Inspiration, apparition, revelation

Inspirations, Apparitions, Revelations


If we consider biblical tradition, permanent implication in the world, of a creative entity, of divine character, has never been object of revelations,
spiritual identity of the beings no more,
essential facts nevertheless !

Revelations concerned only some facts which has been recognised sacral by "awake", charismatic and responsible men, and it, probably out of necessity.
Moreover, nowadays several of this facts, often "marked" by myths and legends, are "false truths".

Fortunately henceforth, the knowledges in several domains, notably with neurobiology, enable from understanding numerous mysterious psychic phenomena differently, in particular the inspirations, apparitions and revelations.
What can we say about it ?

------------------

The remarkable concepts, ideas and texts, oldest, that mention mysterious powers of whom man has presentiment, and supernatural phenomena of which he is object sometimes, are unquestionably, those recognized revealed transmitted by biblical tradition, afterwards marked by greek philosophy.

Thus,
Clement of Alexandria (150, 215), a father of the Christian church, spoke about Greek philosophy, as if it was a second divine alliance which enables a better understanding of Jesus Christ.
As for Origen of Alexandria (185, 254), another Christian theologian, he has considered that the "logos" of the Writings (Word which comes from Father, God's Word) is also in nature and universe :
"In creation shines same light of the "logos"; as he is in the law's book, "logos" is in nature's book, it is enough to raise the eyes and to look." (cf. Homily on Genesis).

We can therefore think that at this epoch, for enlightened men, permanent implication of the "logos" in the world , was an indisputable and necessary fact, in spite of reserves of some theologians as saint Augustine (354, 430) :
" … Through a man puffed up with monstrous pride, you brought under my eye some books of the Platonists, translated from Greek into Latin.
There I read, not of course in these words, but with entirely the same sense and supported by numerous and varied reasons : In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him.
… Again, I read there that the Word, God, is born not of the flesh, nor of blood, nor of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God.
But that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, I did not read there." (cf. Confessions – Book VII, 9 to 14).

Regrettably, after numerous councils the belief of a permanent implication of the "logos" in the world , an intuition rich in credible expectations, was rejected.
It's why today, for the Christians, relations of God with the world, are passing exclusively by Jesus Christ and humanity,
as if universal laws was governing reality's dynamics,
as if this dynamics was not requiring from taking into consideration ceaselessly, of value references, notably the durations this intervals which are not space, but of transcendent order.

Saint Augustine moreover recognized this "exclusiveness" when he wrote with regard to soul, with regard to the souls :
"Yes Absolute Being, ..., my soul is in front of you as an earth without water. Yes, as she cannot of her own power be illuminated, as she cannot too of her own power be satisfied, …
the souls, you spray them by means of a fresh water source, hidden, so that also the earth gives its fruit. " (cf. Confessions – Book XIII, 16 to 21).

But, what is the source, what are means by which God gives (delegates) powers and information to human soul ?
At our knowledge, saint Augustine never said it.

*
Knowing that we evolve in a cyberworld where sense is omnipresent :
cogito ergo mundus vivit (I think therefore world is living),
and when we say "sense" that presupposes naturally, interpretation, transcendency, a transcendent creative entity,
how can we understand the prophecies ?
Can we be satisfied by speechs of some Jewish theologians, as Maïmonide (1135 - 1204), who has considered that only the mosaic has a divine nature, the other revelations being result of exceptional world's comprehensions ?,
Maïmonide who said besides, about philosophy of Aristotle, that he have retained only cogitations which enable from understanding better the Torah.

Certainly the prophecies are resulting of exceptional comprehensions, nevertheless for taking into consideration world's duality, its physical order and its transcendent order, we must have a rigorous semantics and consider it as fruit of activities which are managed by creative entity of divine character who animates us and who recognizes herself in the I (ego, subject, spirit).

Talking of this, let's quote some psychic phenomena rich in information.

About six centuries before J.C., Sakyamuni, the first buddha wanted to show that it was possible from releasing of the suffering by reaching a state of superior knowledge : the Bodhi (in reality it's a sublimated awakening).
Besides, he considered the bodhi as outcome of a long psychic progression marked by four main successive stages :
- the consciousness of the life's insignificance ; there is nothing good in the existence, so we must not desire too much,
- after profound meditations on pain and its sources, the consciousness of the knowledge's importance and of the necessity from being,
- reject of the desires and passions to possess wisdom,
- liberation of the illusion of the me (ego, subject), to reach a sublime state: the nirvana.

