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My Trip in Time Page 11
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confused look the Professor continued, “For example, John 6:47 – He who believes in Me will have ever lasting life – is actually a mistranslation. The correct translation is – he who follows Me will have ever lasting life. Someone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, but ignores His teaching and does evil things, is obviously not a follower of Jesus. Where someone who is charitable, compassionate, loving is performing the will of God, and thus is a follower of Jesus, even if they don't realize it or acknowledge it. Jesus explicitly points this out in his parable of the Good Samaritan, where a wounded traveler is ignored by a priest and a Levite – Holy men of God – and yet aided by a Samaritan – a second class citizen in the minds of most Jews of the time – who tended the man's wounds and took him to an inn to be cared for. As Jesus said, which of these did God's will? This is just one of the examples from scripture that illustrate how someone can be a servant of God even if they don't consciously realize it, or even deny it.”
“What? Are you saying that an atheists who is charitable and loving, is actually a servant of God?”
“Well, in short, yes,” the Professor replied. “But unfortunately we can't really go into too much more detail on it.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Well for two reasons,” the Professor stated. “The first is that this topic ties in too closely with some of those near future events that we are not allowed to discuss with you.”
“What do you mean …” I started to say, when suddenly everything flashed like static on television.
“What was that?” I asked.
“That is the second reason,” the Professor replied calmly. “We are out of time.”
I was momentarily taken back at this; I didn't want to leave yet. I had so many more questions.
“James, it's been a pleasure meeting you. Hopefully you enjoyed your trip to the future.” The Professor said, extending his hand.
“Can I come back?” I asked quickly.
“Unfortunately no,” the Professor responded. “The Agency has strict rules on repeat trips. Aaron, Jacob and their parents had to cash in a lot of deeds just to get this trip authorized.”
The world flashed again. This time the flash lasted a couple seconds longer.
“Goodbye Grandfather,” Aaron said. “It was really good to meet you. Sorry if we couldn't give you the answers you were looking for, but the truth is the truth.”
“That's OK… ” I started to say, then there was another flash.
“Goodbye Grandfather,” Jacob shouted, just before the final flash, and I was suddenly back in the library conference room. My time traveling was over.
I sat there for a couple hours afterwards, making notes on huge sheets of white paper that were in the conference room. A couple days later, I decided to write it all down in this journal, making sure that I not only capture the specifics of the trip, but my emotional state as well. For you see, I had an epiphany of sorts. My time traveling days may be over, but this journal could be another vehicle of communication to the future. After all, my letter had survived to reach the year 4013, why couldn't this journal?
And who knows, maybe I will even add to this journal as the years go by.
Journal Entry: 02/10/2012
Today is the one year anniversary of my trip to the future, and I'm now in grad school at TLT Institute of Technology. If you are wondering if my trip to the future has changed my perspective on God, let me assure you that it hasn't. I am still an atheist, though hopefully a smarter one.
Since last year, I have read C.S. Lewis's “Mere Christianity,” and while parts of it are interesting, C.S. Lewis arguments are not strong enough to sway me. One of my bible thumping fraternity brothers, Rich, loaned me a book by geneticists Francis Collins, “Language of God, A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief.” That book was also interesting, though once again, it didn't sway my position.
However one of Dr. Collins's points did resonate with me and that is – science and religion are not opposing viewpoints. They are actually completely independent of one another. If you really know your theology, then you know (as I do now) that the Bible does not in any way conflict with the scientific findings of today. If there is a God, then He would be outside of His creation. So, unless God wanted to, His presence, His actions, would be undetectable. For example the Big Bang theory, the physics behind the Big Bang are the same regardless of whether or not God initiated it or it happened spontaneously on its own. The problems between religion and science have occurred when people have fallen back on trying to explain the unknown by simply saying that God does it, the old God of the Gaps explanations. The problem with that, as Dr. Collins points out, is what is scientifically unexplainable today will most likely be explainable sometime in the near future. Those bible thumpers trying to prove God exists through Intelligent Design are heading down a dangerous, and all too familiar path, by needlessly trying to prove that God exists through science, they are only creating points of potential conflict and misunderstanding.
In short, if God exists then He exists. Science can't prove or disprove that. It can only improve our understanding of ourselves, our world and our universe. So, if you want to study science just to learn how the universe works, that's awesome. If you want to study science so that you can learn how God created everything, that's cool too.
Anyway, as I said I am still an atheist, and I am sure I will be one for the rest of my life. After all, I have the Professor's assurance that my visit to the future would not change my destiny.
So, have I convinced my family that God is a myth? No, not even close. Though I have convinced a couple of my siblings that Genesis is allegory (small victories).
As I think back on my trip, I realize that I didn't really want evidence from the future to persuade my family – it was to assure myself that I had made the right choice. Unfortunately, the future can't help me with that either. I have to find those answers myself.
