Thoughts On Japan

I was glad that my job gave me an opportunity to work and live in Japan for 6 weeks.  I stayed on a small island, Tanegashima, that reminded me more of the small farming town where I grew up, than the bustling metropolises that I usually associate with Japan.  It was a quiet place where restaurants opened when they wanted to, and nobody seemed to be in a hurry.  Also, I was able to use a few vacation  days to see some of the larger cities, Kagoshima, Kyoto, and Tokyo.  They had their own unique charm.

There were many experiences that I could share; however, I will share two experiences that capture the essence of what I learned from the Japanese culture: a trip to the beach in Tanegashima and a temple in Kyoto.

For someone who grew up in a land-locked state, the beach is a special place.  I have been to beaches in California and on the East Coast, but the beaches of Tanegashima are extra beautiful.

Near the end of my trip, I took the rental car and went to a beach close to my hotel.  The island has beautiful, mostly abandoned, white sand beaches.  On most days the waves gently lapped their way onto the beaches, but on windy days the waves pounded the beaches and the rocking outcroppings that framed them.  On the day of this visit the wind was churning up the  sea.

As I think back to walking along the beach, I believe beaches (especially abandoned ones) have something to teach us about life.  First, waves erase our footprints.  This is symbolic of the ethereal nature of our existence on this earth.  Our effect is often erased by the passage of time.  Second, each wave looks similar from afar, but if you pay attention, you will notice that each wave is unique.  Our lives, like waves, are similar when viewed from a distance, but the more we get to know ourselves and others, the better we appreciate the infinite variety of mankind.  Finally, waves coming in and out reminds us that what is will not always be, and that what once was may be again.  Their is a cyclic nature to life and history that demands we keep a healthy perspective of both the good and the bad.

The Japanese, I believe, benefit greatly from the above mentioned lessons of beaches.  They are a spiritual people that have a great understanding of the ebb and flow of life and history, both embracing the technology of the future and worshiping the past.  They are a people that value conformity, but are as uniquely individual as any American.  And, they strive for perfection in their jobs, but can relax and have fun.

I visited many temples and shrines while in Japan.  Though there are Christian churches, the vast majority of Japanese are not Christians.  I do not completely understand their beliefs, but I can appreciate a little bit of their unique spirituality.

When entering a temple (and in some cases a business or home), you must remove your shoes.  This can lead to cold feet in the middle of winter, but this practice reminds the guest that he/she is entering a place that is different, or set-apart, from the world.

The temple decorations depict nature through paintings and gardens (both rock and plant).  Unlike with some of the western artwork I have seen, there seems to be a focus on the entire space, instead of just the artwork itself.

The feeling of these sacred spaces is one of reflection.  Western religious places where I have been focus  the worshiper on an individual or a pantheon of Gods, this temple focuses the worshiper towards the inner-self.  This does not mean that there are not holy people around which the temples are built, but that these individuals are more teachers than divine beings.

Instead of one building, there are many, each serving a unique cult, reminding us that diverse ideas can harmoniously coexist in one place.  This is a lesson that is sorely needed in a world of competing ideas.

I remain strong in my own faith.  I know that there is a God and that his son Jesus Christ atoned for the sins of mankind.  My faith is strengthened as I see how God, our Heavenly Father, inspired others to seek a path of enlightenment which brought out their best.  I am grateful for a religion that teaches that all people, even those who never knew Christ, can receive a place in his presence as they are true to the knowledge which he has given them.

Japan is a beautiful country, rich with lessons to be learned.  I hope I could communicate a little of what I learned.

If you get a chance, enjoy a new culture and learn something new!

Capture the Moment

I recently watched a Mormon Message that reminded me of some important principles.  So much of our lives are spent rushing forward to the next big moment, that we forget to enjoy the succession of small moments that make up the bulk of our lives.  Large moments are life's roads signs, telling us how far we have come and pointing in us in new and exciting directions.  Small moments are the pebbles by which we pave this path of life.

