up enough to tolerate others feelings. Or perhaps have it both days, the more the merrier.
We had Eid on Friday. Prayers in the morning, and a family Eid feast this evening. I am inviting different sets of friends for the next two days. In the US we tend to go for convenience and celebrate many things on the weekends. To achieve long weekends, congress had passed a law of Monday holidays where many of the holidays related to birthdays such as Presidents day, Martin Luther King's birthday and some others are celebrated on Mondays closest to the real day, in order to have a three-day weekend. I some times jest that this year the Good Friday is on Monday. Warm regards and Eid Mubarak (greetings) to all.
Mirza A. Beg can be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com, or mirsasmusings.blogspot.com
Monday, September 17, 2007
India-Lanka Strait 07-09-14
Setusamudram Channel- Good Project, Bad Politics
Mirza A. Beg
September 14, 2007
Counter Currents. Org, Friday September 15, 2007
http://www.countercurrents.org/beg150907.htm
TwoCircles.Net, Saturday, September16, 2007
http://www.twocircles.net/2007sep16/setusamudram_canal_good_project_bad_politics.htm
Daily News, Sri Lanka, Monday, September 18, 2007
http://www.dailynews.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2007/09/17/fea01.asp
Setusamudram, a shipping canal completely within Indian territorial waters in the Palk Strait, the sallow continental shelf between India and Sri Lanka is likely to become a new cause-celebre for the sectarian forces. The canal would shorten the shipping distance between the east and the west coast of India by about 500 miles. The project has been challenged by the rightwing Hindu groups and has landed in the Supreme Court for adjudication. They claim that it will destroy the mythical bridge constructed by Lord Rama (an Incarnation of Vishnu) with the help of the Monkey brigade under the Monkey god Hanuman in prehistoric times. This is a problem that should not have been, but for the crass political calculations of the BJP (A right wing Hindu Party) and the inept handling by the government of India. But that is the nature of electoral politics.
Though the medieval feudalistic systems are on their way out and are being replaced by the democratic, secular pluralistic systems, but the attitudes take a very long time to change. One of the problems endemic to all democratic secular pluralistic societies is how to navigate policies in the interest of progress and public interest through the shoals of religious and cultural beliefs rooted in perceived glorious pasts. Without exception, all who wear religion on their sleeves, read history not with the critical scientific attitude, but with reverence rooted in belief and its glorification. The evolution versus creationism contest falls in this category as well.
In the most pristine form these beliefs are spiritual, personal and beyond question, because by definition belief in supernatural stands above and beyond reason. Democracy has no problem with that, but inevitably for political supremacy they are almost always used to rile up the populace, which without realizing the motives falls for it.
Geologically speaking the Indian Subcontinent and the Island of Sri Lanka are a part of the Indian plate (Plate tectonics). The Palk Strait is a very shallow sea on the contiguous continental shelf that is the real geological boundary of the Indian Plate. India and Sri Lanka have been separated by the rise in the sea level, flooding the low land between India and Sri Lanka forming the Palk Strait. Just as many large tracts in coastal parts of India as well as all over the world would become large Islands, if all the glaciers melt raising the sea level further by about two to three hundred feet.
The mistake the UPA government has made is playing in the hands of the Hindutva forces in its briefs filed before the Supreme Court. The government had no business, commenting on the historical validity of the existence of Lord Rama. That was not germane to the court pleadings and is not the purview of a secular government. Secular government ought to steer clear of references to or questioning any religious belief unless absolutely necessary.
The argument should have been very narrowly focused based on the overwhelming evidence from the findings by the Geological Survey of India and the Archaeological Survey of India, two very old and prestigious scientific organizations.
Geologically it is normal for sand bars to form, connecting two islands or a string of islands in the high energy environment, where sands derived from nearby rivers or degrading coral reefs are deposited by breaking ocean waves. They are called Tombolos, derived from the Latin word tumulus.
Archaeologically no artifacts have been found by the Archaeological Survey of India, indicating human or in this case Monkey activity.
Unfortunately by unnecessarily questioning the historical veracity of Lord Rama the government and the politics is being battered on the shoals and Monkey business of religious exploitation by the feudalistic pseudo democratic parties.
Mirza A. Beg can be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com or http://mirzasmusings.blogspot.com/
Mirza A. Beg
September 14, 2007
Counter Currents. Org, Friday September 15, 2007
http://www.countercurrents.org/beg150907.htm
TwoCircles.Net, Saturday, September16, 2007
http://www.twocircles.net/2007sep16/setusamudram_canal_good_project_bad_politics.htm
Daily News, Sri Lanka, Monday, September 18, 2007
http://www.dailynews.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2007/09/17/fea01.asp
Setusamudram, a shipping canal completely within Indian territorial waters in the Palk Strait, the sallow continental shelf between India and Sri Lanka is likely to become a new cause-celebre for the sectarian forces. The canal would shorten the shipping distance between the east and the west coast of India by about 500 miles. The project has been challenged by the rightwing Hindu groups and has landed in the Supreme Court for adjudication. They claim that it will destroy the mythical bridge constructed by Lord Rama (an Incarnation of Vishnu) with the help of the Monkey brigade under the Monkey god Hanuman in prehistoric times. This is a problem that should not have been, but for the crass political calculations of the BJP (A right wing Hindu Party) and the inept handling by the government of India. But that is the nature of electoral politics.
