Brain ...waves!

I absolutely love the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews 11:8-39 in particular, is one of my favorite sections. To have such faith would entail an unwavering conviction on what the Bible tells us. To accept the existence of things both seen and ...unseen whether it can or cannot be explained by the human condition. Let me explain!

I remember growing up on the island of Karpathos. Kids are so impressionable and inquisitive. I was no different. I remember nagging my grandmother with endless questions. Some of my inquiries were mundane, which we will not discuss here, but other questions were rather important!

"Where does God live?"
"Up there" she would say, pointing to the sky!
"Why can't we see God?
"God is invisible, but He can see you ...especially when you're bad!"
"Is God married?"
"No"
"Well, how can He have a son if He doesn't have a wife?"
"Because He can. That's why He's God!"


This would go back and forth for awhile. I would ask the question and she would provide me with the answer. I never questioned her response. What she told me was fact. I could never sense any doubt from her part and I believed her. I miss my grandmother so much. She was so patient with me, and taught me so many things!

"What happens when we die?"
"If you're good you will go to Heaven, but if you're bad you will go to hell!"

That of course brought on more questions and then, even more answers. The innocence of a child!



1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 18:1-4 (NRSV)



"Are we all gonna die?"
"All except those who will be alive when Christ returns. All the people who have been good will go to Heaven with Jesus Christ, but if you were bad you will be cast into hell." "God can even read your thoughts, you know!"

The next time I remember hearing that, was many years later at the house of a friend, Eric Smith, in Williamsport. John Leo was there too. We were teenagers now and we were listening to George Carlin's infamous "Class Clown" album. You know, the "seven words" that you can't say, or rather couldn't say, on television. It seems that you can say anything on television these days!

Before George gets to the "bad words" part, on the album, he talks about growing up as an Irish Catholic, and goes on to poke some fun at confession.


George Carlin is troubled that he must confess his "impure thoughts", because he is "heavily into puberty" now, if he is to be forgiven for those sins. That seemed very odd. Here was George Carlin, a self professed "master of filth", who was saying something meaningful even in the midst of probably one of the most profane creations ever to be recorded. Even in his mind there was no question about it, thinking something bad was just as sinful as actually doing it. Either way ...God knows! So, why am I bringing all of this up? Well, because now we actually have scientific evidence that may help some understand how this might be possible even in human terms.

Recently, there was a study at a University Neurophysiology lab where human volunteers were subjected to a test. Each subject was asked to say or read a sentence out loud. During this time neuromagnetic recordings of their brain activity were made. The same subjects were then instructed to once again say or read that same sentence by "thinking"it. No sound was to be made the second time around. The neuromagnetic waves during this phase of the study were also recorded.


What they found was that whether we said something or just merely thought that very thing, the neuromagnetic tracing was identical. Imagine that!


27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matt 5:27-28 (NRSV)