Book Description
When And How Did The Universe Begin?

What Does Science Have To Say About Miracles?

What Is The Purpose Of Free Will If All Is Foreseen?

These, and countless other questions about creation, space, time, the universe and all things in between were considered long ago by those who understood how to read the Torah at its deepest level of meaning. Those not familiar with these commentaries believe that there is an insurmountable conflict between the Bible and science. But that is not the case. On the contrary. The latest scientific discoveries are in full accord with Torah. The more science uncovers, the more we find agreement with impossible-sounding statements made centuries and millennia ago on the basis of what the Bible tells us.

Learn how our understanding of the universe, based on the twentieth-century science of quantum mechanics, relativity theory and big bang cosmology, campares to predictions made centuries ago from the Bible. How did the early universe get from chaos to order in seeming defiance of the second law of thermodynamics? How is it possible to reconcile a 6000-year time period with one counted in billions of years? Does G-d need to use a time machine to observe all space and time? Why are prominent scientists claiming that the universe is so strange that it really should not and cannot exist? Read this book and find out. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Exceptional essays on science and the Torah
"The Heavenly Time Machine" is a brilliant series of essays on the current state of science and how it relates to the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible).While often very scientific in nature, the essays are still written with the layman in mind.The author does not give a deep, in-depth discourse on complex scientific theory such as quantum mechanics, matter, space, time, big bang theory, and the mathematics of extremely large numbers, but still explains enough that the reader can understand the point being made.

While normally a very fast reader, I found myself purposely slowing down to make sure that I gained a complete understanding of each chapter.I found myself often stopping to consider a point and contemplate the consequences and logic of the analysis.

Under Newtonian ideas of the universe everything was logical and predictable.This is not the case today.Many experiments have shown that the Newtonian laws break down completely when dealing with atomic and sub-atomic particles.As physics and mathematics have shown the importance of various relationships and the probabilities that they might occur by chance calculated the end conclusion is that the universe required for our existence should not exist and yet it does.Now more and more scientists have come full circle to agreement that the universe was created with us in mind.

While many of these concepts defy science, it seems that they do not defy the Torah.The Torah can be interpreted to include such concepts as multiple universes, space and time fluctuations, etc.The end result is that no insurmountable conflict exists between the Torah and science.In actuality the Torah now seems to be the one that was far ahead of its time and science in now finally catching up.

A very highly recommended book for anyone dealing with concepts of science and religion being in conflict with each other.Read the book and see how the new science is validating the old beliefs.

From back jacket of book.
When And How Did The Universe Begin? What Does Science Have To Say About Miracles? What Is The Purpose Of Free Will If all Is Foreseen?

These, and countless other questions about creation, space, time, the universe and all things in between were considered long ago by those who understood how to read the Torah at its deepest level of meaning. Those not familiar with these commentaries believe that there is an insurmauntable conflict between the Bible and science. But that is not the case. On the contrary. The latest scientific discoveries are in full accord with the Torah. The more science uncovers, the more we find agreement with impossible-sounding statements made centuries ago on the basis of what the Bible tells us.

Learn how our understanding of the universe, based on the twentieth-century science of quantum mechanics, relativity theory and big bang cosmology, compares to predictions made centuries ago from the Bible. How did the early universe get from chaos to order in seeming defiance of the second law of thermodynamics? Does G-d need to use a time machine to observe all space and time? Why are prominent scientists claiming that the univers is so strange that it really should not and cannot exist? Read this book and find out. ... Read more

Book Description

Heavenly Hoots is Christianity at its funniest!Every anecdote in this book has a distinct truthfulness about it and is a mini-sermon in itself.