Though the medieval feudalistic systems are on their way out and are being replaced by the democratic, secular pluralistic systems, but the attitudes take a very long time to change. One of the problems endemic to all democratic secular pluralistic societies is how to navigate policies in the interest of progress and public interest through the shoals of religious and cultural beliefs rooted in perceived glorious pasts. Without exception, all who wear religion on their sleeves, read history not with the critical scientific attitude, but with reverence rooted in belief and its glorification. The evolution versus creationism contest falls in this category as well.
In the most pristine form these beliefs are spiritual, personal and beyond question, because by definition belief in supernatural stands above and beyond reason. Democracy has no problem with that, but inevitably for political supremacy they are almost always used to rile up the populace, which without realizing the motives falls for it.
Geologically speaking the Indian Subcontinent and the Island of Sri Lanka are a part of the Indian plate (Plate tectonics). The Palk Strait is a very shallow sea on the contiguous continental shelf that is the real geological boundary of the Indian Plate. India and Sri Lanka have been separated by the rise in the sea level, flooding the low land between India and Sri Lanka forming the Palk Strait. Just as many large tracts in coastal parts of India as well as all over the world would become large Islands, if all the glaciers melt raising the sea level further by about two to three hundred feet.
The mistake the UPA government has made is playing in the hands of the Hindutva forces in its briefs filed before the Supreme Court. The government had no business, commenting on the historical validity of the existence of Lord Rama. That was not germane to the court pleadings and is not the purview of a secular government. Secular government ought to steer clear of references to or questioning any religious belief unless absolutely necessary.
The argument should have been very narrowly focused based on the overwhelming evidence from the findings by the Geological Survey of India and the Archaeological Survey of India, two very old and prestigious scientific organizations.
Geologically it is normal for sand bars to form, connecting two islands or a string of islands in the high energy environment, where sands derived from nearby rivers or degrading coral reefs are deposited by breaking ocean waves. They are called Tombolos, derived from the Latin word tumulus.
Archaeologically no artifacts have been found by the Archaeological Survey of India, indicating human or in this case Monkey activity.
Unfortunately by unnecessarily questioning the historical veracity of Lord Rama the government and the politics is being battered on the shoals and Monkey business of religious exploitation by the feudalistic pseudo democratic parties.
Mirza A. Beg can be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com or http://mirzasmusings.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Tsunami-Nature-God05-01-22
Tsunami, Nature and Perception of God
Mirza A. Beg
Written, Saturday, January 22, 2005
Aljazeerah, Wednesday, January 26, 2005
http://www.aljazeerah.info/26o/Tsunami,%20Nature%20and%20Perception%20of%20God%20By%20Mirza%20A.%20Beg.htm
Axis of Logic, Wednesday, January 26, 2005
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/printer_15284.shtml
Media Monitor network, Thursday, January 27, 2005
http://world.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/12915/
Muslims Wake Up Tuesday, February 1, 2005
http://muslimwakeup.com/
Birmingham Post-Herald, Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Muslim Observer, February 5th, 2005
The enormous loss of lives and destruction by the Tsunami inevitably raises the question, why? Why do such disasters take place? The scientific answer is reasonably simple. The theological answer is complex and depends upon our own spirituality and understanding of religion.
Scientifically, the Tsunami was generated by a powerful earthquake of magnitude 9 (Richter scale) in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Sumatra. It was caused by the subduction (Sliding under) of the Indian-Australian plate under the Burma Plate. This is the largest quake in the last 40 years and the fourth largest in the last 100 years. All of these quakes took place at subduction zones, Kamchatka peninsula (1952), Alaska (1957), Chile (1960), and Alaska again (1964).
In mid 1960s Earth Science was revolutionized by the discovery of the plate tectonics, a mechanism that helps explain the formation of mountains and oceans. The Earth's crust is divided into tectonic "Plates" that slowly move on a conveyor-belt-like circulation of the material below the Earth's crust. When the plates collide they help mountains to rise and the forces cause major earthquakes. The plates are estimated to have been in motion for at least 3.5 billion years, of 4.5 billion years of Earth's history. The major earthquake zones are known. The research is at the threshold of being able to predict quakes and warn people about impending disasters.
In richer countries with better facilities for prediction and evacuation, people suffer less. In poorer countries with undeveloped infrastructure and inadequate building designs, they suffer more. It does not follow that God loves the rich more than the poor.
If people were not involved, as in cases of many Tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean, it would not even be called a disaster. Such mind-boggling force of nature would have been termed grand, awe-inspiring and even beautiful.
It is the theological answer that eludes us. God by definition is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Therefore God knows past, present and future - the laws of nature are God's design and the universe is God's creation.
Death is a part of the life cycle. We have trouble comprehending the "untimely" death and suffering of innocent people, particularly children. I do not know the answer.
The only way I can even attempt to fathom it is in terms of the ultimate divine justice that takes into account all the facets of an individual life: the span of life, the gifts and handicaps the person was born with.