Obviously, these experiences can be only lived by individuals who have a good psychic state.
Already, for to endure without a moan the sufferings and misfortunes, is not it necessary to have a great strength of character ? :

"When I was sick, I spoke to nobody of sufferings of my body. Never I spoke about it to those who came to visit me. Always I discussed my usual subject, the nature of the things ....
Thus, my life was quiet and happy." (cf. Epicurus quoted by Marcus-Aurelius - Thoughts, Book IX, 41),

"Get rid of opinion, and groan : you are hurting me, is suppressed.
Get rid of groan : you are hurting me, and ache is suppressed." (Cf. Marcus-Aurelius - Thoughts, Book IV, 7).

Fortunately henceforth, we are far from this common observations and begin to understand psychic dynamics.

So, we know that for some persons, very little numerous it's true, sounds activate several simultaneous sensations which concern sight and touch.
This phenomenon, the synesthesia, was formerly recognized as a divine grace, now, according to the neurobiologists, it results of extremely rare synaptic connections.
In the same way, by means of similar connections, other individuals with their hypersensibility, "mixing" their beliefs, intentions and presentiments, hear happy voices (or unhappy), and it, as if this voices was real.

Nevertheless, these useful explanations are not sufficient.
Indeed, the synaptic connections are not primordial causes ; they only enable from grouping and "mixing" electromagnetic waves, primordial vectors of the sense, which go to neurons.
These mixings and groupings after innate interpretations, or innate and conscious interpretations, with education and according to the lived experiences, enable then elaboration of the value’s references, virtual prints, concepts, ideas, …, which are in the abstraction's domain.
Consequently, what can we say of the creative entity who interprets and structures brain ?

*
Concerning modifications of synaptic connections, I would like to quote a phenomenon which happened to me in Crete (I abandon temporarily "we" to write to first person).
One morning, very early, interrogating me as to processes which enable appearance of life, I have been object of a strange psycho-physical reaction ; some people would speak of paranormal phenomenon, even of revelation.
I have had so and suddenly, a new world’s comprehension whereas a mysterious heat was invading all my body, an internal heat which appeared to me to come from outside.
I have known great and different enjoyments and the body's reactions which accompany them but I may say that this phenomenon which never more occured, was completely different.
What explanation did I give ?

Evidently, that was not a God’s action.
But then what has probably happened ?
It is true that before this exceptional event, my abstraction domain was full of multiple information, a lot non-correlated, just like in one box containing pieces of a puzzle.
It is therefore reasonable to believe that because of intellectual effort which I made this morning there, some of this information were suddenly regrouped in a coherent way,
a regrouping which has necessitated reorganization of synaptic connections and due to its importance, gave an intense corporal reaction .
Nevertheless, even today, I can not understand why this internal heat appeared to me to come from outside.

Let's quote another essential fact that is never taken into consideration :
there is no contact between the molecules which compose the synaptic connections.
Indeed, the molecules, atoms and particles which compose this connections, are separated by immense spaces (by vacuums) as the cosmic objects (the stars, planets, ...).

Consequently, ineluctable question :
how the information and the biological processes organizations do they cross fathomless vacuums which separate the particles, atoms and molecules that compose the synaptic connections and the body ?,
and it, without modification (change) of the "sense".
We have already said it, it is possible by means of electromagnetic waves.
But, evidently, they have to be and recognized, and interpreted !

Regrettably, of great minds are satisfied with easy observations, as :
"When it takes place the illumination implies a considerable part of affectivity, and thus we cannot remain passive or indifferent. Every rare time that I have had it, I couldn't help having tears ..." (cf. Matter, thought - J.P. Changeux and Alain Connes),
even ambiguous and obscure :
"I think that the mathematician develops a sense, that we cannot reduce by sight, audition and touch, which enables him to perceive a reality with constraints but much more stable than a physical reality, because not localized in the space-time ..." (cf. Ibid.)..
Where does it reside this reality not localized in the space ?

Digression as for the artificial intelligence.

Any structure which enables from treating digitized information, for example, computer composed of "inert matter" or brain composed of "biologic matter",
distinguishes itself, in a first analysis, by two major characteristics :
- its capacity to do, in a minimum time, of successions of binary changes : of "0 to 1" or of "1 to 0 " (of non-activated state to activated state or of activated state to non-activated state).
For convenience, we chose the gobes as measure unit (10 power 9 operations, binary, elementary, per second).
- its memory counted by means of elementary units of information : the bits which are representative of the numbers "0" or "1" (non-activated or activated).

Let's take for example activity of photosensitive cells which constitute bottom of the eye (the rods and cones of the retina situated around visual axis).