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Vibrant Life, published by Thomson Gale on May 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1064 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Power walking: next time you go for a walk, invite a heavenly Friend to join you.
Author: Gwen Scott Simmons
Publication: Vibrant Life (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 22Issue: 3Page: 16(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This classic hymnal developed by the Stamps-Baxter publishing company and released in 1956 remained as one of the top 10 music books sold by the Zondervan corporation for many years and continues to be one of the most popular hymnals in its class. Featuring old-time gospel standards with choral arrangements typeset in shape note style, this original captures the singing style taught in the Stamps-Baxter music schools. Songs include: 'Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus'Tis The Old Ship Of ZionA New Name In GloryA Savior To Be Proud OfA Soul Winner For JesusAbide With MeAfter The SunriseAint It A ShameAll Hail The PowerAlmost PersuadedAmazing GraceAnchored In Love DivineAre You Washed In The Blood?Asleep In JesusAt The CrossAway In A MangerBaby JesusBearing The Cross To Win The CrownBeautifulBeautiful IsleBlessed AssuranceBlessed Be The NameBlessed Jesus Loves You TooBlest Be The TieBreak Thou The Bread Of LifeBring Them InBringing In The SheavesChrist Arose!Cleanse MeCome And DineCome Unto MeDeath Is Only A DreamDo LordDoing Little Things For JesusDon't Forget JesusDon't Put Off Salvation Too LongDon't You Want To Go?Down In My HeartDown On My KneesDoxologyDrifting Too Far From The ShoreEnough For MeEvery Time I Feel The Spirit and many, many more. ... Read more

Book Description
Do you want to know what's going to happen on this planet when the end of times begins? If your answer is yes, then you have to read this book. Within, you'll find a step-by-step guide that will teach you how to prepare yourself psychologically and spiritually for the most amazing ride of your life. ... Read more

Book Description
"Highly personal and philosophical….the next best thing to reading Copernicus."—Publishers Weekly

In 1543, the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus lay on his deathbed, reportedly holding his just-published masterpiece, The Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres, in his hands. Placing the sun at the center of the universe, Copernicus launched modern science, leading to a completely new understanding of the universe, and humanity's place within it.

But what did Copernicus really believe? Some argue that he anticipated the vast secularizing impact his ideas would have on history. Others contend that Copernicus was a man of his time and, on the whole, accepted its worldview. William T. Vollmann navigates this territory with the energetic prose and powerful intelligence for which he is known, providing a fresh and enlightening explication of Copernicus, his book, and his time, and the momentous clash between them. 21 diagrams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Universe Screams


I completely understand the negative reviews this book has received.But I would like to defend this book, which I believe is worth the time and effort.

This is a disappointing book if you are reading it for the wrong reason.The wrong reason is if you are reading this book as an astronomy buff who wants to learn more about Copernicus.Again, that is a very understandable mistake to make.By all appearances, it looks to be a serious academic discussion of the work of Copernicus and its role in the scientific paradigm shift.

The right reason to read this book is not as an astronomy buff but as a William T. Vollman buff. I can't get enough of Vollman's writing.And he can't seem to stop writing so it's a good match (this is a writer, for example, who has completed an over 3,000 page essay on the nature of violence).Vollman has the gift of being able to encompass the full depth of the human experience in every sentence he writes.When he writes of ecstatic happiness, he manages to imbed it with hints of cruelty and suffering.When he writes about tragedy and death, there are twisted traces of sweetness and cathartic joy.

I'm a fan of the history of science and good science writing too.And while this book might not be the most straightforward way to learn about Copernicus, there is factual information here about Copernicus' "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres."We are also given Vollman's meditations on the nature of scientific revolutions and the way science as a process will always be hampered by human imperfection, by our individual investments in our beliefs, and by the stubborn drag of institutional momentum."'Revolutions' was profoundly dangerous in its epoch, and hence profoundly necessary."

Why would Vollman take on this task?He tells us this book is the result of an "exercise in explicating a subject slightly beyond my intellectual competence."But, when he marvels at the effort, "the immensity of the force required" and the "solitary years" behind Copernicus' work, we get a sense of the parallel process driving Vollman's own desires to nudge the universe.

Very Disappointing
I bought this book with high hopes of finding an interesting and illuminating look at how Copernicus revolutionized astronomy. I was so disappointed that I did something I virtually never do: after about 90 pages, I put the book away with no intention of finishing it. Vollmann is a writer of note, but in this case his writing is so mannered and his exposition seemingly so convoluted that the reader quickly grows fatigued. At least, this reader did.

