As the Butterfly flaps its wings…

Science was excited! He was meeting his Father for a dialogue. There were so many things he wanted to say, ask, report… Simply bask in His presence and let the words flow…

Science: You know something very funny God! These men are so convincing, I almost got the feeling I am Thee! Well it is time to tell them that I answer only their question ‘How?’ I have no clue to the ‘Why?’ That seems to be your expertise God! May I ask you a few questions on the Why?

God: Of course my child! But before you begin let me first express how overjoyed I am at the way you have been growing amidst mankind! I am so proud of your progress and let me tell you, before you even ask – the first ‘why’ I wish to answer is why I sent you to mankind.

Science: Oh! I never thought of that! Of course God I would love to know why I was asked to keep man company.

God: Ah Yes! I sent you to him for one of your prime qualities. You see over the years man had started becoming very sectarian. He had geographic boundaries which I wanted you to break in the form of technology. He had religious boundaries which I knew could be shattered only by you – science. That is why I sent you to him – to ensure all his confines get melted away.

Science: And how was I supposed to achieve that? Oh! I know how! I know! I am what I am because

  1. I am quantifiable
  2. I am replicable and
  3. I answer the same to everybody

Therefore there aren’t any favourites to me. Right?

God: Yes! Those are your most cherished qualities. Science, my child, let me not give you sweeping statements like ‘everything rests in me’ and ‘all things are born and die in me’. These statements once evoked devotion. Today they will think I am running a political campaign. So let me explain the ‘why’ in your own language – the language of science. Now let me listen to your questions. What did you have in mind?

Science was in deep thought. Where should he begin? Science wondered for a while; then decided he had better start with the incident that drove these questions to his mind. ‘Lord’ said Science and heaved a sigh. ‘I am confused. Can you shed some light?’ God settled in His chair and said with a smile ‘It is time for some dialogue to clear your mind’.

Science: ‘Lord, a while ago the head of a family suffered a major setback. His health was in shambles and his family in despair. Now one loved one prayed fervently to Thee even as another sought my best tutored doctor in the medical field. One was religious with ritualistic fervour, yet another was calm in a meditative way; some got together to sing Thy praise in unison, while some others got specialised opinion the scientific way. Now this man who was sick, once believed to be terminally ill, stood up safe and sound, all parameters cleared. Each family member rejoiced his rise, yet vehemently claimed only their path was right. Now my question is ‘how did he rise?’ Was it my son the doctor’s work or your devotee’s prayer? Was it the family’s faith or the individual’s will power? Forgive me my Lord, but I sure need to ask, was it my triumph over a death pre-determined or was it your miracle to change anything anytime? This is my question – ‘what made him rise’?

God: You already have your answer theorised by your children. Don’t you remember the ‘Chaos Theory’ that is written in your lines?

Science: Oh Yes my Lord! I do remember the Chaos theory. It is pretty simple to understand. It is about finding the underlying order in apparently random data, just like how I am now trying to understand. The chaos theory states that a small change in the initial condition can drastically change the long-term behaviour of a system. This phenomenon is known as sensitive dependence on initial conditions. You see, my Lord, we had only two kinds of orders previously known – a steady state where variables never changed and a periodic behaviour in which the system went into a loop repeating itself indefinitely. What chaos theory resulted in finding is that when a simple system that had sensitive dependence on initial conditions was followed, they seemed to give rise to entirely random behaviour. Neither did they settle down to a single point to become a ‘steady state’ nor did they repeat the same thing to be labelled ‘periodic’.

God: Do all men understand your complicated language Science?

Science: Oh Lord! I can give a simpler example. The human heart also has a chaotic pattern. The time between beats does not remain constant. It depends on how much activity a person is doing, among several other things. Under certain conditions, the heart beat can speed up. Under different conditions the heart beats erratically. It can even be called a chaotic heart beat. Medical researchers try to put an abnormal heartbeat back into a steady state instead of uncontrolled chaos.

God: Just as how my spiritual children do with pranayama!!! (A gentle laughter filled the air) So Science, don’t you also use the simile of a butterfly?