On a different note, grad school has been good, but a little boring. TLT is not nearly as much fun as Tech U.
I am going out on another date with Jessica tonight (Beth and I broke up over the summer). This will be our third date. Jessica's kind of cute, but I don't see this relationship going anywhere, but it's something to do.
Journal Entry: 02/12/2014
Well I couldn't have been more wrong about Jessica – I asked her to marry me last Saturday night and she said YES!!! I can't believe that I ever described Jessica as being kind of cute. She is the most beautiful, wonderful woman in the world.
I showed Jessica my journal today. I am not sure if she really believes that I have traveled in time, but she loves me enough to at least fake that she does. Did I mention how wonderful Jessica is?
If you are wondering if love has changed my perspective on God, let me assure you that it has not. I am still an atheist, and I am sure that I will be one for the rest of my life. Jessica, who is Lutheran, doesn't like me saying that, but we have agreed to disagree on this one.
On an ironic note Stan, my old college roommate – the same one who opened my eyes on religion – posted last week on his Facebook page that he has now joined the United Church of Christ. I thought he was joking, but he's serious. Stan told me that he found God when his Dad got really sick last year (apparently Stan and his entire family found God). By the way, Stan is a little touchy on this subject. I wouldn't recommend telling him that he is just deluding himself (he un-friended me on Facebook last week).
Journal Entry: 03/22/2077
OK, there has been quite a gap since my last journal entry. Time has kind of gotten away from me – life has a way of doing that. My 97th birthday is a couple weeks away, and I intend this to be my final journal entry.
So, are you wondering if I am still an atheist?
Well, I can happily write that I am not, I'm Lutheran. To be more specific, I'm a Deacon at the First Lutheran Church of Bloomington (and no, there are no second or third
Lutheran churches in Bloomington.) So, was it my trip to the future that started me down this road? The answer is no. Oh, it got me to think about it. But I can admit now that I was too stubborn and proud to be swayed by a 60 minute conversation, even if it was with my multi-millennial descendants. No it was Jessica, my wife and the mother of my eight children, who started me down the road.
After Jessica and I got engaged, I started going to church with her. I went just to spend time with her, and to make her happy. I wasn't converted right away, but about five years after we were married, Jessica convinced me to go on a couples' spiritual retreat. I don't know what it was about the retreat, but for the first time since I was like twelve, I felt the divine call. I felt It – as my multi-millennial grandsons would say. And that was the beginning.
When we got back from the retreat I started off on a familiar quest to discover the truth about God, myth or real. This time, unlike my trip to the future, I went in with an open mind. I re-read C.S Lewis and Francis Collins's books, plus a dozen others – some in favor of the divine and some not. Anyway, I eventually came to the conclusion that there must be a God.
My quest then switched to determining which religion was correct, or at least the most correct. In the end, I chose Christianity. I officially joined my wife's church, and twenty years
“What? Are you saying that an atheists who is charitable and loving, is actually a servant of God?”
“Well, in short, yes,” the Professor replied. “But unfortunately we can't really go into too much more detail on it.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Well for two reasons,” the Professor stated. “The first is that this topic ties in too closely with some of those near future events that we are not allowed to discuss with you.”
“What do you mean …” I started to say, when suddenly everything flashed like static on television.
“What was that?” I asked.
“That is the second reason,” the Professor replied calmly. “We are out of time.”
I was momentarily taken back at this; I didn't want to leave yet. I had so many more questions.
“James, it's been a pleasure meeting you. Hopefully you enjoyed your trip to the future.” The Professor said, extending his hand.
“Can I come back?” I asked quickly.
“Unfortunately no,” the Professor responded. “The Agency has strict rules on repeat trips. Aaron, Jacob and their parents had to cash in a lot of deeds just to get this trip authorized.”
The world flashed again. This time the flash lasted a couple seconds longer.
“Goodbye Grandfather,” Aaron said. “It was really good to meet you. Sorry if we couldn't give you the answers you were looking for, but the truth is the truth.”
“That's OK… ” I started to say, then there was another flash.
“Goodbye Grandfather,” Jacob shouted, just before the final flash, and I was suddenly back in the library conference room. My time traveling was over.
I sat there for a couple hours afterwards, making notes on huge sheets of white paper that were in the conference room. A couple days later, I decided to write it all down in this journal, making sure that I not only capture the specifics of the trip, but my emotional state as well. For you see, I had an epiphany of sorts. My time traveling days may be over, but this journal could be another vehicle of communication to the future. After all, my letter had survived to reach the year 4013, why couldn't this journal?
And who knows, maybe I will even add to this journal as the years go by.
Journal Entry: 02/10/2012
Today is the one year anniversary of my trip to the future, and I'm now in grad school at TLT Institute of Technology. If you are wondering if my trip to the future has changed my perspective on God, let me assure you that it hasn't. I am still an atheist, though hopefully a smarter one.