Snoozefest
This is the most uninteresting book on science or a scientific personality that I have read in recent times. I was looking forward to reading about the middle ages, the environment in which Copernicus grew up, the scientific world view at the time, the social mileu, what Copernicus himself was like, what his religious beliefs were, how he arrived at his conclusions, and what his book meant in terms of courage and conviction in that time. And, of course, a lot of actual science.

Instead we get such hard to read, boring, insipid prose dissecting the text of his work that it's a real effort to turn each page. I felt like giving up at every turn till I was half-way through but only sheer will and expectation that it would get better kept me going. But I gave up at the half-way mark.

I had learned very little that stayed with me and I had hardly enjoyed it. For those interested, Bill Bryson's "A short history of nearly everything" is one that succeeds quite well at this attempt to dispense science to the laymen.

save your money and time
If you are interested in what Copernicus did, save your money and time and don't buy this book.Instead, get ahold of Thomas Kuhn's masterful account "The Copernican Revolution".

This book is one of a series in which non-scientists present popular accounts of mostly great episodes in science.I say mostly great because there seems to be a certain amount of political correctness in the choice of scientists to write about in the series.But I digress.

Some of the books in this series are successful, for example the one by Madison Smartt Bell on Priestley, Lavoisier, and the chemical revolution.But when you have fiction writers expounding technical subjects, there is potential for trouble, and that is what we get with Vollmann's book on Copernicus.

Vollmann's explanations of the technical aspects of Copernicus' work are superficial and hard to grasp.Kuhn is much better.Vollmann also has a complusion to say snotty things about everyone involved, about their thoughts, motives, habits of mind.One would think that the ancients who constructed early science and astronomy were a bunch of idiots who had to wait for Copernicus to come along, who of course was a dolt because he was "obedient" to Aristotle for the most part, and was incapable of writing clearly to boot.Kuhn is incomparably better at explaining the philsophical, religious, scientific, and historical contexts in which the ancients, Copernicus, and the other early moderns worked.For example, you get a real sense of why the ancient earth-centered system was the reasonable system, that the ancient heliocentric precursors of Copernicus didn't have much in the way of evidence or reason on their side.You get a sense from Kuhn of just what it was that made the heliocentric theory attractive to Copernicus -- the changing context of observational astronomy, and above all the clarity which the heliocentric view gave to the matter of the oddities of the motion of certain of the planets.

If you really want a sense of the greatness of ancient scientific thought, of ancient astronomy, of the magnificence of the accomplishment of Copernicus and his followers in the modern scientific revolution, get ahold of Kuhn's book.

revolution #1
It's interesting that so many of the defining moments in history involved Uncentering something from something else.For instance, Thomas Willis realized that the seat of reason and intelligence was neither the heart nor the soul, but a lump of jelly in the skull.Darwin first figured out that the homo sapiens is just one twig in the tree of life.And before Willis and Darwin there was Copernicus, who is credited with discovering that the Earth, far from being the center of the universe, revolves around the sun along with all the other planets.

There's something about human psychology that resists Uncentering, and back then the gecocentrists had mountains of religious and philosophical text to back them up.Needless to say heliocentrism was an unpopular idea, and in 16th century Europe people with unpopular ideas were burned along with their books.Copernicus was spared this fate, partly because of an apologetic (and unauthorized) preface, and partly by the fact that he died of natural causes shortly after the publication of his book in 1543.Copernicus's successors, Bruno and Galileo, ended up taking a lot of the flak.

William T. Vollmann is an excellent writer, and he does a fabulous job of summarizing Revolutions.Using limited astro-jargon and a few figures, Vollmann explains how Copernicuscalculated the positions and trajectories of the planets, often arriving quite close to modern estimates without the benefit of a telescope or even binoculars.He also describes how Copernicus had to grapple with the prevalent Ptolemaic system and its philosophical roots.Remarkably, Copernicus, despite his revolutionary worldview, could never bring himself to abandon thephilosophical tradition that valued circles for their asthetic appeal.His heliocentric system thus featured circular orbits, and was consequently almost as complicated as Ptolemy's geocentric model.It would be another 50 years before Kepler cleaned up the mess by introducing elliptical orbits to the heliocentric model.

