Wednesday 29 April 2009

The eternal question...

A few things were made aware to me this evening, which lead to a few thoughts...I'm sorry if this isn't the most coherent blog, it is quarter past three in the morning, but hopefully it will make some kind of sense.

It seems we are forever trying to understand where we, as humans, came from, and how the world was created.

There are various theories, from creationism, big bang theory, to the idea that we are living inside some kind of larger being, much like microorganisms live inside ourselves.

Science is often used to disprove the christian God, but surely science can only exist if there is a God.

One concept that is difficult to get your head round is the idea that there is an eternal God who created the world. Often we can't fathom the concept that there is an eternal creator who created the world. Indeed, who created God? If we went down that route, it wouldn't work. Because whoever created God, had to be created, and in tern they had to be created, so it is a never ending circle of creation of a God that created the next God, who finally created the universe and the earth. It would mean that there had to be a start. So time had to be created at some point, which is an idea that I just can't get my head round. As time had to be created somehow, and if nothing existed before time, then time wouldn't have been created! Anyway...

Therefore there must be eternality (not sure if that is a word...) in any theory of how the world was created. For the big bang to happen, there must either have been eternal matter, that had existed for, well, eternity, that at one point created the bang at the given moment in time. Or there must have been an eternal creator, or God, created the world, quite possibly using the make up of the big bang to create the world.

I'm not great on science, but I'm sure it has been proven somewhere at some point that the gases used to create life from the big bang is possible. I think it is perfectly possible that God used these gases, this matter, to create the world, because he knew that combination created life as he intended.

In terms on which theory is right, basing it on our human understand of creation in this day and age, I heavily lean towards God, a creator. In fact, I more than just heavily lean. I am certain. In order for something to be created in the world today, it must have human interference, or else nothing will be created.

If the big bang happened without the interference of a creator, then why did it that at that point in time? If the eternal matter that was there, was always there, which is must have been for it to be eternal, then why didn't the big bang, happen before? Therefore would be no control over the reactions of these gases or these matters. Therefore, the surely must have been a creator who knew how these matters worked, and what they could be used for, and was for creation. The creator had to have control over these matters in order for them to be used to create at that point in time.

So, it does boil down to eternal matter, or eternal God? Science is great. Science explains mechanism, but it doesn't prove life.

Tuesday 28 April 2009

Sampling the life, to find reality

So, this is my first blog post.

Currently sat down to a mixture of sound, consisting of violin and thirty second samples of songs from spotify. Which, if you don't have, is essential.

After much deliberation I decided to name this blog, an attempt to make some sense. Whether aware of it or not, it seems to be the number one priority for most. I guess it dictates thought, words, actions amongst other things.

I am currently in the middle of finishing my dissertation and final composition at university, both of which are based around the idea of sampling.

My focus for both works have been largely musical, but the practice of sampling is surely a part of everyday life, in the things we do, think and say. Everyone draws of things they hear and see and adapt them into their own lives. Looking for a better future, they look to other aspects of life, and the past to find it. William Burroughs did after all say, "you cut up the past, to find the future".

You can take this as deep as you want. But I think it does go deeper than simply liking your mates t-shirt/jean combo and referencing it in your own attire.

How does it apply to faith and religion?

Can you draw from everything around you to find the real truth? Is it a set menu to choose from?

I won't recount my entire thought process of this, mainly as I don't really have the patience to sit hear for another half an hour! However...

One common world view is that all views, faiths and religions lead to God. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, and bish, bash, bosh, you have your faith. With good works, a feeling an self satisfaction and some obligatory laws to obey and you can generally find your way to the truth. You can take a bit of one faith, add some views that sound good from another, and you can generally find an answer that can satisfy the little niggling inside you that just wants to know who you are, what you mean, and why you are here.

Apart of me would love to a grand conclusion that my practice of sampling in music production correlates with faith. However, in the sense that you can take parts of other beliefs, religions and life to create, or find the faith that you are looking for, I can't see that it is possible.

I do think, that you can draw from life, to find the truth. There is one truth, which can be made more clear in a variety of ways, yet these different paths funnel into one way. That is the unexpected beauty of it.

I'm going to refrain from giving the end to my conclusion, but if you know me you could probably guess where I am heading. So you can sampling life to find reality. But it's not a simple matter of pasting things together to create that reality. I think its a case of referencing what you see and hear around you, and thinking, does this add up to life in its fullest reality. Drawing on what you see and hear can raise questions from existence to social justice. Those questions are fine on their own, but its what you do with them that counts.

If things were to stop now, do you have all the questions, and d o you have all the answers to those questions. I don't have all the answers yet. But I know the reality that those questions sit in. Anyway, just crossed my mind...