Living on a star; or, a world of miracles

Quotes and comments;

1. 'If we once realize all this earth as it is, we should find ourselves in a land of miracles: we shall discover a new planet at the moment that we discover our own. Among all the strange things that men have forgotten, the most universal and catastrophic lapse of memory is that by which they have forgotten that they are living on a star.  [1.]

- Most people have a false idea of a miracle; they seem to think that it's an impossible event made possible only by the direct violation of natural law by God... whereas the biblical meaning is a sign; ie. a sign or indicator of God's presence. I think we see miracles more clearly if we see them as expressions of God's wisdom rather than (merely) God's power. e.g. they don't violate 'natural law' so much as they utilize it in ways unknown (at least as yet) to mankind.

As an example; vision isn't a violation of 'natural law' but a brilliantly designed utilization of it. e.g. a cell phone would seem miraculous to primitive men and a violation of all they know about the world, but it of course isn't a violation of natural law but a utlilization of it.

We do indeed live in a land of miracles (as Chesterton refers to it) and the main reason we don't think so is because we've been told so by our teachers. e.g. the only reason we don't see the flight of a bird as a miracle is because we've been told that it's not. We've been told that it's the product of blind chance when in fact it's a sign of an omniscient mind.

 Let's step into the shoes of our forefathers for a moment and assume that a person invented and created the eagle or the sparrow. What kind of person would that have to be? What kind of mind would be sufficient for such a wonder? We know that it would require an intelligence so far beyond our own that we can't even imagine it.

- Michael Johnson

Notes;
1. The Defendant - G. K. Chesterton p. 100  [A defense of planets]
- by star he means a planetary body in motion.
1a. I'm reminded of another passage from GKC;
''Thou hast hanged the world upon nothing,' said the author of the Book of Job, and in that sentence wrote the whole appalling poetry of modern astronomy. -  Chesterton - The Defendant p.98
- this is what I think he is referring to when he says men have forgotten that they live upon a star.
2. Materialism has blinded men to the miracles all around them. It's akin to wearing sunglasses in church.
3. Reductionism is akin to standing on your head in an effort to get closer to reality.