The monotheistic religions rationalize the sufferings of this world with the rewards in the afterlife - heaven. The Hindu, Buddhist and other Eastern religious traditions, explain the joys and sufferings of this life with the doctrine of "Karma" - the rewards or punishments from the actions of previous lives determine the next birth.
Religions help seekers on the path towards spirituality. When troubled, we turn to God for solace and inner peace. As we learn more through science, we realize how little we know. The paradox is that each Human life is a mini universe of interactions and memories, yet it is so insignificant in the expanse of the Universe.
The Universe appears even more awe-inspiring with our advancing knowledge. Even the definition of the Universe tests the confines of human language. According to the String theory, there may be many universes. New words are being coined for the super Universe.
According to Doug Ray, a friend of mine, "The problem is our inability to grasp simultaneously the value of human life and its insignificance. I can't create human life; I should not destroy or diminish it. It is a thing of great value, a gift of God. At the same time, there are many things worth dying for, and to place too much value on my life is a mistake in perspective and probably sinful."
Some see the natural disasters as God's anger. Anger at whom? Innocent babies as well. Limitations of human language and thought precludes them from perceiving the all encompassing grandeur of God, beyond description. Misunderstanding the allegorical language of scriptures, people often perceive God in their own inadequate images and assign to God their frailties: love, hate, jealousy and anger as we are wont to do to other humans.
Humans are capable of intense love and hatred. We can give our lives for our children, friends and causes. We can kill for the same reasons. It is the perfect justice that eludes us. God is perfect justice.
When I see the beauty in nature and am thankful for being able to perceive it; when I see injustice and find the courage to stand up against it; when I learn new secrets of nature and find order in what once was considered chaos; my respect for the intelligence that made it possible is deepened.
Mirza A Beg invites comments. He may be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com http://mirzasmusings.blogspot.com/
Mirza A. Beg
Written, Saturday, January 22, 2005
Aljazeerah, Wednesday, January 26, 2005
http://www.aljazeerah.info/26o/Tsunami,%20Nature%20and%20Perception%20of%20God%20By%20Mirza%20A.%20Beg.htm
Axis of Logic, Wednesday, January 26, 2005
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/printer_15284.shtml
Media Monitor network, Thursday, January 27, 2005
http://world.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/12915/
Muslims Wake Up Tuesday, February 1, 2005
http://muslimwakeup.com/
Birmingham Post-Herald, Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Muslim Observer, February 5th, 2005
The enormous loss of lives and destruction by the Tsunami inevitably raises the question, why? Why do such disasters take place? The scientific answer is reasonably simple. The theological answer is complex and depends upon our own spirituality and understanding of religion.
Scientifically, the Tsunami was generated by a powerful earthquake of magnitude 9 (Richter scale) in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Sumatra. It was caused by the subduction (Sliding under) of the Indian-Australian plate under the Burma Plate. This is the largest quake in the last 40 years and the fourth largest in the last 100 years. All of these quakes took place at subduction zones, Kamchatka peninsula (1952), Alaska (1957), Chile (1960), and Alaska again (1964).
In mid 1960s Earth Science was revolutionized by the discovery of the plate tectonics, a mechanism that helps explain the formation of mountains and oceans. The Earth's crust is divided into tectonic "Plates" that slowly move on a conveyor-belt-like circulation of the material below the Earth's crust. When the plates collide they help mountains to rise and the forces cause major earthquakes. The plates are estimated to have been in motion for at least 3.5 billion years, of 4.5 billion years of Earth's history. The major earthquake zones are known. The research is at the threshold of being able to predict quakes and warn people about impending disasters.
In richer countries with better facilities for prediction and evacuation, people suffer less. In poorer countries with undeveloped infrastructure and inadequate building designs, they suffer more. It does not follow that God loves the rich more than the poor.
If people were not involved, as in cases of many Tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean, it would not even be called a disaster. Such mind-boggling force of nature would have been termed grand, awe-inspiring and even beautiful.
It is the theological answer that eludes us. God by definition is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Therefore God knows past, present and future - the laws of nature are God's design and the universe is God's creation.
Death is a part of the life cycle. We have trouble comprehending the "untimely" death and suffering of innocent people, particularly children. I do not know the answer.
The only way I can even attempt to fathom it is in terms of the ultimate divine justice that takes into account all the facets of an individual life: the span of life, the gifts and handicaps the person was born with.
The monotheistic religions rationalize the sufferings of this world with the rewards in the afterlife - heaven. The Hindu, Buddhist and other Eastern religious traditions, explain the joys and sufferings of this life with the doctrine of "Karma" - the rewards or punishments from the actions of previous lives determine the next birth.
Religions help seekers on the path towards spirituality. When troubled, we turn to God for solace and inner peace. As we learn more through science, we realize how little we know. The paradox is that each Human life is a mini universe of interactions and memories, yet it is so insignificant in the expanse of the Universe.
The Universe appears even more awe-inspiring with our advancing knowledge. Even the definition of the Universe tests the confines of human language. According to the String theory, there may be many universes. New words are being coined for the super Universe.
