2002.1130.0730

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our Light, not our darkness that most frightens us.Actually, who are you not to be?You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.It is not in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine,we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.As we are liberated from our own fear,our presence automatically liberates others.

-- Nelson Mandela - 1994 Inaugural Speech

close your eyes and be safe

michael crichton says of his new novel 'prey', that when it comes to the laws of unintended consequences, character doesn't matter. the world can be held in nuclear blackmail and it doesn't matter that a nice guy invented the way to split the atom with only the best intentions.

scientific and technological evolutions occur because of the economic opportunity they present. therefore they will continue because of the basic human quality of greed and opportunism. so what happens is what happens because it can happen. evolution plays dice with the shape of human character in the mix, and we are willing partners in our own evolution, for better or worse. the planet is fine; if it fails to support human life, it's still a planet.

crighton's observation provides an excellent rationale for religion. if you apply scientific discipline in search of a cure for cancer you may very well find one. it might turn out to be a doomsday device, but that doesn't matter. the searching has been done and the finding may well have been inevitable, human character be damned. however, if you pray for an eon, god will not show up and provide the miracle, ever. god itself is not interested and is basically silent on the matter. all you have is human interpretation of the cognosphere.