In the end Copernicus was successful in uncentering the Earth.This was a real breakthrough, and not just because he was right about heliocentrism.The Uncentered viewpoint is just the idea that things in the universe can be studied objectively and empirically, without recourse to mysticism.Today we just call it science. ... Read more

Book Description
New to our On the Shoulders of Giants series, this groundbreaking work of astronomy proposed a heliocentric universe in which planets orbited the sun-daring to challenge the Ptolemaic ideal of the earth as the center of the universe. This essay by Copernicus (1473-1543), revolutionized the way we look at the earth's placement in the universe, and paved the way for many great scientists, including Galileo and Isaac Newton, whose theories stemmed from this model. Featuring a biography of Copernicus and an accessible, enlightening introduction, both written by the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, On the Revolution of Heavenly Spheres provides a fascinating look at the theories which shaped our modern understanding of astronomy and physics.

Black-and-white illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Planetary distances is "the chief point of all"
Copernicus puts the sun in the center of the universe. This is a great achievement not on metaphysical or philosophical grounds but rather because it provides new quantitative information about the universe, namely planetary distances. Suppose the earth is at the center and we have created a model for how the planets move with epicycles and stuff, as Ptolemy did. Such a model can give no information about planetary distances, because we could scale the orbit of Saturn, say, to make it twice as big and it would still look exactly the same seen from earth. But suppose now that we have a similar model but with the sun at the center, which is what Copernicus provides. The (relative) planetary distances are now determined, because if we scaled the orbit of Saturn then it would look the same seen from the sun but different seen from earth. So with the earth in the center we cannot determine planetary distances because we are the center of scaling, but with the sun in the center we would notice scaling and thus the planetary distances are locked, or, as Copernicus puts it, "this correlation binds together so closely the order and the magnitudes of all the planets and of their spheres or orbital circles and the heavens themselves that nothing can be shifted around in any part of them without disrupting the remaining parts and the universe as a whole". Thus he can claim triumphantly that earlier astronomers "have not been able to discover or to infer the chief point of all, i.e., the form of the world and the certain commensurability of its parts. But they are in exactly the same fix as someone taking from different places hands, feet, head, and the other limbs---shaped very beautifully but not with reference to one body and without correspondence to one another---so that such parts made up a monster rather than a man." (I'm using the translation from Goldoni's excellent article in the Mathematical Intelligencer.)

A trip back in time
Very good book. It really took me back to the 1400's, when everyone thought the earth was the center of the universe, and the sum and stars revolved around the Earth. The style of writing, and the enormity of the meesage was very illuminating.

I have to admit, though, after getting into the math and the scientific explanations, it gets pretty dry. I've only gotten 1/2 way through the book. But, because it's actually written by Copernicus, it is fascinating.

And, he made all these observations almost a century before telescopes were around.

PS i was led to read this, because of the book, Galileo's Daughter, which discusses the life of Galileo, his invention of the telescope, and the persecutions he faced.

Awesome.
OK, first of all, "GangstaLawya" seems to not be taking into account the fine work of Kepler, Newton, and Einstein when he suggests that we "remain agnostic" on the issue of heliocentrism. True, Copernicus himself does not excactly refute Ptolemy here (he actually was more worried about how other astronomers and Protestant theologians would react to his heliocentric system than how the Catholic church would see it... and his model wasn't fully accepted until over a hundred years after his death), but this model was later augmented by Kepler and Newton to the point where it does work better than Ptolemy's. And with all due respect, the Ptolmaic system is extremely convoluted, needlessly complicated, and downright ugly at times... so even if there's a simpler way of looking at things that works just as well, that's still a conceptial improvement. Occam's razor, y'know?