Considering the processes which enable the digitalization, memorization and animated images,
and, knowing the difficulties for memorizing in a coherent way, characteristics of light's waves, for differentiating them, …, for mixing them and to compose in the abstraction's domain and according to innate processes, the virtual images which enable our world's understanding (processes much more complex than those used with the digital cameras),
it is reasonable to admit that analysis of a "image point" recognized by means of the eyes require at least 10 successive treatments per second,
every treatment necessitating 100 elementary binary operations,
and thus, for a photosensitive biologic cell, 1000 elementary binary operations per second.

On the other hand, seeing that every cell is a "pole (centre) of interpretation" connected to brain,
and that our body is composed by more than 10.000 billion cells having a similar binary treatment activity to the one of the cones and rods of the retina,
the brain should enable from effecting more than 10 million of gobes.
This estimation seems to us however very below reality.

Indeed, into the cells take place of ceaseless creation activities which require, too, binary operations.
Think to the immunization process ; in the cells are notably imagined, synthetized, experimented and utilized, according to lived experiences and universal references of value, molecules which must combat pathogenic agents,
molecules the structure of which will remain ignored, probably for ever, of the conscious understanding.
Without forgetting naturally, the concepts, ideas, anticipations, dreams, ..., that "furnish" our abstraction domain and which presuppose too data processings, ceaseless, with the corresponding binary operations.

If we want to evaluate number of "binary changes" which are treated by means of brain, it's therefore necessary to take into consideration working of this one.
That is why, knowing works of John C Ecclès, Nobel prize :

"The key activity of a synapse is that one of the synaptic vesicles liberates the transmitting substance which it contains : it’s an exocytosis … A nervous impulse sends a large number of ions Ca2+ in a button, thousands of times more than for the four ions Ca2+ required for the exocytosis.
… the action of the mental intention is only the probability's modification of the vesicular emission of the synapses activated." (cf. How the Self Controls Its Brain),

we retained estimations of Stuart Hammeroff :

"If we make hypothesis that microtubes are arranged in a parallel way and spaced of 100 nanometres, and that we take into consideration, in cerebral volume what corresponds to neuronal cytoplasm, we obtain approximately 10 power 14 microtubes in human brain. If each of them can change of state all 10 power -9 or all 10 power -11 second, all cerebral microtubes thus have a processing capacity of information of about 10 power 23 to 10 power 25 bits per second. ".

The human brain could effect (can effect) so, at least, "10 power 14 " to "10 power 16 " gobes.
As for its capacities of memorisation, they are of much superior to that of the computers configurations,
and it especially since brain cannot be separated from all body's cells ; think for example, to myriads of processes organizations with biological effects, of processes organizations with behavioral effects, even with deadly effects, memorized on DNA and RNA.
As a consequence, it is utopian to want to know exactly, the "equivalent memory" of the inseparable set : "brain - body".
We consider nevertheless that it is amply superior to "10 power 25 " bits.

As for the biggest computers ; according to the University of Mannheim (Germany) which updates regularly its classification of the most important computers, the most powerful this year 2013, would be the Chinese Tiahne-2 (named also Milky Way 2) which can do 33,8 petaflops, or about 33,8 million billion elementary binary operations per second (33,8 x 10 power 15).

Our brain ("10 power 14" to "10 power 16" gobes),  would be thus equivalent to more than 3 million big computers which would enable, individually, of treating some 30 petaflops (30 x 10 power 6 gobes) !
The supremacy of the human brain is obviously indisputable and it, although man cannot compete with computers, in numerous domains.

Other main remarks :

- computer, of the inert matter, cannot judge and to take into consideration the sense of the words, letters, sentences, …, concepts, ideas, speechs, without softwares which express the man's faculties and man's intentions.
It’s a tool without consciousness of the things and which never set a problem ; a spirit, that of the man, has to make it for him.
In other words, reactivity and power of the computers depends on technologies that we have of the inert matter, their "intentions" are those of the men who make the softwares.

- when we remember ourselves a word, this one "emerges" almost always associated with several concepts, ideas, …, and past situations.
Memorized in precise and specific cerebral zones, and interconnected, the virtual objects thus express the formatting of the brain made in particular during the education and according to the lived experiences.
Consequently, how not to think to fragmentation that affects the hard disks after a long use and which slows down the computers's functioning ?,
how not to imagine the "defragmentation" of the brain ?,
defragmentations which could be, in certain cases, a therapy.
Of brains "better formated rather than too full",
Michel de Montaigne (1533 – 1592) would not contradict us !

- creative entity of transcendent order, master of the "sense", who executes and uses the elementary changes : "0 to 1" or "1 to 0 " (non-activated state to activated state or of activated state to non-activated state) into brain, is too, directly implicated in body by means of the micro softwares which are in the cells.

Each of you, thus can judge the intelligence level of the computers and the "contents" that we must give to concept of artificial intelligence, today.

So much essential facts that the proselytes of the artificial intelligence, do not said !
End of digression.