According to Doug Ray, a friend of mine, "The problem is our inability to grasp simultaneously the value of human life and its insignificance. I can't create human life; I should not destroy or diminish it. It is a thing of great value, a gift of God. At the same time, there are many things worth dying for, and to place too much value on my life is a mistake in perspective and probably sinful."
Some see the natural disasters as God's anger. Anger at whom? Innocent babies as well. Limitations of human language and thought precludes them from perceiving the all encompassing grandeur of God, beyond description. Misunderstanding the allegorical language of scriptures, people often perceive God in their own inadequate images and assign to God their frailties: love, hate, jealousy and anger as we are wont to do to other humans.
Humans are capable of intense love and hatred. We can give our lives for our children, friends and causes. We can kill for the same reasons. It is the perfect justice that eludes us. God is perfect justice.
When I see the beauty in nature and am thankful for being able to perceive it; when I see injustice and find the courage to stand up against it; when I learn new secrets of nature and find order in what once was considered chaos; my respect for the intelligence that made it possible is deepened.
Mirza A Beg invites comments. He may be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com http://mirzasmusings.blogspot.com/
Science and Religion 06-09-12
Understanding of Religion and Science
Mirza A. Beg
Written on Sunday, September 3rd, 2006
Pine Magazine, Tuesday, Sept 12, 2006
http://pine-magazine.com/content.php?id=189
Counter Currents Monday, September 4, 2006
http://www.countercurrents.org/beg080906.htm
Religions are very dear to the believers. The principles or as some would say the truth of the religions are enshrined in their scriptures, a guide to the believers. Scriptures do not claim to be a complete tome on laws, sciences or all knowledge. Fuzzy thinking creates unnecessary arguments that may end up insulting others when none is intended. Proper definitions of words and ideas are conducive to a constructive dialogue.
So let us start with some definitions:
Religion: A faith based system of beliefs. It springs from the belief in Divine guidance enshrined in the scriptures. It is an article of faith that it is “the truth”, therefore unalterable and eternal. Religions through scriptures preach a path to salvation in the hereafter and morality in this life to provide an internal antenna to those who are receptive, to help distinguish right from wrong.
Science: Systematized acquisition of knowledge of nature through observations, postulations and interpretations based on experiments or ideas that can eventually be observed or tested. It is an unending search for better explanations of the natural phenomena. There is nothing sacred in science, except truthful and accurate reporting of one’s work. Every thing is to be questioned to reach a better understanding with the advancement of knowledge. There is no such thing as the final or the ultimate answer in science.
Science is value neutral. It only asks for honesty in methodology, and reporting of procedures and inferences. Without honesty, there will be no science. Even evil people can do good science for very questionable or even despicable motives, using good scientific methods. Nazi motives were a prime example of that.
Often it creates a dilemma for moral people and societies, whether to use and how to use knowledge directed towards seemingly socially, ethically or religiously ‘illegitimate’ purposes, such as nuclear, chemical or biological weapons research. Even post-mortems (dissection of dead bodies) considered by many to be desecration of the dead were and still are an anathema to some, but they have resulted in tremendous advances in surgical techniques, very helpful to human well-being.
At face value, all religious scriptures have passages that appear to contradict current scientific knowledge. The rationality of science has caused many to question religions. There are scientists who are atheists, some may even disdain religion. Yet there are many more doing pioneering work, and are amazed at the beauty of creation and the grandeur of the unfolding knowledge, fortifying their belief in the creator.
There is a tendency among some to latch on to the scientific theories that appears to be in accordance with the scripture, to find fulfillment in their religion. The “Big Bang” theory of the creation of the universe is one such example, that many proponents of religions seem to like. In the last twenty years other theories have emerged, with nuances creating more beautiful avenues of research in the field of the origin of the universe.
The down side of relating scriptures and science too closely is that it questions our honesty of purpose. Are we legitimizing scripture because even science agrees with our interpretation of the scripture? Obviously not, because the resultant corollary would argue that if science comes up with an alternate explanation, we should accept science and not the scripture? The notion that scientific understanding should adhere to the scripture kills the very idea of science. Science is an evolving method of better understanding and one follows the lead the data provide. Science, in a manner of speaking is always incomplete and perpetually evolving.
Many Christian ‘fundamentalists’ insist on teaching a Biblical version of creation as science. Some among the Muslims also rail against the theory of evolution and call it Darwinism. This is a fallacious argument that detracts from science and questions the grandeur of God and scriptures. The very idea of equating scripture with science flies in the face of the definitions, a contradiction in terms. Inadvertently it means that the scripture can be proven wrong. In religious terms, it is blasphemy; therefore those religious people equating the two should desist from it.
Over the years the theory of evolution has been refined and will continue to be further refined. The basic principles of the theory have been established from many different directions and lines of research in the biological, geological and anthropological sciences. It has opened up many avenues of research to the betterment of humanity and advancement of many scientific disciplines.
A few social scientists have at times extrapolated evolution, to suit their own intuitive biases; sometimes to support theories that our moral compass tells us to be reprehensible. They did not get much scientific traction and were ignored.