But I digress. As with most of my reviews of books like this, my concern isn't necessarily the actual book (which is usually self-evidently worthwhile), but with the presentation. I must say that it's a little awkward to see Stephen Hawking's name appear on the cover in larger type than Copernicus' and not get anything more than a very short introduction by him that doesn't say very much. In fact, there is not very much of a difference between this edition and the one published by Prometheus Books; the text is exactly the same and contains all the same diagrams. The cover is flashier (and says "Stephen Hawking!") and the type is cleaner. That's it. Those are the only real differences. In fact, the only reason I can see for this edition existing is Running Press (and Stephen Hawking) making a few bucks.

Despite all this, there isn't really anything here that detracts from the work. So basically, you can buy this copy or the Prometheus Books edtion and it won't matter; you'll get pretty much the same thing and pay pretty much the same price either way. I'll leave it up to you whether you want the flashy cover (complete with Stephen Hawking's name on it) or the plain one because that's really about as deep as the choice goes.

What A Joy As Well As A Work of Art
Never before did I know a man could explain the heliocentric universe as well in this book.Of Course, Copernicus explained it centuries before my birth.But, it seems so foolish to believe the geocentric view, and I'm Catholic.Read "Dialogues" by Galileo to get the full picture ofwhat these two men said, it it truly fascinating. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Does the weather get warmer in summer because the Earth moves closer to the sun? That many people believe this is a perfect example of common sense leading to scientific misconception, the kind of misconception Neil Comins strives to set straight in Heavenly Errors. Comins is particularly eager to stamp out errors about astronomy, his field, and in his book he explores--and corrects--1,500 "commonly held" astronomical beliefs. Along the way, he investigates the nature of misconceptions, how and why we acquire them, and how to guard against them. He identifies external culprits, such as science fiction films, the Internet, and advertising, and examines how the psychological traits that help humans survive are poor tools for understanding "the real nature of the universe." A writer and teacher, Comins can clearly explain astronomicalconcepts to non-scientists. This book, however, seems geared to freshman astronomy students, and not to the general science reader. --J.B. PeckBook Description

One of the great paradoxes of modern times is that the more scientists understand the natural world, the more we discover that our everyday beliefs about it are wrong. Astronomy, in particular, is one of the most misunderstood scientific disciplines.

With the participation of thousands of undergraduate students, Neil F. Comins has identified and classified, by origin and topic, over 1,700 commonly held misconceptions.Heavenly Errors provides access to all of them and explores many, including:

• Black holes suck in everything around them.

• The Sun shines by burning gas.

• Comets have tails trailing behind them.

• The Moon alone causes tides.

• Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, is the hottest planet.

In the course of correcting these errors, he explains that some occur through the prevalence of pseudosciences such as astrology and UFO-logy and some enter the public conscience through the "bad astronomy" ofStar Trek, Star Wars, and other science-fiction movies.. Perhaps most important, Professor Comins presents the reader with the methods for identifying and replacing incorrect ideas -- tools with which to probe erroneous notions so that we can begin to question for ourselves... and to think more like scientists.

Customer Reviews (2)

Heavenly Errors
This book might be great for a first or second-grader. It contains trivial information that possibly appeals to readers whose educational ambitions are far from being realized. Instead of debunking historical misconceptions such as (1)the speed of light is instanteneous (Aristotle, Kepler), (2) a star's brightness is due to its distance alone(Newton), (3) meteors are of terrestrial origin - 'thunderstones' or materials catapulted from volcanoes, or (4)the absense of gail-force winds proves that the earth is stationary... we instead get lectured that (1) the position of a planet excerts negligible influence on a new-born child,(2)the heat radiated from the sun is not generated by something burning, (3) winds do not cause the tides, etc. Give me a break.

Really wanted to give it 3 1/2 stars--better than middle
Considering the misinformation of the general public on astronomical matters (and matters in general), this book casts a welcome light on some of them.The author, further, has a web site listing even more misconceptions, given by students in his classes as well as contributors from his web site audience.The author also delves into the Why of how these misconceptions have arisen in people's minds.