Science: Yes indeed! The amount of difference in the starting point can be so small that it is comparable to a butterfly flapping its wings. However this tiny change over a period of time may cause a drastic change in the long-term behaviour of a system. So a single butterfly’s wings flapping today may have stopped a tornado hitting Indonesia a month later. Or maybe cause one that wasn’t going to happen!! We call this the butterfly effect!

God: You have explained the concept very well! Yet what is the insight that you need to gain from this concept? Have you not understood what it really reveals?

Science: Well, my Lord! If you are telling me that everybody’s actions caused the revival of the sick man, that each in his own way caused his cure, would it mean that the absence of one of these would have dimmed his chances to survive?

God: My Dear child! A mathematical number rounded off to three decimal places produces different results than one having six decimal places. Isn’t that what Edward Lorenz discovered while working on weather reports in 1960? Isn’t that the basis of your chaos theory? The insight revealed is that every atom, every particle is interconnected in this universe you experience. Every object, every living thing, every insect, animal and human enriches life. This moment in the present is not just the result and effect of an individual’s past but the cumulative effect of life itself. When a butterfly flapping its wings in Africa can cause a tornado in South America, won’t the prayers of the family or the medical advancements of humanity have equal impact on the outcome of the patient’s life?

Science: Oh Father! I am even more confused! Does this mean, if somebody fails to pray or fails to perform a ritualistic ceremony, he could miss his chances of survival?

God: (With a smile) can you, my child Science, with all your knowledge bring life back to the dead?

Science: No Father! I cannot.

God: What then does medical aid do?

Science: Primarily it triggers the physical body to revive and perform to its optimum capacity. All medical aids only enhance life, they do not create life.

God: Good! I like your answer. All practices of faith enhance your belief. None can create life itself! Now tell me can everyone prescribe your medicines?

Science: No my Lord! Only those who have the knowledge base, the education and above all the passion to understand and work in that realm can truly be qualified to treat people.

God: Does this also mean that not everybody can receive such medical help?

Science: Oh No God! While the doctors are specialists, the patients need no other qualification than a desire to get better. The knowledge of ‘revival’ is universal. It is their ‘acceptability’ that finally helps them to receive that aid.

God: Similarly my child. People who have faith in a particular ritualistic practise or belief in a religious prayer may continue their way of life. It is not necessary for everybody to become a doctor. Neither does the presence of a medicine validate your need to use it nor does a ritual used by one become mandatory for the rest to follow. Ultimately what works for you, works for you! Just ‘accept’ the prayers of others, the wishes that come in every form. There is only one warning I wish to give.

Science: Of course my Lord! What is it that we should be cautious about?

God: A butterfly flapping its wings may ‘prevent’ a tornado in America but can equally cause a Tsunami in India. The beauty of the Chaos theory you defined is that each event is related to every other. But by the same measure cannot be labelled exclusive in its influence. While the butterfly ‘could’ cause a tsunami, it would be foolish to derive a formula to say that every time a butterfly flaps its wings it does in fact cause a tsunami all by itself. Every act of faith or prayer could result in the desired effect. But it would be foolish to generalise and make it a sacrament for every terminally ill patient to perform a particular religious ritual to get better.

Science: Yes my Lord! I do understand!

God: One more insight you could pass on to mankind. The initial condition which we call as sensitive refers here to the individual make up of the person. Therefore the form of faith that works for one need not work for another. So if prayers are your solace, do it. But never thrust it on another for maybe he needs to follow a different path! The ritual that gives one the strength, faith and insight may become the weakness and liberty to be irresponsible in another’s life! Rejoice my child! Every atom dances with life!

Science: Wow! My Lord! I never realised we could relate the physical with spiritual insights. Can I, God, feel a little pride that I too but lead men only to your light?

God: Of course my child! Of course your path is right. Can ever my child show anything but light?

Written by Gita Krishna Raj  |  Published in infinithoughts in September 2008

When Science met God… |  Segment One: A relative World  |  Chapter One: As the butterfly flaps its wings

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