Contrary to some opinions, scientists do not ‘believe’ in the theory of evolution, in the sense of a religious belief. It is simply a very useful tool, an excellent working model. If in time it is superseded by a well researched better theory, it would be adopted as an advancement of science. Stealthily introducing ‘Creationism’ in science texts is a corruption of science, but even more grievously misrepresentation of religion, therefore immoral and irreligious.
Religions scriptures provide moral parameters for all walks of life, including scientific research. They do not scientifically explain natural phenomenon. It is up to us to decide morally, what we would and would not do as individuals, and what to support or oppose in a public policy. Religion requires belief; science strongly recommends a healthy skepticism.
Mirza A. Beg can be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com
Mirza A. Beg
Written on Sunday, September 3rd, 2006
Pine Magazine, Tuesday, Sept 12, 2006
http://pine-magazine.com/content.php?id=189
Counter Currents Monday, September 4, 2006
http://www.countercurrents.org/beg080906.htm
Religions are very dear to the believers. The principles or as some would say the truth of the religions are enshrined in their scriptures, a guide to the believers. Scriptures do not claim to be a complete tome on laws, sciences or all knowledge. Fuzzy thinking creates unnecessary arguments that may end up insulting others when none is intended. Proper definitions of words and ideas are conducive to a constructive dialogue.
So let us start with some definitions:
Religion: A faith based system of beliefs. It springs from the belief in Divine guidance enshrined in the scriptures. It is an article of faith that it is “the truth”, therefore unalterable and eternal. Religions through scriptures preach a path to salvation in the hereafter and morality in this life to provide an internal antenna to those who are receptive, to help distinguish right from wrong.
Science: Systematized acquisition of knowledge of nature through observations, postulations and interpretations based on experiments or ideas that can eventually be observed or tested. It is an unending search for better explanations of the natural phenomena. There is nothing sacred in science, except truthful and accurate reporting of one’s work. Every thing is to be questioned to reach a better understanding with the advancement of knowledge. There is no such thing as the final or the ultimate answer in science.
Science is value neutral. It only asks for honesty in methodology, and reporting of procedures and inferences. Without honesty, there will be no science. Even evil people can do good science for very questionable or even despicable motives, using good scientific methods. Nazi motives were a prime example of that.
Often it creates a dilemma for moral people and societies, whether to use and how to use knowledge directed towards seemingly socially, ethically or religiously ‘illegitimate’ purposes, such as nuclear, chemical or biological weapons research. Even post-mortems (dissection of dead bodies) considered by many to be desecration of the dead were and still are an anathema to some, but they have resulted in tremendous advances in surgical techniques, very helpful to human well-being.
At face value, all religious scriptures have passages that appear to contradict current scientific knowledge. The rationality of science has caused many to question religions. There are scientists who are atheists, some may even disdain religion. Yet there are many more doing pioneering work, and are amazed at the beauty of creation and the grandeur of the unfolding knowledge, fortifying their belief in the creator.
There is a tendency among some to latch on to the scientific theories that appears to be in accordance with the scripture, to find fulfillment in their religion. The “Big Bang” theory of the creation of the universe is one such example, that many proponents of religions seem to like. In the last twenty years other theories have emerged, with nuances creating more beautiful avenues of research in the field of the origin of the universe.
The down side of relating scriptures and science too closely is that it questions our honesty of purpose. Are we legitimizing scripture because even science agrees with our interpretation of the scripture? Obviously not, because the resultant corollary would argue that if science comes up with an alternate explanation, we should accept science and not the scripture? The notion that scientific understanding should adhere to the scripture kills the very idea of science. Science is an evolving method of better understanding and one follows the lead the data provide. Science, in a manner of speaking is always incomplete and perpetually evolving.
Many Christian ‘fundamentalists’ insist on teaching a Biblical version of creation as science. Some among the Muslims also rail against the theory of evolution and call it Darwinism. This is a fallacious argument that detracts from science and questions the grandeur of God and scriptures. The very idea of equating scripture with science flies in the face of the definitions, a contradiction in terms. Inadvertently it means that the scripture can be proven wrong. In religious terms, it is blasphemy; therefore those religious people equating the two should desist from it.
Over the years the theory of evolution has been refined and will continue to be further refined. The basic principles of the theory have been established from many different directions and lines of research in the biological, geological and anthropological sciences. It has opened up many avenues of research to the betterment of humanity and advancement of many scientific disciplines.
A few social scientists have at times extrapolated evolution, to suit their own intuitive biases; sometimes to support theories that our moral compass tells us to be reprehensible. They did not get much scientific traction and were ignored.
Contrary to some opinions, scientists do not ‘believe’ in the theory of evolution, in the sense of a religious belief. It is simply a very useful tool, an excellent working model. If in time it is superseded by a well researched better theory, it would be adopted as an advancement of science. Stealthily introducing ‘Creationism’ in science texts is a corruption of science, but even more grievously misrepresentation of religion, therefore immoral and irreligious.
Religions scriptures provide moral parameters for all walks of life, including scientific research. They do not scientifically explain natural phenomenon. It is up to us to decide morally, what we would and would not do as individuals, and what to support or oppose in a public policy. Religion requires belief; science strongly recommends a healthy skepticism.