The book is not perfect, and in fact could lead to the furtherance of some other misconceptions.For example, he lists a flat No to the question of whether black holes are black.A correspondence with the author indicates he was thinking of small black holes--with considerably less mass than the moon.Such small black holes would indeed glow, via Hawking radiation, but larger ones would indeed be black by anyone's standards, including those multi-solar-massive ones hypothesized to be at the centers of galaxies.However Prof. Comins' reply did rid me of my misconception that it is only for a short period of time that small black holes glow.

Alluding to the fact that the moon keeps the same side toward the earth all the time, the book states that in the lunar sky, the earth "won't budge, no matter how many days, weeks, months, years, or decades you watch it".In actuality, due to the eccentricity of the moon's orbit and the tilt of its axis relative to its orbit, the moon's center librates as seen from the earth, and as seen from the moon, the earth moves in the sky with a range of 16 degrees East-West (8 degrees either way from center) and 13 degrees north-south.As a result the earth could get to be 20 degrees from where you first saw it.That's 10 earth diameters, or 40 earth-viewed full moon's width, so it really more than "budges".Prof. Comins explains in correspondence that he "chose to be glib about this point because it would take quite a lot to describe issues related to libration from scratch with only a small gain in insight by the general reader."Yet one of his listed misconceptions was of the center of mass of the moon's core being at the geometric center of the moon; that difference is only about 1/2 mile, out of the 2000-mile lunar diameter.

In the book, Prof. Comins states that it is never safe to look directly at the sun without a proper solar filter.He doesn't exempt looking at the corona during totality of a solar eclipse.In his correspondence, he states "Concerning looking directly at the Sun during a total eclipse, it is definitely not safe to do so.A close friend of mine lost a significant amount of his vision doing so.Looking directly at the corona during a total eclipse is still extremely dangerous.Keep in mind that the Sun is in totality for only a matter of minutes, and as soon as it comes out, its brightness is dangerous."While I can understand the impact of personal tragedies, it's also true that people travel thousands of miles to view totality directly.I have done so four times and viewed the totally eclipsed sun with the unaided eye and even through a telescope.And to do so, one cannot have a filter, and my eyes are unscathed, as are those of many hundreds, or thousands, who go on eclipse cruises and expeditions.They have accurate predictions of the timing and accurate timers, and call out to all to "look away" at the appropriate time.As the NASA web site on eye safety during solar eclipses states: "In spite of these precautions, the total phase of an eclipse can and should be viewed without any filters whatsoever. The naked eye view of totality is completely safe and is overwhelmingly awe-inspiring!" ... Read more

Product Description
In recent years, many Latter-day Saints have participated in Passover observances. This has been done in seminary and institute classes and in family and neighborhood gatherings. Some have even shared the Poassover observance with Jewish friends and neighbors. While participating in Passover meals and observances is not a part of designated Latter-day Saint rituals, many participants see the activity as a way to re-enact the observance as it was structured in Old Testament times, and tie it to their modern-day Easter celebrations of the atoning sacrifice and glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With this in mind, many have expressed a desire for more information on how to combine the two events effectively.To meet this need, Celebrating Passover recounts the history of the Passover feast, including its importance, origins, symbolism, and developments through time. Then, it corrrelates the Passover observance with Christ's life and LDS beliefs and prophecies, explaining differences in the emphasis and showing how to prepare a modern Latter-day Saint Passover observance that truly is Christ-centered.ISBN: 0-882-90759-x, SIZE: Paperback ... Read more

Product Description
May you live in interesting times, the saying says. And so we do. But with interesting times come interesting - and sometimes excruciating - challenges. We chose to accept this path on earth even though we knew there would be challenges, temptations, and heartbreak. We decided it was worth it. We fought a war in heaven to obtain the experience of having a body and using our agency, the most powerful tool we wield against Satan. In Challenges and Choices, Alan Mangum gives six keys to understanding and using our agency in both the times the sun shines on our lives and the times the storm clouds gather above us. ISBN: 978-1-59955-095-4, SIZE: 6" x 9", Paperback ... Read more