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7. If, as the most cutting edge neuroscience and physics both seem to suggest, the world of "matter and energy" is not the true substrate of all reality, what is? What would the end of the post-Enlightment scientific consensus around materialism mean for us as Catholics?

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That is a hard question.
Even in my work field we are used to the idea that all objectives have to be measurable in order to make them work, otherwise the company strategy is a waste of energy and resources.

In spiritual thinking, everything has a purpose and a meaning. Why God created us? Why God send his child to die for us? Why in the book there are angels committing rebelion againts GOD even if they know what real and divine is? These are questions I keep asking myself, I'm so sorry I dont have that kind of knowledge to get a better answer than LOVE.

My personal opinion is that spacetime is essentially an illusion, a perceptual hack that allows us to function in bodies. It is, for lack of a better term, a headset or an interface.

No one has satisfactorily answered the question: what happens to space and time at the Planck length. The generally accepted response in physics is: they cease to have any meaning on such infinitesimal scales.

That brings us back to the realm of philosophy and metaphysics: how can something arise from nothing. It cannot. At least not without an Unmoved Mover (aka God).

I expect that the enemies of God will spend the next 100 years arguing that "consciousness" is the core substrate of reality, which is partially true. But again--where does consciousness come from? And what is it? Here, the Church has better answers than science because we draw on divine revelation as well as a 3,000 year philosophical tradition.

I liked your response. Thanks.
Would you answer my doub: why demons rebelled? They had the knowledge and, in total, "consciousness " decided that God's plan on loving us wasn't enough for them...

Andrew wrote: "I expect that the enemies of God will spend the next 100 years arguing that "consciousness" is the core substrate of reality, which is partially true."

I wouldn't be surprised at that, they do it all the time. When the Big Bang theory was validated by the discoveries in the sixties, atheists were devastated: they thought God was inescapable. Since then, they have hijacked the Big Bang theory by asserting that it confirms what they say. See this post in my blog:

The same happened when fine tuning was discovered in the 80s. At first they became frantic, then they invented the theories of the multiverse (there are many) and said that they explained fine tuning. See this post:

So it's obvious that, if science sometime comes to the conclusion that consciousness is a part of reality, parallel to matter, they'll try to hijack that idea too.

The fight between atheists and believers is a a never-ending story.

Andrew wrote: "My personal opinion is that spacetime is essentially an illusion, a perceptual hack that allows us to function in bodies. It is, for lack of a better term, a headset or an interface.

No one has sa..."

I think it is more that God's plan was "too much" for them. How could the creator, the source of all being, not only make a creature of flesh and blood in his image but condescend to take this creature's form upon Himself? How could he ask the angels to serve these lowly beings?

In other words: pride.

"Non serviam" is their creed. Meanwhile, Our Lord washed the disciples feet.

Just my 2c of course.

Manuel wrote: "Andrew wrote: "I expect that the enemies of God will spend the next 100 years arguing that "consciousness" is the core substrate of reality, which is partially true."

I wouldn't be surprised at th..."

I believe that the problem, and it is not only happening with science, is that ideologies are invading all academic disciplines, meaning all natural and social sciences, and other areas of life. Let's look only at the LGTBI issue and, in the issue of Climate Change, for example, which have become idolatries and, if you dissent, they crush you and persecute you, and marginalize you from the community.

Andrew wrote: "Andrew wrote: "My personal opinion is that spacetime is essentially an illusion, a perceptual hack that allows us to function in bodies. It is, for lack of a better term, a headset or an interface...."

Excellent answer.

Manuel wrote: "Andrew wrote: "I expect that the enemies of God will spend the next 100 years arguing that "consciousness" is the core substrate of reality, which is partially true."

I wouldn't be surprised at th..."

This next phase of the war may be the most dangerous yet.

Ever since the Enlightenment, the other side has been "locked on on materialism," which every sensible person can intuit as a dead end.

Hence, imo, the rise of New Age fantasies, which swrve as a kind of spiritual balm over an open wound.

In the coming battle, we will see the other side seek to "sanctify" consciousness, and elevate ot to godhood. This will seduce many souls, I fear.

This is, in essence, the plot of the 2nd book and the planned third one.

I want to add that you can already see the outlines of the Enemy's battle plan clearly.

This new religion of consciousness is at the heart of thr so-called transhumanist movement. It even promises its adherents immortality in the form of "uploading" their minds. Absolute nonsense that anyone with a basic understanding of biology should be able to tear apart, and yet we have "high priests" like Kurzweil out there proclaiming this dark gospel.

Andrew wrote: "I want to add that you can already see the outlines of the Enemy's battle plan clearly.

This new religion of consciousness is at the heart of thr so-called transhumanist movement. It even promises..."


I know that subject a little bit from William Gibson's novel Neuromancer William Gibson. I also touched on that in the video of three friends talking about science fiction. That theme of avoiding death and seeking immortality already appeared in the Sumerian poem of Gil Gamesh, also in the play "You Will Be Like Gods/ Seréis Como Dioses" by Gustave Thibon and refutes it in "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift in the part where Gulliver encounters the immortals. Conclusion: eternal life is impossible in a finite world. I would go further, the problem would come from the Gnostics of Dositheus and, Simon the Magus, to the medieval nominalists, Roscelin of Compiegne onwards.