*
Curiously, theologians, although they recognize in revelation a transcendent dimension, have never discussed really of the abstraction's domain where are the feelings, the presentiments, the concepts, the ideas,..., the apparitions, the intuitions, the prophecies and the revelations,
of this domain of all time, where take place the activities of transcendent order, which enable us from understanding the world and from having responsibilities.

Moreover, let's repeat again, to example of the current intelligentsia, the theologians still consider that it is some laws which manage the universal dynamics as if this laws was able to recognize, judge, choose, ..., integrate the world's evolutions in rigorous chronologies, … and to act.
Inexcusable credulity nowadays, at dawn of the third millennium !
Unceasingly we show it,
we evolve in a cyberworld where "sense" is omnipresent,
we evolve in an eternal cyberuniverse, for ever unfinished, where permanently, a creative entity of divine character, is implicated.

It is true, some monotheist theologians have had this intuition ; it was nevertheless difficult for them to express it clearly.
Let us quote st Gregory Palamas (1296 - 1359) an orthodox hermit who became archbishop of Thessalonica :
"Certainly, divinized men are not simply improved in their nature, but they receive also the divine energy: the Holy Spirit himself …
But, if it is so for the saints as it is for all creatures, in other words, if God, according to his subtle reflections, created the holiness into the saints in the same way that He created into the other beings the qualities which are convenient for them, why coming of J.C. on earth ? Once again, what need to send and to establish permanently the Spirit, from the beginning ? Indeed, He would have been in us and in the universe, but nevertheless God would be creative and deify." (cf. Of the divine and deifying participation or Of the divine and supernatural simplicity, 3).

What does remain of this realistic mysticism, of this Neoplatonism ?
Nothing ; this one was "swept" by an anthropocentric mysticism, often expressed by obscure speeches :

"There where, strong and alive, God, purpose of any life of the spirit, appears himself in front of the souls, his absolute power communicates itself in a quite spontaneous way to lived experiences, to statements and to options which concern Him. It is true for all religions, as well as for those which are big and sublime that for those which are confused and "poor". All think that they are absolute in their way to be ; they have the right of it as long as they have a spontaneous confidence in themselves ...
The absolute character of the rising historic religions is thus nothing else than the expression of the intimate and deep link that unites religions which are bearer of God's revelations, to God who express Himself by them ; this legitimacy of spontaneous pretensions to validity, is measuring itself in the redeeming force and liberating force which emanates from faith in them.",

"The God existence and his activity must not be seen or be proved according to world, nature or a small part of the earth history which are known … God only can make, that we know Him by means of the internal sensation and the certainty of the things's whole and of his Being, a fact that we call religious feeling or religious sensation and that precisely we consider clearly as God's presence in us." (cf. Ernest Troeltsch who inspired neo-Protestantism - a text published in 1913 : Revelation).

Let us be clear and precise.

We can henceforth show the permanent implication in the world, of a creative entity who in spite of her divine character is not omnipotent, it would be only because she cannot surmount universal constraints and because in us, she has to work for knowing and researching to know more.
This not omnipotent entity leads us therefore to recognition out of necessity, of an absolute reference, of a Supreme Transcendent Power that we name God.
So and regrettably, of God we know nothing other !

Mysteriously also, this creative entity delegates to every man, a tiny part of her responsibility since she recognizes herself in the I (ego, subject, spirit).
In particular, man cannot have a world's knowledge without "emergences" from his consciousness state, of more or less precise and subtle revelations.
The first of this revelations, is not it the one which enables to baby, at about twenty months, from becoming conscious of himself by recognizing himself in a mirror ?

But then, are we pantheists when we consider that God, the creative Entity of divine character (the "Divine") who manages universal dynamics, and universe, are expressing permanent interactions ?
Certainly not.
In the cyberworld of sacrificial character where we evolve, there are permanent interactions between what is real and what is potential, physical and spiritual, immanent and transcendent, temporal and eternal.
It’s why world is not God, no more than the "Divine" is "matter", no more than the "Divine" is God !

Evidently, the scientific theories and the philosophic and theological speeches will never enable "to penetrate" into the domains, the "orders", the "essences", according to us the entities without dimension, who are sources of the powers and interactions which, eternally, enable world's diversity, we want to speak of :
- the entity without dimension who is source of the energies and matter ; it is the universal energy about which all the scientists speak without nevertheless, to know her,
- the order of divine character who is source of the creative transcendent entity who, in and by us, theorizes and makes discourses.

Only some implication relations of the "Divine" in the world, are accessible to the conscious understanding,
but we have to look for them so that they enable plenitude of our spiritual life !


Paul Moyne
http://www.paulmoyne.com