God, magnets and pigeons
James Yeoman shares his thoughts on God and metaphors
Of human life the time is a point, and the substance is in a flux, and the perception dull…What then is that which is able to conduct a man? One thing and only one: philosophy. But this consists in keeping the divinity within a man free from violence and unharmed… accepting all that happens… for it is according to nature, and nothing is evil which is according to nature.
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2:17
I would like to share a metaphor that, while far from perfect, allows me to make some sort of sense of life. It involves magnetic fields and pigeons!
The Earth has a magnetic field. We do not fully understand it, but we know that without it our atmosphere would not be able to exist. We would not exist. The magnetic field protects the atmosphere, shielding us from the deadly solar wind. As it does, it creates astonishing beauty (in the form of the Aurora). Despite being omnipresent throughout our world, it is invisible and cannot be detected by human senses. Some people, such as sailors and aviators, depend on its guidance every day, whereas others are not even aware that it exists. Yet, exist it does.
It is an imperfect metaphor for God, but one I find useful. A magnetic field has ‘field lines’. If a conducting piece of material is inside the field, and is moved in a direction other than that of the field lines, then an electric current flows through it. The more it moves out of alignment with the field lines, the greater the current produced.
Life can be a bit like that, too. ‘Logos’ was the word used by Stoic philosophers, such as Marcus Aurelius, for ‘The Word’ – that rational principle that governs the organisation of the universe on a cosmic level, and which also exists within us, giving us the ability to reason. According to some interpretations, the author of John’s Gospel believed this to be the same as ‘God’ (John 1:1). We find similar views expressed in a number of Quaker sources, such as Advices & queries 2.
Reason, and by extension ‘that which governs the universe’, can, like the magnetic field, be thought of as setting out invisible lines to lead and guide us. As intelligent beings, apparently possessed with free will, we are free to diverge from the lines as quickly and as sharply as we like, but if we do so we risk experiencing some severe shocks in our lives! Since the lines are both invisible and curved, it is inevitable that even the best of us will – more due to ignorance than evil intent – stray from the line (and so risk a shock) now and then.
The precise route we take depends on the position in which we began. A person starting in South Africa and following a compass due north will follow an alternative route to someone starting in Canada. In life, we all start in different positions, follow different routes, and have different experiences along the way.
How can we tell which way these invisible lines lead us? The advice of others who have journeyed along similar lines might help. The gathered silence of a Quaker Meeting helps many Friends to realign themselves. Just as a good compass will show us the direction of a magnetic field line, so we have to acquire – to coin a phrase – a moral compass, and check it regularly as we travel along.
Where do pigeons come into this? Homing pigeons are surprisingly intelligent by the standards of most bird species, but are nowhere near smart enough to understand the nature of magnetism. And yet, it is claimed that they are able to use the Earth’s magnetic field lines to help set a direct course back to their homes! The birds are not thinking about the complex physical principles involved; they simply set a course they feel is in harmony with the great omnipresent force that they obey.
We are surprisingly intelligent by the standards of most other known species, but are nowhere near smart enough to understand the true nature of reality. Can we, despite this, do as the pigeon does, and set a course to where we ought to be?