Fonch wrote: "Andrew wrote: "I want to add that you can already see the outlines of the Enemy's battle plan clearly.

This new religion of consciousness is at the heart of thr so-called transhumanist movement. I..."

Tolkien (who was truly inspired by thr Holy Spirit, imo) got this so right when he described death as "the gift of men."

I can think of few things mor hellish than living forever in this fallen world.

Andrew wrote: "Fonch wrote: "Andrew wrote: "I want to add that you can already see the outlines of the Enemy's battle plan clearly.

This new religion of consciousness is at the heart of thr so-called transhumani..."

I agree, but there are many unscrupulous millionaires who seek this and, this in my opinion drinks from something that you have said in the eighteenth-century Enlightenment when earthly life began to be given more importance than to the afterlife, drinking from many French libertine writers of the seventeenth century, materialists, or mechanists.

Andrew wrote: "Manuel wrote: "Andrew wrote: "I expect that the enemies of God will spend the next 100 years arguing that "consciousness" is the core substrate of reality, which is partially true."

I wouldn't be ..."

Dr. Orlando Fedeli, a Brazilian historian (God bless his soul), had this theory on revolutions. He said every ideology, political, artistic or philosophical, is at its core gnostic, be it in its pantheistic-materialistic form, or its spiritualistic-manichaean one. Both tend to fight and reappear in history, one after the other, and a great revolution is born when both forms intermingle in one great movement (what he called "short circuit"). So, it's almost natural that a sort of occultist renaissance will follow a time of deeply ingrained materialism.

I can't say I agree entirely with his theory, but it seems to be a historical fact that an extreme is usually followed by another. For example, pacifism after the bloody mess of the French Revolution, or the russian gulags, or both World Wars; or democraticism after the abuses of absolutism. And so on.

Emmanuel wrote: "it seems to be a historical fact that an extreme is usually followed by another."

Pitirim Sorokin, one of the best sociologist of the 20th century, published a book, Social and Cultural Dynamics: A Study of Change in Major Systems of Art, Truth, Ethics, Law and Social Relationships, where he proved with thousands of examples that there is a cycle between a spiritual extreme and a materialistic extreme that takes around 2000 years to complete. That would be the reason why our society is so similar to the Roman Empire.

Of course, inside that great cycle, there are many partial oscillations that affect particular social and cultural questions.

They are building a new religion to coincide with that cycle, Manuel.

A religion of consciousness, based not on deontology or Christian notions of sin, but on "ethical altruism" and group-level effects.

The trolley car diagram is a holy icon to them.

Emmanuel wrote: "Andrew wrote: "Manuel wrote: "Andrew wrote: "I expect that the enemies of God will spend the next 100 years arguing that "consciousness" is the core substrate of reality, which is partially true."
..."

There is a great youtuber or content creator called the Great Patriarch who made a very good video about the influence of Gnosticism in Hollywood movies. Most of the heterodox currents hostile to Christianity come from there. The Great Patriarch - YouTube

Andrew wrote: "They are building a new religion to coincide with that cycle, Manuel.

A religion of consciousness, based not on deontology or Christian notions of sin, but on "ethical altruism" and group-level ef..."

That was already done in "The Brave New World Collection: Brave New World and Brave New World Revisited" by Aldous Huxley where Ford replaced Jesus Christ as God ;-) (Everything has already been invented).

Fonch wrote: "Andrew wrote: "They are building a new religion to coincide with that cycle, Manuel.

A religion of consciousness, based not on deontology or Christian notions of sin, but on "ethical altruism" and..."

Yes! But the deception this time, I believe, will be utterly convincing to many people. Probably, the UFO phenomenon is part of it.

Andrew wrote: "Fonch wrote: "Andrew wrote: "They are building a new religion to coincide with that cycle, Manuel.

A religion of consciousness, based not on deontology or Christian notions of sin, but on "ethical..."

I see the theme of ufology or Upholatry more in films such as Ultimatum the Earth and, in certain sects such as Scientology, the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses and, in atheists such as Carl Sagan and also in Arthur C. Clarke. We do not believe in God, but we do believe in divine extraterrestrials. Examples of that would be 2001: A Space Odyssey and,Contact by the two authors previously cited ;-).

Andrew wrote: "They are building a new religion to coincide with that cycle, Manuel.

A religion of consciousness, based not on deontology or Christian notions of sin, but on "ethical altruism" and group-level ef..."

Regarding this issue I am very worried I have discovered that a former friend has become a Reiki master and I am very worried because despite our breakup I still love her and my intervention would only make the matter worse. I can only pray for her because she hates me, but I am exhausted.

Fonch wrote: "Andrew wrote: "Fonch wrote: "Andrew wrote: "They are building a new religion to coincide with that cycle, Manuel.

A religion of consciousness, based not on deontology or Christian notions of sin, ..."

