God is invisible

Having turned up 'Jesting Pilate' again yesterday, I fell to rereading it, to come across an interesting demonstration of why God is invisible.

It seems that one Jalalu 'd-Din Muhammad Rumi, a 13th century Iranian, wrote: 'Opposite shows up opposite as with a Frank and a negro. The opposite of light shows what is light ... God created grief and pain for this purpose: to wit, to manifest happiness by its opposites. Hidden things are manifested by their opposites; but as God has no opposite, He remains hidden'. I am reminded of a witticism of Bertrand Russell in which by using an arithmetical falsehood as a premise he was able to demonstrate that he was the Pope. Also that Huxley managed these feats of erudition without the benefit of the internet and quite possibly, since this was a travel book, without the benefit of a library.

I was also amused to find that Huxley knew all about the row that crows make when roosting, having had an congratulatory address to one Mr. Patel, on the occasion of this last being made the speaker of the Legislative Assembly (of I am not sure where), drowned out by the roosting crows of Bombay. Altogether an amusing writer.

Asking the other place (http://www.pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.co.uk/) for 'jesting', it looks as if I acquired and first read this book back in 2008 - and I still think, as I observed at that time, that it has worn well. It is still a good read, well worth its shelf space.