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Promotions, own books, etc. > New post in my blog on popular science

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message 451: by Carmen (last edited Sep 15, 2022 02:02PM) (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Manny wrote: "CS Lewis was an Anglican but I believe a High Church Anglican, which is sometimes referred to as Anglo-Catholic. They are very close to Catholicism. Lewis was even close friends with well known Catholic JRR Tolkein. Lewis is supposed to be very close to Catholicism with the possible exception that he has qualms on the Marian doctrines. That said, Lewis may be closer to Catholicism than some Liberal Catholics. "

Our discussion does NOT have to be controversial. So let's instead try to use humor:

You state that for your purposes you rather look at an Anglican as "Catholic." That reminds me of a poor lonely man who wanted a funeral mass in a Catholic Church for his dead dog. The pastor was sympathetic, but refused. As he was leaving the man mumbled to himself, "and I was planning to give a big donation." The priest quickly jumped up and said, "Oh! You didn't tell me the dog was Catholic!"

Funny story, no? But the sad boring truth is that the dog was not Catholic. Yes, the dog was the man's best friend. Yes, the dog agreed with everything the man said. But the dog was not Catholic.


message 452: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Frances wrote: "Carmen, when you have time, please look at:

You Tube ‘’On the Power of Fiction” Lewis Tolkien

It’s about 14 minutes long and gives the reader an insight into the beautiful friendship the two men ..."


I have no disagreement with fiction. I only stated that fiction is not non-fiction. And I doubt that Tolkien believed that fiction is non-fiction.


message 453: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Frances wrote: "Carmen, when you have time, please look at:

You Tube ‘’On the Power of Fiction” Lewis Tolkien

It’s about 14 minutes long and gives the reader an insight into the beautiful friendship the two men ..."


Hi Frances,
I only stated, "Literature is fiction. Science is NON-fiction."


message 454: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Manny wrote: "CS Lewis was an Anglican but I believe a High Church Anglican."

Bottom line:
Lewis was an Anglican and NOT Catholic.


message 455: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Frances wrote: "Carmen, when you have time, please look at:
It’s about 14 minutes long and gives the reader an insight into the beautiful friendship the two men ..."


I understand the "power" of fiction, Frances. And you know that power can be used for good and for bad.
But this does not address the fact that both science and catholicism are non-fiction.


message 456: by Frances (new)

Frances Richardson | 73 comments Nor the fact that dogs are not eligible to be Catholics.

Love 😊


message 457: by Manny (last edited Sep 15, 2022 08:19PM) (new)

Manny (virmarl) | 23 comments Carmen wrote: "You state that for your purposes you rather look at an Anglican as "Catholic." "

Carmen, I never said that. Read what I said. The fullness of what I was trying to convey, if it didn't come through, was that CS Lewis is almost Catholic. I have seen Protestants that dislike him. Do you realize CS Lewis believes in purgatory? No Protestant I have ever come across believes in purgatory except for some Anglo-Catholics.

And yes, I've heard that joke.


message 458: by Manny (new)

Manny (virmarl) | 23 comments Carmen wrote: "Manny wrote: "CS Lewis was an Anglican but I believe a High Church Anglican."

Bottom line:
Lewis was an Anglican and NOT Catholic."


OK, but it's not outrageous for Manuel to write about CS Lewis.


message 459: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Frances wrote: "Nor the fact that dogs are not eligible to be Catholics.
Love 😊"

Neither can our furry friends know about the power of fiction. :)
Any thoughts about using power for good or evil?


message 460: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Manny wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Manny wrote: "CS Lewis was an Anglican but I believe a High Church Anglican."
Bottom line:
Lewis was an Anglican and NOT Catholic."
OK, but it's not outrageous for Manuel to write ..."


Not "outrageous," but misleading.
Calling science fiction 'science,' and stating that protestants are Catholic leads to confusion.
And I remain confused as to what you wish to accomplish.


message 461: by Frances (new)

Frances Richardson | 73 comments My thoughts about using power for good or evil? Lord of the Rings. No one ever described it better.


message 462: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Frances wrote: "My thoughts about using power for good or evil? Lord of the Rings. No one ever described it better."
Thanks, Frances.
I guess I'm referring to the topic of mixing fiction with non-fiction.
I'm concerned about recent growth of misinformation that has led to violence. It can be dangerous if people confuse fiction with facts.


message 463: by Manuel (new)

Manuel Alfonseca | 378 comments Carmen wrote: "Manuel wrote: "Latest post in my blog on popular science:
Time travel and matter transfer"

Your blog does NOT belong under the titles of 'Catholic' NOR 'Science.'..."


You are wrong. My blog is Catholic because I am a Catholic. And science-fiction, as its name indicates, is science. In fact, most of theoretical physics today is science-fiction (read my blog to see why).

In this context, I will quote the philosopher Victor Reppert. Under the title of his blog (Dangerous Idea) he says:

This is a blog to discuss philosophy, chess, politics, C. S. Lewis, or whatever it is that I'm in the mood to discuss.

