Mitochondrial Eve

Eve in Paradise
(1305 Armenian Icon)

It’s interesting to note that science has become so much more believable than religion.

Case in point: Eve.  When the Bible speaks of all humans descending from one woman named Eve, many respond with cynicism.  Yet when scientists speak of all humans descending from one woman “who lived 200,000 years ago in Botswana,” many respond with assent.

These scientific findings stem from mitochondrial research, which is why this “Mother of all Folks” came to be known as “Mitochondrial Eve.”   At least the name stuck, even if the belief didn’t… 

Resources

https://en.as.com/latest_news/scientists-discover-that-all-humans-come-from-the-same-mother-who-lived-200000-years-ago-in-botswana-n/

Salt of the Interview

Salty Stone at Dead Sea
(Photo by xta11)

During biblical times, salt was a treasured item.  When Jesus called his followers “salt of the earth,” he was highlighting two essential qualities: flavoring and preservation.  The disciples were expected to enhance society in the way that salt enhances meals and were expected to preserve morality in the way that salt preserves food.

These days, business leaders have been utilizing salt to separate the sheep from the goats.  During lunch interviews, potential hires may be sneakily subjected to a “salt test.”  They are closely watched to see whether they salt their food before tasting it.  If they dare to commit such an offense, their chances of joining the company are immediately reduced to zero.  Why?  It is believed that those who hastily salt their food before analyzing the need for this may do the same with weighty on-the-job decisions.

Although minor choices sometimes do foreshadow major problems, a hasty hiring decision based upon one such narrow point seems already tainted.

Resources

https://www.ladbible.com/community/boss-salt-pepper-job-interview-trick-906471-20240509

https://www.gotquestions.org/salt-and-light.html#:~:text=Jesus%20used%20the%20concepts%20of%20salt%20and,role%20of%20His%20followers%20in%20the%20world.&text=In%20the%20same%20way%20that%20salt%20enhances,the%20flavor%20of%20life%20in%20this%20world. 

RFK Jr.: Compliance to Belief

RFK Jr. in 2000
(Photo by John Mathew Smith) 

Let’s face it: The outcome of compliance very much depends upon who’s complying with what, and why. 

When RFK Jr. sought to align his everyday choices with higher-ground morality, formerly addictive trends transformed into uplifting ones.  Inspired by Carl Jung’s book Synchronicity, RFK Jr. began to carefully revise the daily decisions that were subtly feeding his heroin habit.  One such change: Rather than dwelling upon depressing thoughts while lying around in bed each morning, he instead chose to quickly switch gears upon awakening. 

At first it was a matter of repeatedly “acting as if,” but after a while his better-angel choices gathered a momentum of their own.  This momentum began to include synchronicities, which Jung defined as “chance occurrences from a statistical point of view, but meaningful in that they may seem to validate paranormal ideas…”

"Acting as if" type compliance with wholesome options can therefore morph into a series of virtuous habits, which can eventually lead to faithful belief. 

Resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJB1Ym2APbk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronicity_(book)

 

 

 

In the Garden

Church of the Holy Sepulchre
(Photo by Gerd Eichmann)

Many can recall Mary Magdelene’s encounter with “the gardener” standing outside Jesus’ tomb.  A recent archaeological discovery lends credence to this well-known story.

An Independent headline reads, “Discovery of ancient garden beneath Jesus’ burial site backs up Biblical account.”  This discovery includes “2,000 year-old olive trees and grapevines… under the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.”

John 19:41 clearly states, “Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb...”  Scholars have associated this garden with the original Garden of Eden, likening it to the rebirth of Creation.

Pastor Brian Zahnd explains that Jesus is a “gardener cultivating resurrection life in all who will come to him…  Gardeners have their hands in the humus.  (We are humans from the humus.)”

Resources

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/ancient-garden-jesus-burial-site-bible-b2727975.html

https://brianzahnd.com/2018/03/mistaken-as-the-gardener/

It's still Easter!

Easter Lily
(Public Domain)

Although many have moved on to merry thoughts of May, it’s actually still Eastertide.  It will remain so until Pentecost Sunday (aka Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun), which isn’t until 49 days past Resurrection Sunday (or 39 days past within Eastern Christianity).

Easter is not confined to a particular day, no matter how joyous.  It instead encompasses an entire season during which the joy heightens and deepens. 

In the weeks before the risen Christ ascended into Heaven, numerous encounters occurred on earth.  Acts 1:3 states: “After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.  He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”

This therefore is a sacred time in which to seek confirmation of Eternal Life.  For it is Jesus Himself who declared: “Seek and you will find.”

 Resources

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastertide

Unleavened

Matzoh on Seder Plate
(Photo by Claude Truong-Ngoc)

Sooner or later, supermarket shoppers come across the Passover staple known as matzah.  Although some may savor its crunchy bite, most favor its religious significance. 

Often described as “unleavened flatbread,” and sometimes as “the bread of affliction,” matzah has long been associated with the Israelites’ flight from Egyptian slavery.  Exodus 12:18 states: “From the evening of the 14th day of the first month until the evening of the 21^st day, you are to eat matzah.”  Deuteronomy 16:3 adds: “Thus you will remember the day you left the land of Egypt as long as you live.”

How so?  Simply put: When on the run, it’s not only difficult to wait for dough to rise, but also impossible to keep it from spoiling beneath the harsh desert sun. Symbolically, this “poor man’s bread” also reminds the faithful to remain humble.

 Resources

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matzah    

Feeling lucky?

Seven Lucky Gods
(Painting by Hokusai et al.)

Sometimes you just know…

Shortly before scoring bigtime with the North Carolina Education Lottery, Terry McCall was feeling like a winner.  He even assured his son that a “major windfall" was on its way.

Soon after that, McCall purchased a scratch-off ticket from a grocery store along his usual route.  It turned out to be worth $100,000 before taxes.

Back in December, McCall had won another $2,000.  Just  random luck… or perhaps really good karma?

Resources

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/03/10/lotto-north-carolina-education-lottery-predicted win/7931741636521/