We can miss the small moments in life if we are not careful.  I have a pretty cool job! Sometimes I am walking from one meeting to another, or lost in though over a difficult problem, and I just stop.  I think to myself, "Could I have ever imagined that my professional life would have taken me where I am now?"  I build spaceships for a living! Unfortunately, most days I go into work and come home from work without a single thought to how amazing my job really is.  The same can be said of a seemingly infinite number of moments in our lives: a typical day in a child's life, ice cream, a sunset, a walk in the park, a courteous driver (they do exist), reaching a personal goal, taking an afternoon nap, talking with a friend...  The way we chose to experience these moments makes or breaks our day.  Yet, too often, we forget them almost as soon as they happen.  Take time each week to look back and remember the small moments that defined that week.

Recently, I got to visit the Japanese Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) as a part of my job. Our group looked like a bunch of tourists.  Our cameras were out as we captured the breathtaking views of the ocean and island from several hundred feet in the air.  Very few of us were enjoying the vistas unimpeded by a camera (myself included).  

While pictures are an important means to capture and to relive a moment, sometimes we forget to make the memory we are trying to capture.  We become so engrossed in framing the photo just right, adjusting the exposure to capture the lighting, and waiting for all of the distractions to get out of the way (usually some person), that we forget to look at the picture.  By lowering our camera, we allow the full sensory and social scene to be recorded in our minds.  Can a picture of the beach record the feel of sand between our feet, the laugh of a child, the cool wind sending a slight shiver down our back, and the smell of salt water...both pungent and fresh?  No!  Take time to capture a moment with your brain and not just your camera.

We risk missing much of our lives by staring at electronic screens, instead of experiencing the world around us.  We all know this.  Yet, why do you and I still spend so much of our time lost in our electronic worlds?  Make a goal right now to put aside some time everyday without electronics.  Next time you go on a trip, experience the sights without an electronic device, even if it is just for a few minutes.  If possible, have a face-to-face conversation with your boss, business associate, friend, or family member.  Take time to see the world without an electronic filter.

Enjoy the moment!  Put down your camera, cell phone, or tablet.  Remove your earphones. Close your computer.  Turn off the TV.  Pull over the car.  Take a deep breath.  Stop.  In this moment of inactivity you will discover something amazing.  You are truly living!  If you practice, you will be able to recall these snapshots in time, even long after they have happened.  They will become a habit that leaves your life more full of gratitude and joy. The unhappy moments that we all experience will become better teachers.  At least that is my hypothesis...try the experiment with me!        

A Reasonable Faith

For a century or more there has been a debate between science and faith.  Statements like, "Science has shown..." are pitted against "God says...", in both spoken and written coversations.  Rarely, are the two statements shown to be complimentary instead of contradictory.  But are these two statements always at odds?  I propose that both science and faith can lead to truth.

How are science and faith used to find truth?

Let's define science and faith.  Science is the study of the world around us through use of the scientific method.  "Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."(Alma 32:21)  We will use these definitions for the rest of the discussion.

Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet, explains the process for obtaining knowledge through faith.  This process parallels the scientific method.  The list below outlines the parallels between Alma's process (taught in Alma 32) for obtaining knowledge through faith, and the scientific method.  

1. Learn the doctrine of Christ (verse 23)  - Form a hypothesis based on physical or mathematical observation
2. Experiment upon the words of Christ (verse 27) - Test the hypothesis through experimentation
3. Observe how following Christ begins to change your life for the good (Verse 28-29) - Make observations about the experiment that confirm or refute the original hypothesis
4. Continue to experiment on the words of Christ (verse 30) - Continue to test the hypothesis to ensure that the results are correct
5. Conclude that the word of Christ is truth (verse 30-33) - Conclude that the hypothesis is truth or false
6. Continue to experiment on the words of Christ (verse 34) - Continue the search for knowledge through application of the scientific method

For further understanding, I encourage you to go to http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/32?lang=eng to read the verses above.  Also, in the New Testament the Savior invites us to act on His words to know that they are true (see John 7:17).

What if I just don't have a lot of faith?

Faith is a principle that we all use, whether religious or not, whether scientists or not.  We must act without absolute knowledge that what we are doing will lead to the intended results.  Most of the time we act in faith without even thinking about it.  However, how we exercise faith will determine whether we will be happy or sad in this life.   