Since last year, I have read C.S. Lewis's “Mere Christianity,” and while parts of it are interesting, C.S. Lewis arguments are not strong enough to sway me. One of my bible thumping fraternity brothers, Rich, loaned me a book by geneticists Francis Collins, “Language of God, A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief.” That book was also interesting, though once again, it didn't sway my position.
However one of Dr. Collins's points did resonate with me and that is – science and religion are not opposing viewpoints. They are actually completely independent of one another. If you really know your theology, then you know (as I do now) that the Bible does not in any way conflict with the scientific findings of today. If there is a God, then He would be outside of His creation. So, unless God wanted to, His presence, His actions, would be undetectable. For example the Big Bang theory, the physics behind the Big Bang are the same regardless of whether or not God initiated it or it happened spontaneously on its own. The problems between religion and science have occurred when people have fallen back on trying to explain the unknown by simply saying that God does it, the old God of the Gaps explanations. The problem with that, as Dr. Collins points out, is what is scientifically unexplainable today will most likely be explainable sometime in the near future. Those bible thumpers trying to prove God exists through Intelligent Design are heading down a dangerous, and all too familiar path, by needlessly trying to prove that God exists through science, they are only creating points of potential conflict and misunderstanding.
In short, if God exists then He exists. Science can't prove or disprove that. It can only improve our understanding of ourselves, our world and our universe. So, if you want to study science just to learn how the universe works, that's awesome. If you want to study science so that you can learn how God created everything, that's cool too.
Anyway, as I said I am still an atheist, and I am sure I will be one for the rest of my life. After all, I have the Professor's assurance that my visit to the future would not change my destiny.
So, have I convinced my family that God is a myth? No, not even close. Though I have convinced a couple of my siblings that Genesis is allegory (small victories).
As I think back on my trip, I realize that I didn't really want evidence from the future to persuade my family – it was to assure myself that I had made the right choice. Unfortunately, the future can't help me with that either. I have to find those answers myself.
On a different note, grad school has been good, but a little boring. TLT is not nearly as much fun as Tech U.
I am going out on another date with Jessica tonight (Beth and I broke up over the summer). This will be our third date. Jessica's kind of cute, but I don't see this relationship going anywhere, but it's something to do.
Journal Entry: 02/12/2014
Well I couldn't have been more wrong about Jessica – I asked her to marry me last Saturday night and she said YES!!! I can't believe that I ever described Jessica as being kind of cute. She is the most beautiful, wonderful woman in the world.
I showed Jessica my journal today. I am not sure if she really believes that I have traveled in time, but she loves me enough to at least fake that she does. Did I mention how wonderful Jessica is?
If you are wondering if love has changed my perspective on God, let me assure you that it has not. I am still an atheist, and I am sure that I will be one for the rest of my life. Jessica, who is Lutheran, doesn't like me saying that, but we have agreed to disagree on this one.
On an ironic note Stan, my old college roommate – the same one who opened my eyes on religion – posted last week on his Facebook page that he has now joined the United Church of Christ. I thought he was joking, but he's serious. Stan told me that he found God when his Dad got really sick last year (apparently Stan and his entire family found God). By the way, Stan is a little touchy on this subject. I wouldn't recommend telling him that he is just deluding himself (he un-friended me on Facebook last week).
Journal Entry: 03/22/2077
OK, there has been quite a gap since my last journal entry. Time has kind of gotten away from me – life has a way of doing that. My 97th birthday is a couple weeks away, and I intend this to be my final journal entry.
So, are you wondering if I am still an atheist?
Well, I can happily write that I am not, I'm Lutheran. To be more specific, I'm a Deacon at the First Lutheran Church of Bloomington (and no, there are no second or third
Lutheran churches in Bloomington.) So, was it my trip to the future that started me down this road? The answer is no. Oh, it got me to think about it. But I can admit now that I was too stubborn and proud to be swayed by a 60 minute conversation, even if it was with my multi-millennial descendants. No it was Jessica, my wife and the mother of my eight children, who started me down the road.
After Jessica and I got engaged, I started going to church with her. I went just to spend time with her, and to make her happy. I wasn't converted right away, but about five years after we were married, Jessica convinced me to go on a couples' spiritual retreat. I don't know what it was about the retreat, but for the first time since I was like twelve, I felt the divine call. I felt It – as my multi-millennial grandsons would say. And that was the beginning.
When we got back from the retreat I started off on a familiar quest to discover the truth about God, myth or real. This time, unlike my trip to the future, I went in with an open mind. I re-read C.S Lewis and Francis Collins's books, plus a dozen others – some in favor of the divine and some not. Anyway, I eventually came to the conclusion that there must be a God.
My quest then switched to determining which religion was correct, or at least the most correct. In the end, I chose Christianity. I officially joined my wife's church, and twenty years
My Trip in Time