Bent Universe: The corruption of humankind

Did you ever feel like things just need a little adjustment to feel right again? (Like a chiropractic life adjustment if that were possible.) A pain in the upper part of my back I can’t reach by my normal cracking techniques is sort of a physical reminder or metaphor for me of that.

Things are not bad just busy. Thing are not overwhelming just over-scheduled. Things are just “not quite right”.

I came across a finding while doing a bit of research about the universe. Scientists have theories that currently offer three possible shapes to the universe. The universe is defined in this case as “everything that exists.” The possible shapes are 1) a sphere 2) a flat “plane” 3) a saddle shape. I personally like the saddle shape idea. It’s really wackier and more unexpected than the rest. And why not! Also if the universe is saddle shaped you could take a short cut to the other side. I like that idea. I like options. Maybe it would make time travel more possible too in that case. I’m all for that.

So am I “out of joint” a bit, or is the universal just the shape to be a little surprising, a little bit cowboy rodeo-like? Is the universe really just riding on the bucking bronco of existence? Probably. (In a way)

We were made for paradise. I think unhappy reminders that things go "wrong" as it were, verify this. Calamities seem a constant surprise or feel like a “bucking bronco” because of this fact. If one hears of, or better yet experiences, everyday occurrences like a fire, an accident, a scandal or a disaster the typical response is unbelief or anger or maybe disappointment. It’s not a placid, “Yep, I thought so. Just as expected.” Well, why not? Life is just this way, shouldn’t we be used to it by how after all these eons?

C.S. Lewis said, “My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.”

His book “Perelandra” delves into the concept of paradise through a story of a perfect and innocent world that encounters the introduction of corruption. It’s a fascinating work of fantasy and allegory.

Internally we seem to expect more of life, or a better life. Somehow a kink foiled perfection, no? Something got “out of joint” or “bent”. Maybe once the universe was nice a smooth flat piece and Eve chomped the fruit and wham, the lady bent the universe. It didn’t seem to phase Adam, he did it too. (Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.”)

Whether the fall of mankind literally twisted the universe is not really not important. The fact is we don’t fit too well in a “bent”, imperfect universe. (Romans 3:10 “There is no one righteous, not even one.”) Yet, we hope for better; we hope for more. We long every-which-way for perfection. Here is the grand epiphany for us to realize: This is the longing is to be reconciled to God. We hope for the Holy and perfect God of the universe who made it all perfect. He allowed us to choose imperfection but rejecting Him.

The choice to rebel against God is always there just as it was in the beginning. It is there still a choice today for us. The other choice is to accept His gift of redemption, the perfect Son of God, Jesus. Jesus is the payment