Faith in an infinitely wise and loving Heavenly Father leads us to a happier life.  If we want to know whether our Heavenly Father exists and whether his word is truth, we can read his scriptures, communicate with him through prayer, and then apply what we learn to our lives.  If the fruits of our inquiry are happiness (not the same thing as fun), then we know that what we have learned is good.  As we listen to our heart, we will know which fruits are good and which fruits are evil.  Through this application of faith, we will come to a knowledge that God lives and that He loves us, that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and that He calls prophets today to guide his people.   

Faith that is exercised in our worldly pursuits can lead to happiness, too.  We need to observe which actions make us happy, which actions are fun but then lead to sorrow, and which actions immediately lead to sorrow.  As we conscientiously apply this principle we will find happiness..

What if there are specific scientific or religious assertions that seem to contradict each other?

While contradictions between scientific assertions and religious assertions exist, we must ask ourselves some questions before making a final judgement.  Does the particular assertion being made impact my life directly?  Does science have the tools to adequately explore a problem, and if so, is there a consensus?  Are the religious opinions I hold backed up by scripture, prophetic witness, and the Spirit?  Is the "scientific" assertion being made based on science or simply on reasoning?  Are the terms defined the same between the scientific and religious assertions?        

Many scientific discoveries or religious beliefs don't affect how we live our lives.  Most people don't change their behavior based on whether God created the world over millions of years or whether it was created in 6 earth days.  The important thing is that God created the world.  Most doctors don't change how they study medicine based on descriptions (or lack thereof) of how Christ healed people.  If Christ healed with a power that is unknown to them it doesn't hinder them from doing the best they can with the understanding they have.  If a conflict doesn't lead to a change in our lives we should not let conflict destroy our belief in science or in God.  Also, we should not to fixate on these topics to disprove or prove once and for all, that we are right and the other guy is wrong.

Science is a dynamic and ever changing field and is currently discovering new truth.  Each year hundreds of thousands of articles are published that outline new discoveries, that confirm old discoveries, and/or disprove long held theories.  Our understanding grows as new tools are discovered and new studies are performed.  We should be slow to throw away or faith over questions that have not been fully explored in science.  Also, we should be skeptical of long-held religious opinions that seem to be soundly disproved using science.     

Many of our religious beliefs are not universal truth, but personal belief.  These beliefs can come from our upbringing, from popular religious consensus, personal revelation, or from personal interpretation of the word of God.  In some cases, we apply these beliefs to our family, friends, and anyone else who will listen.  We even go as far as to reject any scientific claim that contradicts our belief.  We should not reject the truth that science provides because of strongly held personal beliefs that have not been established by multiple spiritual witnesses (2 Corinthians 13:1), and we should recognize that sometimes the Lord reveals to us things that are only for our personal benefit.  

Sometimes reasoned arguments are used as pseudo-science to justify an opinion.  Science is based on careful experimentation and observation; often, grounded in mathematical explanations of physical phenomenon.  Pseudo-science reasoned arguments take this science and then reason to a new conclusion.  Reasoning is an important part of the decision making process, but, it cannot be used in place of science and faith.  Instead, reasoning is used to look beyond the current data to create new hypothesis.  These new hypothesis then can be tested using the scientific method or faith.  

To compare two ideas a common vocabulary must be used.  Too often, science and religion use different words to describe the same thing and use the same word to describe different things.  While I will not attempt to define these words, an honest comparison between seemingly opposed ideas must include a definition of the key words and phrases for the ideas being examined.  Without this foundation the argument will be rife with confusion.

What's next?

I acknowledge that there are other arguments both for and against the co-existence of science and religion, and that the arguments presented here are not full developed.  I also acknowledge that I am not perfect in accepting truth, wherever it is found.  But, I hope that you can begin to deeply think about the scientific method and faith, and how they relate to one another.  In my humble opinion they are not adversaries, but companions in the quest for truth.  In the end, there are many questions that will have to wait until after this life to be answered.