Mirza A. Beg can be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com
Science and God 05-11-16
Science, Nature and Perception of God
Mirza A. Beg
November 16, 2005
“The more the things change the more they remain the same”, a truism ascribed to the French. It seams Darwin is again in the dock and a time warp has taken us back to the Scope’s monkey trial again. Some think that science is and has always been on a collision course with religion. I am a geologist as well as a deeply religious person. The challenge of unraveling the mystery of nature and the quest for understanding through research the most fulfilling form of worship.
When volcanoes erupt or earthquakes shake continents by the continual adjustments of tectonic plates, or when the benign winds turn into hurricanes and tornadoes, inadvertently rearranging the terrain, we are awe-inspired by the power of nature. Unfortunately we usually take notice only when they wreck lives.
The enormous loss of lives and destruction caused by the Tsunami off the coast of Sumatra last December inevitably raised the question, why? Why do such disasters take place? The scientific answer is reasonably simple. The theological answer is complex and depends upon our own spirituality and understanding of religion.
Scientifically, the Tsunami was generated by a powerful earthquake of magnitude 9 (Richter scale) in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Sumatra. It was caused by the subduction (Sliding under) of the Indian-Australian plate under the Burma Plate. This is the largest quake in the last 40 years and the fourth largest in the last 100 years. All of these quakes took place at subduction zones, Kamchatka peninsula (1952), Alaska (1957), Chile (1960), and Alaska again (1964).
In mid 1960s Earth Science was revolutionized by the discovery of the plate tectonics, a mechanism that helps explain the formation of mountains and oceans. The Earth's crust is divided into tectonic "Plates" that slowly move on a conveyor-belt-like circulation of the material below the Earth's crust. When the plates collide they help mountains to rise and the forces cause major earthquakes. The plates are estimated to have been in motion for at least 3.5 billion years, of 4.6 billion years of Earth's history. The major earthquake zones are known. The research is at the threshold of being able to predict quakes and warn people about impending disasters.
In richer countries with better facilities for prediction and evacuation, people suffer less. In poorer countries with undeveloped infrastructure and inadequate building designs, they suffer more. It does not follow that God loves the rich more than the poor.
If people were not involved, as in cases of many Tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean, it would not even be called a disaster. Such mind-boggling force of nature would have been termed grand, awe-inspiring and even beautiful.
It is the theological answer that eludes us. God by definition is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Therefore God knows past, present and future - the laws of nature are God's design and the universe is God's creation. All scientific laws are God’s laws.
Death is a part of the life cycle. We have trouble comprehending the "untimely" death and suffering of innocent people, particularly children. I do not know the answer.
The only way I can even attempt to fathom it is in terms of the ultimate divine justice that takes into account all the facets of an individual life: the span of life, the gifts and handicaps the person was born with.
The monotheistic religions rationalize the sufferings of this world with the rewards in the afterlife - heaven. The Hindu, Buddhist and other Eastern religious traditions, explain the joys and sufferings of this life with the doctrine of "Karma" - the rewards or punishments from the actions of previous lives determine the next birth.
Religions help seekers on the path towards spirituality. When troubled, we turn to God for solace and inner peace. As we learn more through science, we realize how little we know. The paradox is that each Human life is a mini universe of interactions and memories, yet it is so insignificant in the expanse of the Universe.
The Universe appears even more awe-inspiring with our advancing knowledge. Even the definition of the Universe tests the confines of human language. According to the String theory, there may be many universes. New words are being coined for the super Universe.
According to Doug Ray, a friend of mine, "The problem is our inability to grasp simultaneously the value of human life and its insignificance. I can't create human life; I should not destroy or diminish it. It is a thing of great value, a gift of God. At the same time, there are many things worth dying for, and to place too much value on my life is a mistake in perspective and probably sinful."
Some see the natural disasters as God's anger. Anger at whom? Innocent babies as well. Limitations of language and thought preclude humans from perceiving the all-encompassing grandeur of God, beyond description. Misunderstanding the allegorical language of scriptures, people often perceive God in their own inadequate images and assign to God their frailties: love, hate, jealousy and anger as we are wont to do to other humans.
Humans are capable of intense love and hatred. We can give our lives for our children, friends and causes. We can kill for the same reasons. It is the perfect justice that eludes us. God is perfect justice.
When I see the beauty in nature and am able to perceive it; when I see injustice and find the courage to stand up against it; when I learn new secrets of nature through scientific inquiry and find order in what once was considered chaos; my respect for the intelligence that made it possible is deepened.
Mirza A Beg invites comments. He may be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com
Mirza A. Beg
November 16, 2005
“The more the things change the more they remain the same”, a truism ascribed to the French. It seams Darwin is again in the dock and a time warp has taken us back to the Scope’s monkey trial again. Some think that science is and has always been on a collision course with religion. I am a geologist as well as a deeply religious person. The challenge of unraveling the mystery of nature and the quest for understanding through research the most fulfilling form of worship.