In other words: you are not qualified to say whether I am a Catholic and what I may or may not discuss in my blog.


message 464: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Manuel wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Manuel wrote: "Latest post in my blog on popular science:
Time travel and matter transfer"

Your blog does NOT belong under the titles of 'Catholic' NOR 'Science.'..."

You are wrong..."


Dear Manuel,
May I recommend you read George Orwell's book '1984?'
There you will find a world
where fiction is non-fiction
and Anglican is Catholic.


message 465: by Manuel (new)

Manuel Alfonseca | 378 comments Carmen wrote: May I recommend you read George Orwell's book '1984?'"

I have written in my blog at least five times about this novel, which I have read four times (the first one 60 years ago). I have also written about it in my own novels.

This is the last of my posts discussing this novel, published in my blog last June: https://populscience.blogspot.com/202...

I recommend you to read "One" (or "Escape to Nowhere") by David Karp. The brainwashing described there is even worse than the brainwashing in "Nineteen eighty four."


message 466: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Manuel wrote: "Carmen wrote: May I recommend you read George Orwell's book '1984?'"

I have written in my blog at least five times about this novel, which I have read four times (the first one 60 years ago). I ha..."


Dear Manuel,
The purpose of '1984' is to point to the dangers of 'doublespeak.'
I have thought a lot about the dangers of authoritarian governments in the last 50-60 years since I read the book.
I see the problems of brainwashing people into believing that fiction is non-fiction, and Anglican is Catholic. But it seems you're okay with spreading misinformation.


message 467: by Manuel (last edited Sep 16, 2022 10:29AM) (new)

Manuel Alfonseca | 378 comments Carmen wrote: "I see the problems of brainwashing people into believing that fiction is non-fiction, and Anglican is Catholic. But it seems you're okay with spreading misinformation."

Yes, Carmen, I had understood your meaning, but chose not to appear to do so.

Since you insist on insulting me, this is the last time I'll answer you ever. And I beg other members to stop answering you in this thread.


message 468: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Manuel wrote: "Carmen wrote: "I see the problems of brainwashing people into believing that fiction is non-fiction, and Anglican is Catholic. But it seems you're okay with spreading misinformation."

Yes, Carmen,..."


Just to be clear, Manuel,
you understand the problems with brainwashing and authoritarianism
but you choose to appear that you don't understand
the problems with brainwashing and authoritarianism.


message 469: by Frances (new)

Frances Richardson | 73 comments I’m going to honor Manuel’s request, but before I go silent, I would like to share these thoughts:

First: in reply to your message 462, Carmen — mixing fiction with non-fiction, the growth of misinformation, violence, danger — these are metaphysical questions. When I wrestle with metaphysical questions, I go to Dostoyevsky.

Second: Bishop Robert Barron tells the account of how, while at Oxford, he visited the grave of one of his “great literary and theological heroes, C.S. Lewis.” Recommending that Catholics “pick up Lewis’s ‘The Great Divorce’ and savor it,’’ Barron explained that “Lewis was that rare sort of genius, able to communicate high theological insight with vivid imagination.” I agree with Bishop Barron wholeheartedly. In my mind, C.S. Lewis is a kind of godfather; he has made me a better Catholic.

Last: I loved everything about college life, except for one thing: physics. How dull, how boring and, correspondingly, how poorly I did in physics class. Many years passed. And then I happened upon someone who caught my interest, who made physics alive and interesting, and best of all, understandable. I began to look forward to his podcasts. Of course we all know to whom I am referring: thank you, Manuel. I can’t be the only one whose mind you have enriched.

Carmen, you are looking so hard for the light. Be the light.


message 470: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Frances wrote: "I’m going to honor Manuel’s request, but before I go silent, I would like to share these thoughts:

First: in reply to your message 462, Carmen — mixing fiction with non-fiction, the growth of misi..."


Thank you, Frances, for your response.
I hope you will allow me to write from my own perspective.

When I was in 5th grade, I became fascinated with nuclear physics. Needless to say, engineering became my major in college. Plus, 50 years ago, I married an engineer. My husband and I both enjoy fiction, but we are VERY clear to separate feelings from reality.

With that said, we are both concerned when people are being led into violence because of feelings being promoted through false information. As a cradle Catholic, I am especially concerned when I see my Church being used to promote a violent political agenda.

Our Pope Francis is aware of this problem. It is interesting that the Bishop of San Diego in Southern California was recently named a cardinal. At the same time, Bishop Barron was moved away from Southern California to a less influential part of the US.

So you are incorrect to conclude that I am looking for light. No, I have always lived in the light and have always dealt with reality.

Thank you for listening.


message 471: by Manuel (new)

Manuel Alfonseca | 378 comments Latest post in my blog on popular science:
Does the Moon influence people?
https://populscience.blogspot.com/202...


message 472: by Carmen (last edited Sep 22, 2022 11:45AM) (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Manuel wrote: "Latest post in my blog on popular science:
Does the Moon influence people?
https://populscience.blogspot.com/202..."