   

The Who, the What, and the Why

Who am I?  My name is David.

I grew up in a rural town surrounded by fields and mountains, and that setting gave me a love for everything outdoors. My family moved quite often, and  as a result, I am a bit of a restless spirit.

I am a voracious learner, and often, this learning comes from books.  I enjoy reading almost every genre of book...including  some of the "boring" classics that many of us dreaded reading in school.  I find that learning expands not only my understanding of the world around me, but of myself.

I enjoy photography.  I believe photography can capture a moment or a feeling in such a way that further insight can be obtained by looking at the photo over and over throughout life.

I am a deep thinker.  This natural disposition leads me to ponder the difficult questions I find around me.  I am not quick to make decisions, especially when there is still much to be learned about a topic.  However, when quick decision making is necessary I am willing to act decisively.

I am quiet, though not shy.  I am slow to share my opinions with those I don't know well because I feel that my ideas don't always get translated correctly when coming out of my mouth.  A blog allows for editing, a spoken sentence does not.

I consider myself a political moderate, though to some my ideas may be extreme.  I believe that honest opinions that are shared with an open heart and mind lead to understanding, while talking (or writing) at each other only leads to distrust.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I was born into this way of life and continue to follow it as a choice.  I have a strong testimony (belief or knowledge) that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah spoken of in the Old Testament.  I know that he suffered and died that we might be washed clean of our sins and be resurrected.  I also know that his suffering enables him to help us through our trials,whether these trials undeserved or deserved.  I know that in 1820 a 14 year old boy, Joseph Smith, saw God the Father and his son Jesus Christ.  I know that through Joseph Smith, the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth.  I know that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God, and that we can gain a testimony of Christ and of his prophet Joseph Smith by reading it and asking our Heavenly Father if it is his word.  I know that prayer has power to change hearts and to provide answers to life's most difficult questions.  I know that we have living prophets and apostles which guide the Lord's church on the earth.  They are not its head, Christ is.  My testimony has grown through the years and I will work to help it to grow in the future.  I don't claim to be perfect, but I am striving to be more like Jesus each day.

I served a 2-year mission for my church in Italy.  I lived in Tuscany, Rome, and Naples.  I have a love of the Italian people and their culture.  I feel blessed to have served them and to have learned from them.  My mission gave me a foundation on which to build a Christ-centered life.  Overcoming trials on my mission gave me courage to chase after my dreams.

For a long time, I have worked toward becoming a rocket scientist.  I have been fascinated with space since childhood. Some of my earliest memories are of playing with a plastic model of the Space Shuttle and building spaceships from Legos.  My interests have evolved over the years, and when I left high school I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do for a career.  After coming home from my mission, I had narrowed my choices to psychology, film production, and aerospace engineering.  While I found all three choices exciting (all for different reasons), I chose aerospace engineering.  I received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and then a Master of Science in Engineering. My graduate school studies focused on how liquids behave in space.  It turns out that things we take for granted, like water staying in a cup, can't be taken for granted when the effects of gravity aren't felt.  The skills I learned in graduate school led to my current job designing, building, and testing rocket systems for satellites and other unmanned spacecraft.

What will this blog be about?  The honest answer...I don't know for sure, but this is the current plan:  Most blog posts will be my musings on various topics that interest me and some blog posts will highlight interesting things that have happened to me.  Because I am both religious and a trained practitioner in science (aka an engineer), I hope that my posts will have a unique and beneficial perspective.

Why am I doing this?  First, there are many topics about which I have an opinion.  I feel that writing a comment in another person's article has very little impact on the discussion.  I hope this blog will allow me to organize my thoughts about these topics, and share those thoughts, so that I can be a constructive part of the discussion.  Second, I want to share my life with my friends and family.  Finally, on a more humorous note, this blog will be a help for my poor memory.

I hope you enjoy!      

  

DISCLAIMER

As the title of this blog suggests, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (a Mormon) and I am a rocket scientist.  In the unlikely chance that this blog becomes widely read, I want to make it clear that nothing I write should be interpreted as being an official declaration of my church or of my employer.