One thing that makes human beings distinct is, not only their ability to communicate, because even animals seem to communicate to each other, but ALSO having characters and symbols (i.e. alphabets) that represent the sounds and words that they use to pass on information.
I may see two of our cats meowing to each other, as they fight, but my cats don’t have the ability and the skill to put their meowing into written words. Well, only because they don’t have the symbols, such as letters to represent what they just said to each other, and plus, they don’t have the sense of intentionality and the cognitive faculty that human beings have.
A language is a language because there is a ‘conscious mind’ behind it, that uses alphabets or characters (if Chinese language) to transfer information, for communication, and ultimately for relationship. We all know that there is unity and power in having able to speak the same language:
I believed that the success of the Persian Empire during the height of their rule was due to the ‘couriers’ that the kingdom of the Achaemenid kings had in horsebacks to carry written messages, or even oral as they galloped in relays between rest station on the Royal Road (National Geographic, August 2008 edition).
Wars were being won just because the watch towers were able to communicate the arrival of a kingdom’s enemy. Remember LOTR? When Pippin was able to light the beacon that carried the signal to prepare the rest of the other Kingdoms for battle? That is communication.
Even the Tower of Babel in the Bible represented power and pride as the people tried to build a tall structure to be like god. God knew that the power rests on their ability to communicate to each other, so He confused their languages.
What do all these reference on languages got to do with our God? A lot.
Being able to communicate is just one that sets us apart as humans among all God’s creation. We are made in the Creator’s Image, and with that we carry in us the purposive, creative, and relational characteristic that is inherent in our Creator as well.
Perry Marshall, a Communication Engineer and expert in Information Systems and its theories, saw a language pattern in nature that lead him to believe that an Intelligent Creator is behind all these designs, such as the DNA.
He proposed that DNA, like all coding systems, is a language, and he then argued that like all language systems, DNA have Symbols, Grammar (Syntax), Meaning (Semantics) and Intent (Pragmatics).
A language is a language because there is, not only symbols or alphabets that are used, but the presence of Meaning, and the intentionality behind it makes it complex. And when we speak of intent, we speak of a MIND behind it.
DNA spells language all over it. It has symbols (codes), grammar, meaning and intent. Change the sequence of the codes, it will give you an entirely different being.
From this argument, Perry Marshall was able to conclude that there is a Mind behind this DNA language that is intentionally putting things together to create this cosmos as we know it.
Where is God in our languages? He is behind it.
It is being used not only to communicate, and transfer information, but to create relationships among us, and with Him.
I haven't dealt with the existence of the Bible just yet. And Jesus as the Word that represents God. There is a lot on Languages that points to a Loving God. This blog will add more about it next time. But for now, let me encourage you with this last statement:
Let us reclaim Languages and use it to proclaim God as a God who loves and longs to communicate to us, to establish a loving relationship with us, the way we want to establish relationship with our love ones through communication.
To God be the Glory!
_____________________
References:
Marshall, Perry. If You Can Read This God Exists, Accessed on July 09, 2011 at http://www.cosmicfingerprints.com/read-prove-god-exists/
National Geographic, Ancient Iran, August, 2008 Edition.
(This blog is to pool people to intercede for the field of academe to be used as a platform to till the soil of the hearts of this generation, in preparation for the Second Coming of God’s Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Suit Up! We are at War!)
Written: July 09, 2011
(This blog is to pool people to intercede for the field of academe to be used as a platform to till the soil of the hearts of this generation, in preparation for the Second Coming of God’s Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Suit Up! We are at War!)
Written: July 09, 2011