Interesting topic ... but we must note that in relation to the accepted schools of thought of the day, both Copernicus and Galileo were correct to say that the earth revolves around the sun. The accepted cosmology of the day put the earth in the center of the known universe.

Once we begin with that basic fact, we can go on to discuss the rotations of the moon.


message 473: by Frances (new)

Frances Richardson | 73 comments Thank you, Manuel. You must be fascinated by the James Webb telescope. In today’s paper I saw the latest pictures of the planet Neptune. They were breathtaking.


message 474: by Michelle (new)

Michelle (michellehartline) I was admiring those photos today, too!


message 475: by Manuel (new)

Manuel Alfonseca | 378 comments Yes, the photos are very good, having been got from an Earth-based space telescope. Of course, those taken by Voyager-2 at the neighborhood of Neptune were even better:
https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/gallerie...


message 476: by Michelle (new)

Michelle (michellehartline) Beautiful! Periodically I go onto NASA's website to look at the photos. His Works are so awesome!


message 477: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Manuel wrote: "Yes, the photos are very good, having been got from an Earth-based space telescope. Of course, those taken by Voyager-2 at the neighborhood of Neptune were even better:
https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov..."


I'm sure you know of the technology around the images created through the use of the Webb Telescope, Manuel. We are most definitely on the eve of developing a new consciousness of our cosmology.


message 478: by Amanda (new)

Amanda (goodreadscomamanda_hamm) | 5 comments I hadn't heard the claim that the moon influenced births before. The entire post was interesting. Thanks.


message 479: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Amanda wrote: "I hadn't heard the claim that the moon influenced births before. The entire post was interesting. Thanks."
The ancients (Hebrews, Chinese, etc.) all use lunar calendars because they have long understood about the affects of moon cycles on life on earth.


message 480: by Manuel (new)

Manuel Alfonseca | 378 comments Amanda wrote: "I hadn't heard the claim that the moon influenced births before. The entire post was interesting. Thanks."

For more information about calendars, solar, lunar and stellar cycles, and many things related to time, you can look at my book Time and Man, which has been recently published in English.


message 481: by Frances (new)

Frances Richardson | 73 comments Manuel, using the link you gave me, I was able to see the beautiful pictures of the planet Neptune. Thanks so much.


message 482: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Frances wrote: "Manuel, using the link you gave me, I was able to see the beautiful pictures of the planet Neptune. Thanks so much."
They are indeed beautiful, Frances.
We are definitely getting a closer look at our solar system. But what is more amazing is to be able to visualize light that lets us see cosmic events that happened billions of years ago.


message 483: by Frances (last edited Sep 23, 2022 06:17PM) (new)

Frances Richardson | 73 comments The late Daniel Berrigan, S.J., gave us his rendering of Psalm 121:

"I lift up my eyes to you
my help, my hope
the heavens (who could imagine?)
the earth (only our Lord)
the infinite starry spaces
the world's teeming breath
All this. I lift my eyes
-- upstart, delighted --
and I praise.''


message 484: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Frances wrote: "The late Daniel Berrigan, S.J., gave us his rendering of Psalm 121:

"I lift up my eyes to you
my help, my hope
the heavens (who could imagine?)
the earth (only our Lord)
the infinite starry spac..."


Yes indeed, Frances,
"My help comes from the LORD,
the maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:2

The more we understand the heavens and the earth,
the more we are in awe of its Creator.


message 485: by Michelle (new)

Michelle (michellehartline) Frances wrote: "The late Daniel Berrigan, S.J., gave us his rendering of Psalm 121:

"I lift up my eyes to you
my help, my hope
the heavens (who could imagine?)
the earth (only our Lord)
the infinite starry spac..."


That is so beautiful!


message 486: by Frances (new)

Frances Richardson | 73 comments Here is the Jesuit priest and poet, Daniel Berrigan again, this time his interpretation of Psalm 19:

"The heavens bespeak the glory of God.
The firmament ablaze, a text of his works.
Dawn whispers to sunset
Dark to dark the word passes; glory, glory.
All in a great silence,
no tongue's clamor --
yet the web of the world trembles
conscious, as of great winds passing. . .


message 487: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Frances wrote: "The heavens bespeak the glory of God.
The firmament ablaze, a text of his works.
Dawn whispers..."


The Psalms are profound, Frances.

Psalm 19:5 proclaims the Creator Incarnate:
"A report goes forth through all the earth,
their messages, to the ends of the world.
He has pitched in them a tent for the sun;"


message 488: by Manuel (new)

Manuel Alfonseca | 378 comments I have created a Goodreads group to discuss the posts in my blog, as well as questions about science, popular science, sci-fi, and other related subjects. Rather than announcing the posts of my blog here, I'll be announcing them there.

Whoever is interested in my posts can click the "Join" button in the group address: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...


message 489: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Hartono | 147 comments Manuel wrote: "I have created a Goodreads group to discuss the posts in my blog, as well as questions about science, popular science, sci-fi, and other related subjects. Rather than announcing the posts of my blo..."

Farewell Manuel,
Que Dios lo bendiga.


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