Kardecists too. They believe they will become extraterrestrials one day, by evolutionary reincarnation. And they think Our Lord and Our Lady were extraterrestrials reincarnated as humans. And I heard my parents saying Hitler was also reincarnated on another planet, lower on the universal scale, to expiate his sins (poor creature)

Emmanuel wrote: "Fonch wrote: "Andrew wrote: "Fonch wrote: "Andrew wrote: "They are building a new religion to coincide with that cycle, Manuel.

A religion of consciousness, based not on deontology or Christian no..."

Incredible. I had never heard of Kardecism before.

The scientific breakthroughs and "wonders" that are coming in the next 100 years are going to be something to behold.

What happen when the culture as a whole realizes that scientists themselves no longer believe in materialism? The enitre "priestly caste" is going to have to re-invent itself or face a revolt from its own zealots.

Fonch wrote: "Regarding this issue I am very worried I have discovered that a former friend has become a Reiki master..."

Reiki is a Far Eastern method of medicine, and is considered a pseudoscience, not a pseudo-religion.

Andrew wrote: "Incredible. I had never heard of Kardecism before."

It is a mixture of spiritualism and reincarnation, created in the 19th century, when spiritualism was rampant.

Manuel wrote: "Fonch wrote: "Regarding this issue I am very worried I have discovered that a former friend has become a Reiki master..."

Reiki is a Far Eastern method of medicine, and is considered a pseudoscien..."

I am grateful Professor for getting me out of the error. I didn't know that it was an alternative medical treatment, but yesterday I was reading Wikipedia and, what it says is extremely disturbing and increases my fears. I don't know where I had read something critical, I think it was in Religion in Freedom.

"Some cult and New Age experts have expressed doubts about whether Reiki therapy is compatible with Christianity. [88][89]"
In March 2009, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Doctrine issued the Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki as an Alternative Therapy, in which they stated that the practice of Reiki is based on superstition, being neither true faith healing nor a form of science-based medicine. [90] They claimed that Reiki was incompatible with Christian spirituality as it implied a belief in a human power over healing rather than prayer to God,[91] and that, seen as a natural means of healing, it lacked scientific credibility. [92]The 2009 guideline concluded that "since reiki therapy is not compatible with either Christian teaching or scientific evidence, it would be inappropriate for Catholic institutions, such as Catholic health care facilities and retreat centers, or individuals representing the Church, such as Catholic chaplains, to be able to promote or provide support for Reiki therapy." [90] Since this announcement, some Catholics have continued to practice Reiki, but this has been removed from many Catholic hospitals and other institutions. [93]
In a December 2014 article by the USCCB Committee on Divine Worship on exorcism and its use in the Church, reiki is listed as a practice "that may have affected the current state of the afflicted person." [94]
Reiki was originally created in an environment where the two predominant religions were, as they are today in Japan, Shinto and Buddhism. [95] "
This proves that there could be a link between Reiki and New Age and other types of Eastern religions.

Manuel wrote: "Andrew wrote: "Incredible. I had never heard of Kardecism before."

It is a mixture of spiritualism and reincarnation, created in the 19th century, when spiritualism was rampant."

Awesome 😮

Fonch, quoting Wikipedia, wrote: "the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Doctrine... claimed that Reiki was incompatible with Christian spirituality as it implied a belief in a human power over healing rather than prayer to God, and that, seen as a natural means of healing, it lacked scientific credibility."

The first point is the only one that matters (the second is scientific, not religious). I'd have to read the original text of the Bishops, but reading what you have quoted, it seems to me that "a human power over healing rather than prayer to God" is implied in the use of normal medicines, too; so I don't think the Bishops meant that.

Manuel wrote: "Fonch, quoting Wikipedia, wrote: "the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Doctrine... claimed that Reiki was incompatible with Christian spirituality as it implied a belief in a human..."

However, since our bishops advise against it, I am very concerned about this therapy and, even more so, if it has links with the religions mentioned below. I don't think this is good. This is what worries me. Homeopathy is a hoax but I don't think it's anti-Christian. In this regard I have my doubts. . PS. Thaumaturgy is similar, but it is not anti-Christian and it was a sample to demonstrate the right of kings to rule. In France it was a characteristic of the King and this is collected by J.R.R. Tolkien in TheThe Return of the King when he heals Eowyn, Faramir and Merry.

I apologize for the fact that the article is in Spanish, but I share this link to Religion in Freedom I continue in my position Professor that this cannot be good and that it can do a lot of harm to those who practiced it.

Fonch wrote: "I apologize for the fact that the article is in Spanish, but I share this link to Religion in Freedom ..."

It doesn't look good, that's for sure.

For this reason i am very worried 😔.

Fonch wrote: "I apologize for the fact that the article is in Spanish, but I share this link to Religion in Freedom ..."

Agree, Senor Fonch.

Thanks i am very worried about this question.

Manuel wrote: "The fight between atheists and believers is a a never-ending story."

True, in large part because atheism (as opposed to agnosticism) is a less rational faith system and is contrary to the way human beings are built to be. Atheism is faith built on a heuristic of rebellion.