When volcanoes erupt or earthquakes shake continents by the continual adjustments of tectonic plates, or when the benign winds turn into hurricanes and tornadoes, inadvertently rearranging the terrain, we are awe-inspired by the power of nature. Unfortunately we usually take notice only when they wreck lives.
The enormous loss of lives and destruction caused by the Tsunami off the coast of Sumatra last December inevitably raised the question, why? Why do such disasters take place? The scientific answer is reasonably simple. The theological answer is complex and depends upon our own spirituality and understanding of religion.
Scientifically, the Tsunami was generated by a powerful earthquake of magnitude 9 (Richter scale) in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Sumatra. It was caused by the subduction (Sliding under) of the Indian-Australian plate under the Burma Plate. This is the largest quake in the last 40 years and the fourth largest in the last 100 years. All of these quakes took place at subduction zones, Kamchatka peninsula (1952), Alaska (1957), Chile (1960), and Alaska again (1964).
In mid 1960s Earth Science was revolutionized by the discovery of the plate tectonics, a mechanism that helps explain the formation of mountains and oceans. The Earth's crust is divided into tectonic "Plates" that slowly move on a conveyor-belt-like circulation of the material below the Earth's crust. When the plates collide they help mountains to rise and the forces cause major earthquakes. The plates are estimated to have been in motion for at least 3.5 billion years, of 4.6 billion years of Earth's history. The major earthquake zones are known. The research is at the threshold of being able to predict quakes and warn people about impending disasters.
In richer countries with better facilities for prediction and evacuation, people suffer less. In poorer countries with undeveloped infrastructure and inadequate building designs, they suffer more. It does not follow that God loves the rich more than the poor.
If people were not involved, as in cases of many Tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean, it would not even be called a disaster. Such mind-boggling force of nature would have been termed grand, awe-inspiring and even beautiful.
It is the theological answer that eludes us. God by definition is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Therefore God knows past, present and future - the laws of nature are God's design and the universe is God's creation. All scientific laws are God’s laws.
Death is a part of the life cycle. We have trouble comprehending the "untimely" death and suffering of innocent people, particularly children. I do not know the answer.
The only way I can even attempt to fathom it is in terms of the ultimate divine justice that takes into account all the facets of an individual life: the span of life, the gifts and handicaps the person was born with.
The monotheistic religions rationalize the sufferings of this world with the rewards in the afterlife - heaven. The Hindu, Buddhist and other Eastern religious traditions, explain the joys and sufferings of this life with the doctrine of "Karma" - the rewards or punishments from the actions of previous lives determine the next birth.
Religions help seekers on the path towards spirituality. When troubled, we turn to God for solace and inner peace. As we learn more through science, we realize how little we know. The paradox is that each Human life is a mini universe of interactions and memories, yet it is so insignificant in the expanse of the Universe.
The Universe appears even more awe-inspiring with our advancing knowledge. Even the definition of the Universe tests the confines of human language. According to the String theory, there may be many universes. New words are being coined for the super Universe.
According to Doug Ray, a friend of mine, "The problem is our inability to grasp simultaneously the value of human life and its insignificance. I can't create human life; I should not destroy or diminish it. It is a thing of great value, a gift of God. At the same time, there are many things worth dying for, and to place too much value on my life is a mistake in perspective and probably sinful."
Some see the natural disasters as God's anger. Anger at whom? Innocent babies as well. Limitations of language and thought preclude humans from perceiving the all-encompassing grandeur of God, beyond description. Misunderstanding the allegorical language of scriptures, people often perceive God in their own inadequate images and assign to God their frailties: love, hate, jealousy and anger as we are wont to do to other humans.
Humans are capable of intense love and hatred. We can give our lives for our children, friends and causes. We can kill for the same reasons. It is the perfect justice that eludes us. God is perfect justice.
When I see the beauty in nature and am able to perceive it; when I see injustice and find the courage to stand up against it; when I learn new secrets of nature through scientific inquiry and find order in what once was considered chaos; my respect for the intelligence that made it possible is deepened.
Mirza A Beg invites comments. He may be contacted at mab64@yahoo.com
Friday, June 22, 2007
Eternity -Sufi view 05-03-12
Space, Time and Us, A Sufi View
Mirza A. Beg
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Al Jazeerah, Wednesday, March 23, 2005
http://www.aljazeerah.info/23%20o/Space,%20Time%20and%20Us,%20A%20Sufi%20View%20BY%20Mirza%20A.%20Beg.htm
Axis of Logic, Friday, March25, 2005
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_16436.shtml
This started as an essay on Sufism, but got lost in the intertwined thoughts of "Fana and Baqua", sublimation in the ultimate reality. As a Sufi poet wrote, "If the Earth was converted to papers, the forests to pens and the oceans to ink, it would not suffice to write the attributes of the God". Some words from the elusive essay congealed as two poems, but would forever remain incomplete.
