Time.

dmp

Senior Member
May 12, 2004
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Enterprise, Alabama
I was talking w/ my dad last week, and he brought up the concept of time and space. He reminded me the images we see thru devices such as the Hubble Telescope are in fact images which are looking back in time - at history; at what WAS there thousands of years ago...sometimes more. We moved on to how God may interact with time - or be un-affected by it. That discussion was on my mind last night as I started thinking about part of a thread in this forum, where a question was asked about pre-destination; God 'choosing' those with whom He'd spend eternity. I recalled Christs' words about 'Before the world began', He knew you and stuff...and junk.

Assumptions: God is not affected nor bound by 'time' as we know it.

Guess: I'm wondering if God knows who will be in Heaven because those people (us?) are already there. Because of my assumption it's not unreasonable to believe in God's dimension those who would have, or will choose Him in this life, are already with him. This gives me a headache to think about too much, however who's to say the events we think 'will happen' haven't or aren't already happening, from God's point of view?

Think of Time as a circle - instead of a straight line with a starting point and moving only forward. At any place in the circle, God, looking from above can point out any place in our lives and affect change. From God's perspective, he can touch any place at once, or all places at once. For God's 'right now', he can see our past, future and present.

If my life ran a course along the rim of my coffee cup, I could easly point to any place along that rim - with my hole hand atop the rim, I could touch EVERY point along the rim.

I'm wondering if that's how God works...I think I'm right.

Thoughts? Advil? :)
 
This is too much for me, man. I still can't get over the concept of meat flavored ice cream.
 
A little deep for me right now too but I think events in time happen at once. The light=time concept confuses me but I think "time" travels at the speed of light so what appears to be happening in space has actually occured eons ago and its just reaching us now like an old newspaper.
 
Time is not constant. It speeds up at high speeds, and gravity affects it aswell. If a spaceship were to circle a black hole as close as it could get to it without being sucked in...theoretically, it an the people in it could travel millions of years into the future. Time is basically an illusion, or, at least it's something we are nowhere near understanding. It is 100% subjective. Just think of how many different length hours you have felt.

Images of distant galaxies are millions to billions of years old. 13.7 billion years is the scientific age of the universe, with a 1% margin of error. String theory suggests a pre-big bang unverse, where matter collapses, explodes, and repeats the cycle for all eternity - in the simplest of terms. It also calls for multiple universes. Parallel universes are also a scientific theory. If you enjoyed pondering space/time, I suggest you continue to read up, although everything you read will inevitably be filtered through your context of Christianity.
 
Originally posted by Modu$OperanDi
Time is not constant. It speeds up at high speeds, and gravity affects it aswell. If a spaceship were to circle a black hole as close as it could get to it without being sucked in...theoretically, it an the people in it could travel millions of years into the future. Time is basically an illusion, or, at least it's something we are nowhere near understanding. Images of distant galaxies are millions to billions of years old. 13.7 billion years is the scientific age of the universe, with a 1% margin of error. String theory suggests a pre-big bang unverse, where matter collapses, explodes, and repeats the cycle for all eternity - in the simplest of terms. It also calls for multiple universes. Parallel universes are also a scientific theory. If you enjoyed pondering space/time, I suggest you continue to read up, although everything you read will inevitably be filtered through your context of Christianity.

Christianity is in complete harmony with 'science' at least in the sense that those Scientists who understand God make a lot more sense than those who have no incling as to who God is, or how He works.

:)
 
Originally posted by -=d=-
Christianity is in complete harmony with 'science' at least in the sense that those Scientists who understand God make a lot more sense than those who have no incling as to who God is, or how He works.

:)


LMAO. That statement is so powerful, coming from a Christian's subjective POV.
 
Originally posted by rtwngAvngr
We need kl.

she's recovering from a grueling 48 hours working in the new home getting it ready for move in. She'll be able to answer your questions early evening :cool:
 
Originally posted by Modu$OperanDi
LMAO. That statement is so powerful, coming from a Christian's subjective POV.


It's true. (shrug). :)

Christianity and Science do NOT contradict - at least not with 'good science'. 'Liberal Science' however, has issues.
 
Originally posted by -=d=-

Assumptions: God is not affected nor bound by 'time' as we know it.

Guess: I'm wondering if God knows who will be in Heaven because those people (us?) are already there. Because of my assumption it's not unreasonable to believe in God's dimension those who would have, or will choose Him in this life, are already with him. This gives me a headache to think about too much, however who's to say the events we think 'will happen' haven't or aren't already happening, from God's point of view?

