Exothermic

The second coming paradox

Posted on November 19th, 2007 by kyrie

From Wikipedia: The Milky Way Galaxy

“The Milky Way is estimated to contain up to 400 billion stars. As a guide to the relative physical scale of the Milky Way, if it were reduced to 130 km (80 mi) in diameter, the Solar System would be a mere 2 mm (0.08 inches) in width. The Galactic Halo extends outward, but is limited in size by the orbits of the two Milky Way satellites, the Large and the Small Magellanic Clouds whose perigalacticon is at ~180,000 light-years. New discoveries indicate that the disk extends much farther than previously thought.

The Sun (and therefore the Earth and Solar System) may be found close to the inner rim of the Galaxy’z Orion Arm, in the Local Fluff, at a hypothesized distance of 7.62±0.32 kpc from the Galactic Center.The distance between the local arm and the next arm out, the Perseus Arm, is about 6,500 light-years.The Sun, and thus the Solar System, is found in what scientists call the galactic habitable zone. The Apex of the Sun’s Way, or the solar apex, is the direction that the Sun travels through space in the Milky Way. The general direction of the Sun’s galactic motion is towards the star Vega near the constellation of Hercules, at an angle of roughly 60 sky degrees to the direction of the Galactic Center. The Sun’s orbit around the Galaxy is expected to be roughly elliptical with the addition of perturbations due to the galactic spiral arms and non-uniform mass distributions. In addition the Sun oscillates up and down relative to the galactic plane approximately 2.7 times per orbit. This is very similar to how a simple harmonic oscillator works with no drag force (dampening) term. It takes the Solar System about 225 to 250 million years to complete one orbit (a galactic year), and so it is thought to have completed about 20 to 25 orbits during its lifetime or 0.0008 orbit since the origin of humans. The orbital speed of the solar system is 220 km/s, i.e., 1 light-year in ca. 1400 years, and 1 AU in 8 days.”

These are astronomically mind-boggling figures that one cannot fully comprehend it without being branded a nerd. And yet that’s only the Milky Way that my Physics instructor said is only one of the many. Now go figure the vastness of space while maintaining your sanity. From the figures above, it is easy to believe that we are not alone in this universe. There may not be another Earth but certainly there are other standing and walking think tanks somewhere out there. That is probably why Star Trek is one of the longest and most popular sci-fi stories ever created. The interest of knowing that there is somebody out there tickles our fancy.

As I come to gather my self after a few bewildered moments I couldn’t help but envisage the certain possibility that there is someone like me out there feeling helpless in the presence of this grandeur. Although this someone might not look like me but together with his kind might have been praising the same god. They may have the same intelligence like us or probably more advance. But in the same way they may have been a slave of sin just like us. Then they might have somebody like Jesus to save them from eternal damnation. But my question, would their savior die like our Jesus? Will they slay their Jesus in a crude way or by a super advance procedure? Anyhow, the meaning of His death will be the same so don’t dwell on it.

The story of their salvation should certainly be different. Consequently, the second coming of their Christ and the events that will follow will be different. During that time, will they witness and experience the same punishment like the one we will as it is written in the book of Revelation? As I was pondering these possible events, it dawned on me a reason why in the final days the earth will not be totally destroyed. Just imagine what a scenario it will be if all the inhabitants of the universe will be gathered in one final place. How would you react if you meet somebody that looks like from one of the Star Trek episodes? Will you look at the likes Worf or Reman Viceroy and still feel the same? Oh, I remember, we haven’t figured it out yet if their Christ will look the same as our beloved Jesus. Alas! I didn’t expect these scenarios demands a lot of my minds graphic accelerator.

“Hey Master Yoda! You’ve actually made it! How about Obi-Wan Kenobi?

These ideas may seem too absurd but can be enjoyable to tackle sometimes. Anyhow, these immeasurable wonders are beyond comprehension. We can just marvel the power of the One who made all of these and be immense in the glory of His majesty.　And I wouldn’t have to wonder either about how and when my Christ will come.

These are the words of a song that defines it all:

“O Lord my God when I’m in awesome wonder,

consider all the worlds thy hands have made.

I see the star; I hear the rolling thunder,

thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul my savior God to thee,

How great thou art, how great thou art.

Then sings my soul my savior God to thee,

How great thou art, how great thou art”.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,

and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.

Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,