A Haiku
Space knows no bounds
Time unending - infinity to infinity
Live in the Ultimate Mind
A Poem
(Glossary at the end)
Galaxies, receding in space
Red shift, evincing an expanding Universe
One universe or many, or just fluttering "Branes"
Stretching the limits of language
Challenging the limits of mind
Space, eleven dimensions, or more, or none
Matter is energy, smaller than smallest vibrations,
Rhythms of enormous energy
From the Being of limitless mind
Of infinite dimensions
Time, will it end? Did it begin,
Fourteen billion years ago with a Big Bang
Or Branes bumping in cosmic ballet
On Earth, a mere 4.6 billion years
Perhaps an illusion, "Maya",
Relativity's snare through gravitons,
The curvature of space and time
Turning tomorrows into yesterdays
Forever it was, forever it will be
A Mobius strip in the Infinite Mind
Earth, our cradle in blue sheathing,
Light and warmth, a gift from the Sun
A speck in the vastness
History imprinted in rocks,
Era by era, separated by convulsions
From Azoic, the time before life
Through the intricacy of evolution
To us, with a consciousness of being,
With a longing for the ultimate love
And avarice for weapons of annihilation
Life span, a unit of time, from birth to death
Counted in years, days and seconds
Linear flow, imprisoned in perishable bodies
And expansive minds in transient brains
That cast an inward glance, eyes closed
Revealing timeless horizons, a universe within
Relationships, a dance of inner branes
Meeting and parting, in ecstasy or sorrow
Indelible secret memories, love and loss
Confined in personal, ephemeral universe
Eternity logs universes of mortal neurons
Of hubris, of wars of twisted religions
Pining for Armageddon,
Praying for evil, in hopes of elusive good
Hate begets hate, a vicious hell
But myriad deeds of kindness,
For the love of creation, by the created
Overcomes greed and hate,
Transcend the bounds of space and time,
To lead to the Infinite Mind, and endure.
Mirza A. Beg can be reached at mab64@yahoo.com
Glossary: Big Bang -The primeval explosion from nothing, the creation of the Universe.
Branes -A term coined for a sub-universe like ours. Many Branes make a universe.
Red shift -Light spectrum shifts to the red wavelengths, indicating increasing distance.
Mobius strip - A strip, twisted with joined ends, the top and bottom merge seamlessly.
Gravitons - A postulated particle, that is responsible for the force of gravity.
Azoic - A time before life on earth.
Mirza A. Beg
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Al Jazeerah, Wednesday, March 23, 2005
http://www.aljazeerah.info/23%20o/Space,%20Time%20and%20Us,%20A%20Sufi%20View%20BY%20Mirza%20A.%20Beg.htm
Axis of Logic, Friday, March25, 2005
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_16436.shtml
This started as an essay on Sufism, but got lost in the intertwined thoughts of "Fana and Baqua", sublimation in the ultimate reality. As a Sufi poet wrote, "If the Earth was converted to papers, the forests to pens and the oceans to ink, it would not suffice to write the attributes of the God". Some words from the elusive essay congealed as two poems, but would forever remain incomplete.
A Haiku
Space knows no bounds
Time unending - infinity to infinity
Live in the Ultimate Mind
A Poem
(Glossary at the end)
Galaxies, receding in space
Red shift, evincing an expanding Universe
One universe or many, or just fluttering "Branes"
Stretching the limits of language
Challenging the limits of mind
Space, eleven dimensions, or more, or none
Matter is energy, smaller than smallest vibrations,
Rhythms of enormous energy
From the Being of limitless mind
Of infinite dimensions
Time, will it end? Did it begin,
Fourteen billion years ago with a Big Bang
Or Branes bumping in cosmic ballet
On Earth, a mere 4.6 billion years
Perhaps an illusion, "Maya",
Relativity's snare through gravitons,
The curvature of space and time
Turning tomorrows into yesterdays
Forever it was, forever it will be
A Mobius strip in the Infinite Mind
Earth, our cradle in blue sheathing,
Light and warmth, a gift from the Sun
A speck in the vastness
History imprinted in rocks,
Era by era, separated by convulsions
From Azoic, the time before life
Through the intricacy of evolution
To us, with a consciousness of being,
With a longing for the ultimate love
And avarice for weapons of annihilation
Life span, a unit of time, from birth to death
Counted in years, days and seconds
Linear flow, imprisoned in perishable bodies
And expansive minds in transient brains
That cast an inward glance, eyes closed
Revealing timeless horizons, a universe within
Relationships, a dance of inner branes
Meeting and parting, in ecstasy or sorrow
Indelible secret memories, love and loss
Confined in personal, ephemeral universe
Eternity logs universes of mortal neurons
Of hubris, of wars of twisted religions
Pining for Armageddon,
Praying for evil, in hopes of elusive good
Hate begets hate, a vicious hell
But myriad deeds of kindness,
For the love of creation, by the created
Overcomes greed and hate,
Transcend the bounds of space and time,
To lead to the Infinite Mind, and endure.
Mirza A. Beg can be reached at mab64@yahoo.com
Glossary: Big Bang -The primeval explosion from nothing, the creation of the Universe.
Branes -A term coined for a sub-universe like ours. Many Branes make a universe.
Red shift -Light spectrum shifts to the red wavelengths, indicating increasing distance.
Mobius strip - A strip, twisted with joined ends, the top and bottom merge seamlessly.
Gravitons - A postulated particle, that is responsible for the force of gravity.
Azoic - A time before life on earth.
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