Yes, He knows. If He can know all of the events to transpire in end times when we will be making it happen, He knows.

Like a chess match between Kasperov, and a 3 year old first-timer, free will is there, but the outcome is obvious.

Think of Time as a circle - instead of a straight line with a starting point and moving only forward. At any place in the circle, God, looking from above can point out any place in our lives and affect change. From God's perspective, he can touch any place at once, or all places at once. For God's 'right now', he can see our past, future and present.

I see it identically as the same thing you would assume, but a straight line instead of a circle. He can put Himself anywhere and anywhen on the line He wants to, though. This way time will not loop.
;)

If my life ran a course along the rim of my coffee cup, I could easly point to any place along that rim - with my hole hand atop the rim, I could touch EVERY point along the rim.

If you could "do all things" and create the earth in 6 days, I am sure you could have a big enough hand to cover the whole line if it were not a circle on a rim, too.

I'm wondering if that's how God works...I think I'm right.

Thoughts? Advil? :)

For what it's worth, I think you are right too.

Advil?
:cof:

I LOVE thinking about this stuff. I do this kind of thinking between daily tasks or while doing mundane ones.
 
Originally posted by Modu$OperanDi
Time is not constant. It speeds up at high speeds, and gravity affects it aswell. If a spaceship were to circle a black hole as close as it could get to it without being sucked in...theoretically, it an the people in it could travel millions of years into the future. Time is basically an illusion, or, at least it's something we are nowhere near understanding. It is 100% subjective. Just think of how many different length hours you have felt.

Correct, time is relative. To one who is outside of time, all time is relatively the same speed or else at least accessible and changeable according to whim.

Images of distant galaxies are millions to billions of years old. 13.7 billion years is the scientific age of the universe, with a 1% margin of error.

If time is relative, that would be insignificant as an accurate tool. As related: time, space, and decay must all be on the same path. They HAVE to be interconnected liniarly even if they are all relative and subjective. There is no way to prove a straight anything looking from subjective observance of stars with current technology.

String theory suggests a pre-big bang unverse, where matter collapses, explodes, and repeats the cycle for all eternity - in the simplest of terms. It also calls for multiple universes. Parallel universes are also a scientific theory. If you enjoyed pondering space/time, I suggest you continue to read up, although everything you read will inevitably be filtered through your context of Christianity.

Believe it or not, the Bible agrees with this basic premise too, but the Creator has absolute authority to do a change up on a whim.

-He WILL give us new indestructable bodies.
 
Originally posted by DKSuddeth
she's recovering from a grueling 48 hours working in the new home getting it ready for move in. She'll be able to answer your questions early evening :cool:

LOL

So you want answers? I got em. I can take quantum understanding of time and space to a kindergarten level and make it easy. But DK is correct - Im falling over Im so tired.
Im NOT going to that house today. Im going to rest. :)

I just woke up (wow!!) but after Ive done the starbucks thing I'll see what I can add to this thread :)
 
Originally posted by KLSuddeth
LOL

So you want answers? I got em. I can take quantum understanding of time and space to a kindergarten level and make it easy. But DK is correct - Im falling over Im so tired.
Im NOT going to that house today. Im going to rest. :)

I just woke up (wow!!) but after Ive done the starbucks thing I'll see what I can add to this thread :)


lol!

My wife REALLY likes you, Lanyce.

:D
 
Originally posted by Modu$OperanDi
Time is not constant. It speeds up at high speeds, and gravity affects it aswell. If a spaceship were to circle a black hole as close as it could get to it without being sucked in...theoretically, it an the people in it could travel millions of years into the future. Time is basically an illusion, or, at least it's something we are nowhere near understanding. It is 100% subjective. Just think of how many different length hours you have felt.

Images of distant galaxies are millions to billions of years old. 13.7 billion years is the scientific age of the universe, with a 1% margin of error. String theory suggests a pre-big bang unverse, where matter collapses, explodes, and repeats the cycle for all eternity - in the simplest of terms. It also calls for multiple universes. Parallel universes are also a scientific theory. If you enjoyed pondering space/time, I suggest you continue to read up, although everything you read will inevitably be filtered through your context of Christianity.

I still would love the opportunity to chat with you outside of the board - I think it would be an extremely interesting conversation :)
 
Yeah KL I'd love to hear what you think about this given your background. I remember reading "The Arrow of Time" by lord knows who and found it absolutely fascinating. So yeah, when you have time give it a go, that'd be great!
 

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