Beam Me Up

My apologies to all the Star Trek fans out there…

Anyone who has seen one of the many Star Trek shows or movies has likely seen the transporter device. The transporter device is an amazing piece of technology which can instantly transport people from one place to another, even over great distances. Have you ever wondered how they work?

According to Star Trek folklore, the transporter is a fancy computer that scans an individual's body make up and then dematerializes them. Then the computer on the other end of the transporter reads the recorded body make up of the individual and re-materializes them in the same form they were in when they were "beamed up".

It's kind of like sending a fax, except, the fax on the sender's end disappears completely before showing up on the other side. And, it's more complicated than a fax, as we are led to believe it is the same individual who re-materializes on the other side. Not merely their same genetic composition or DNA or appearance, but the actual person with their likes and fears and memories and personalities and so forth.

If all we are is a collection of atoms and energy, I suppose this type of thing theoretically would make sense. After all, with 3D printers nowadays, they are printing new tissue and body organs. Maybe a transporter is like a giant 3D printer. 

But, it begs the question... is that all we are?

Star Trek is a fun show for sci-fi fans, and I don't mean to discount its entertainment value. However, there is no room within the Star Trek universe for God or faith or creation. Some alien races have religion of some sort, and sometimes there are "god-like" beings, but that is about the extent of it. Theologically, it's rather empty.

So perhaps, in the Star Trek world, we are all merely collections of atoms of energy, spinning through a vast universe, merely one of many different types of lifeforms.

There are many forms of thought on our planet in the debate about the meaning of life and the nature of humanity. Are we merely evolved primates, whose desire to be something more or to connect to a Higher Power is a mere cruel trick of nature? Are we a cosmic fluke, created by accident following a mysterious big bang and billions upon billions of years of developing consciousness? 

If that is all we are, if we are only atoms and energy, what does it matter what we do or say or how we live? After all, evolution is driven by a process of survival of the fittest. The weak die off. The strong live on and evolve. 

I saw a meme on Facebook of someone noting they didn't need to believe in God to be a good person. But, where does that goodness come from? Where does the desire for goodness come from? If we are only evolved beings, in the survival of the fittest framework, things like generosity and caring for the less advantaged and even creating an equitable society don't make sense. 

There was an archeologist who noted that the sign of a developed society is finding skeletons with femur bones which had been broken but then healed. In less civilized societies, such as in the animal kingdom, they do not take care of their fellow animals who are hurt. They are left behind to die, because caring for an injured member of the herd puts the whole herd in danger. 

Yet human beings routinely care for the hurt. And, generally, we object when the hurt and vulnerable are exploited or not provided for.

Why? If all we are is atoms and energy, why does it matter? Why try to be good? Why try to care for others? Why try to build a better world?

In contrast to Star Trek, the Bible has a lot to say about the meaning of life and nature of humanity. The meaning of life being worshipping God through our love of Him and love of others. The nature of humanity as created beings with a soul - our conscious self, our individuality, our immaterial or spiritual self.

Consider Jesus' words in Matthew 16:24-26, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"

If the Bible is true, and God created us in His image, then we are His image-bearers. Every single person on this planet, regardless of race or ethnicity or religion or creed, is an image-bearer of God. His fingerprints are on our souls. Meaning that desire to be good, to do good, to help the less fortunate - comes from Him. From His heart.

If the Bible is true, and Jesus is the Son of God who walked the Earth among us, taking human form, then this Creator God cared enough about our souls that He sent the prince of heaven down to Earth:

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:6-8)

If the Bible is true, then our souls have eternal destinations. Destinations either to be with, or without, God.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

We are so much more than only atoms and energy.

We see it in ourselves.

We see it in one another.

We feel it in the depths of our souls.

This life is so much more than a fluke or cosmic joke. 

We have a purpose. We have a meaning. We have a Creator who loves us.

And He is always near. No transporter required.