Post by billPost by B.G. KentPost by billI believe that I experienced an apparition about 25 years ago however
it seemed to have no apparent religious connotation.
Bill
B - Oh do tell Bill!
I saw a sign from either my father or one of my angels just after my
father died.
Bren
I was in bed one evening reading a book in our room at the rear of our
hose when it suddenly seemed that the entire front section of the
house was no longer there and I could see two people standing on the
council footpath about five metres away from me wearing full length
coats and illuminated by a street lamp.
I 'heard' one them ask if I would be prepared to work with them and
when I replied "yes" the other one 'said' "We will be in touch with
you."
I had minimal interest in, or knowledge of, physics and mathematics
yet two weeks later my son, Glenn, showed me an article in a science
magazine that dealt with a method, based on Albert Einstein's special
theory of relativity, of obtaining time travel - which I also had very
little interest in and did not accept.
Glenn could not explain why he gave me this magazine.
The article detailed special theory's concepts of time dilation and
length contraction but when I asked Glenn to explain these concepts
to me he, being aware of my gross ignorance in mathematics, insisted
that t would take too long so I went 'back to school' at the local
library where I found, to my surprise, that various academically
qualified authors of science books totally disagreed with each other
on the subject of time dilation.
In my ignorance I had been of the opinion that physics, being based on
'irrefutable' mathematical equations, was an 'exact' science and could
not understand why they would disagree with each other.
Over the ensuing years I made several findings mainly as the result of
serendipitous events one of which extended over a period of five years
but had a window of opportunity of just a few seconds.
Einstein was one of several notables such as Beethoven Mozart and
Edison all of whom insisted that their ideas were not of their own
volition but that they simply appeared in their minds.
I have written a manuscript titled 'Beyond the Light Barrier'
incorporating my findings some of which have been published in
metaphysics magazines and one of them in the prestigious, peer
reviewed, Canadian science journal "Apeiron'.
One of the chapters deals with the topic 'Science Vs Religion' showing
that many physicists seem to be
trying to establish their own theology. In his book 'God and the New
Physics' Paul Davies wrote "In my opinion science offers a surer path
to God than religion."
In his book 'The Matter Myth' Davies wrote that due to the inherent
uncertainty of physics people seem to be turning away from that
subject toward religion however he insists that theologians should not
dabble in questions that lie outside the field of religion but
apparently sees no hypocrisy in scientists dabbling in the field of
theology.
In 1921 Einstein insisted that the time dilation and length
contraction concepts presented in special theory have no application
to reality and if this is correct then special theory should no longer
be considered, as it is, as being the foundation of all modern
physics.
I often think that the apparition I experienced so many years ago was
analogous to Einstein's ideas appearing in his mind and that I am
helping to show that the beliefs held by many scientists that special
theory is sacrosanct have no basis in reality.
A person, a self-admitted atheist, interviewing Paul Davies on tv
stated that whilst he could not understand much of what Davies was
saying he accepted it 'on a basis of faith' yet he would openly
castigate anyone who has the same attitude in relation to religion.
Bill
Einstein apparently had the ability to visualise his physical theories
in simple ways. Obviously he needed the mathematical ability to then
explain these visualisations in what might be called physical theory.
Now this ability to visualise in this way was a gift. While Einstein
was not religious, he did seem to have a belief that there was an
intelligence behind the universe.
So even the great Einstein was GIVEN his abilities. However he had to
single mindedly apply them.
On the other hand, his visualisations usually came after he had been
pondering a problem for months or years. So they didn't occur in a
vacuum.
St. Paul had what might be called an "apparitional" view of Christ on
the way to Damascus. But it is also likely he had been pondering the
martyrdom of Stephen for some time, when Stephen's face took on the
appearance of an angel, and who claimed He saw the Father and Son in
heaven. Paul, then Saul, had been there, and had in fact guarded
Stephen's clothers. Saul may even have been responsible for Stephen's
arrest. On the road to Damascus he was probably pondering what he'd
seen on Stephen's face, how he died, and wondering about this Christ
figure who had been crucified just a few years before.
In short, in the Biblical sense, there is usually a preparation
period.
I had an apparitional view of my father the night he died. Although
he died at least 10 kilometres away in a suburb called Nundah, and I
was living in a suburb called Yeronga, he appeared in my room. Now I
had no idea he had died, and was not told by human means for another
four days, for the simple reason his body was not found for four days.
However this apparition brought with it certain characteristics which
spoke of judgement. There was also a preparation of twenty years of
constant ridicule and abuse at his hands, broken only by about five
years when we lived apart. Apart from some of the things that were
said, such as "I've come ..." or "I've been sent..." (I forget which,
since it was 28 years ago) "... to apologise for the way I've treated
you" at the very beginning, He finished with this blood curdling
scream at the very end, at which point he simply disappeared. Amongst
his other comments ..."I served the devil. You do too, but you'll
become a Christian" and "I always was doomed. I didn't really have
any choice!" (which I still have trouble coming to grips with). He
did however later say "I was willing".
He also made the unpleasant comment, "You'll be the world's laughing
stock!" (for a season apparently, after which point the critics will
stop laughing rather quickly. Don't ask me what that's about,
although I think I've got some ideas what it probably implies). I
suppose putting this stuff on the internet, which didn't exist in 1979
when he died, is one way to get a worldwide reputation as a religious
nut.
I've had two different opinions from two people I respect in the
religious sense. One was my first pastor, who commented "If that was
sent by the devil, it was for one reason only - to destroy you". On
the other hand, a very spiritual Catholic psychiatrist I go to for
depression, rarely now, said "I've been thinking about what you said.
I think you really did see your father that night". Which would
indicate that my father was sent to apologise for his cruel, stupid,
bad-tempered, vindictive treatment immediately before going to Hell,
if my interpretation is correct. Take your pick - they're the two
responses I've had.
Now in the case of Bill's vision there seems to have been no
preparation, it seems to have no Scriptural warrant, and deals with an
abstruse area of physics in which Bill had no prior experience, or
even training. Einsteins visualisations were more along the lines of
being able to wilfully imagine physical concepts, although he did
concede some of the answers just seemed to pop into his head at a
certain time. As far as I'm concerned, that was our subtle God in
action, giving the answer, while making it appear it came from the
man's own thoughts, so that the critical point in a person's
relationship to God remains faith.
So I can only put Bill's vision down to one of three explanations -
one is that God was allowing him enough insight into a question to
picque his curiousity. Another is that is was pure self induced
imagination, whether deliberately or unintentionally. The third was
that a demonic spirit was setting Bill up for a lot of wasted effort,
and in the end, ridicule.
I suspect the third, but I don't want to destroy Bill's rationale just
in case it was the first. So if I were Bill, I suppose I'd persevere
for the time being, while at the same time remaining well aware he
could be the victim of a spiritual hoax.