I’m not sure why I was hard wired to look deeper into the meaning of things. While down here in the American South, with all the energy on one or another interpretation of the gospel of Jesus, resulting in one Baptist church a block from another Baptist church, next to a Methodist church, next to a Calvary church and so on - literally - I can’t help but wonder why they can’t all unite and come up with One Story, and therefore one Christian religion, and stop thinking my Jesus is better than your Jesus. I think I could write all day on this subject, and I won’t, though I’ll add a bit more at the end of this blog, if you are so inclined to read on.
Beyond all the separations of religion I do believe in God. I don’t think the miracles of life I see and experience all around me are random, or merely science. The formation of every atom and molecule, and the structural organization of each and every thing has to have been divinely orchestrated. The conductor of that orchestration is beyond my comprehension, and therefore I refer to the Conductor or Architect of All That Is, as God. Which brings me to Ruby Falls and the words of Leo Lambert on a brass plaque at the entrance of the Ruby Fall castle - which pretty much sums up what my Ki Earth Journey is all about:
“Discovering Ruby Falls was like discovering God. At first it is very dark, scary and uncertain. You don’t know what lies ahead.
You bump into things you didn’t even realize were there and you suffer injuries, bumps and bruises. You fall down into sticky, sticky mud and mire and feel like you cannot go on. But you get up with a feeling that somewhere ahead lies something more wonderful than you could ever imagine.
As you add light to what you discover you find that the things that caused you suffering and injury were wonderful God made things, put there for you to witness and give you joy. It is all more than you ever imagined you could witness. It is God, and Ruby Falls & the Lookout Mountain Cave are God’s creations, made for man to enjoy.
I am just a little proud that he used me” Leo Lambert December 1928
So today’s blog is a fun travelog with pictures of a wonderful under-earth trek to Ruby Falls, which is located a quarter of the way up Lookout Mountain, overlooking the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee. People always knew there were caves and tunnels in Lookout Mountain. American Indians, outlaws and Civil War soldiers all hung out in the caves, but when the railroad was built in the early 1900’s the cave entrance was sealed.
In the late 1920’s Leo Lambert, then a young man, became fascinated in reopening the caves, so he put together a company and started drilling a shaft down from a place on the side of the mountain directly above the old caves. After drilling 260 feet into bedrock they came upon an air chamber. Leo and his men climbed on their hands and knees and bellies for 17 hours before they heard the sound on falling water. It was then they discovered a spectacular 150 foot waterfall, which Leo named after his wife Ruby. After finishing the elevator shaft and cutting 6 feet high paths, the half mile of trail to Ruby Falls was open to the public in 1929. The following pictures are of stalactites I encountered on my walk to Ruby Falls.
A little more on “One Religion,” which is all about my "sorting it all out" and may be of interest to inquiring minds:
When I was at Livingston United Methodist Church last Sunday, the congregation read the Apostles Creed out loud. By the way, it is written that each stanza of The Apostles Creed was given by “The Holy Spirit” to each of the twelve Apostles, but it really wasn’t all put together until 180 or 390 years later. (which makes me wonder if any of it was lost or misinterpreted). I’m also curious about the last four stanzas: 8. I believe in the Holy Ghost: (I’m not sure of the difference between the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit, and exactly who this ghost or spirit is in relation to God. According to the “written word,” the Holy Ghost “conceived” Jesus Christ - the only begotten “Son of God” - which implies that the Holy Ghost is God. So why the two name confusion?) 9. I believe in the holy catholic church: (Catholic come from a Greek word that means “Universal.” In the first century the idea was to create one church - a “Universal Christian Religion): the communion of saints: (I suppose a Universal religion would naturally include a communion of saints, although I question who the saints are - are they “the people” who attend the Universal Church? Are we all Saints?) 10. The forgiveness of sins: (this doesn’t define “sin” and is therefore vague as to exactly what needs forgiving.) 11. The resurrection (coming back from death) of the body (does this mean reincarnation of “the communion of saints” - the people - and when was the idea of reincarnation taken from common acceptance?): 12. And the life everlasting. (this seems to be another reference to reincarnation, which could also mean living forever in Heaven, but certainly doesn’t literally refer to “life everlasting” being a hell option).
So this whole can of worms only leads me back to Ruby Falls and fact that nobody knows where the water for the falls comes from or where it goes. It’s just plain beautiful and that nobody can deny - and like Leo Lambert says it’s “like discovering God.”
Blessings, David Dakan Allison
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