A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds: it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity.” (Albert Einstein)
Many descriptors are fitting for Carl Sagan, but to me, the post is about his philosophical side. The universe is more than vast, and Earth is a mere speck on that vastness. Yet, it serves as the stage for everything that is human … the good and the bad … the beautiful and the ugly … the simple and the extravagant … and more.
Each time I watch this video, the images and Sagan’s words transported to the land of personal awe. In this video, Sagan (an agnostic) inspires my Christian spirituality by deepening my concept of creation. I started this series is deep space, and we are working our way to home. Enjoy exploring the Pale Blue Dot, and please share your thoughts.
A Frank Angle 
He was an amazing man. Loved the new Cosmos and Tyson’s personal Sagan connection.
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You may think this quote of Leonard Cohen is off the mark, I think it is spot on as to how one should look at the ‘speck’, “My province is small, and I try to explore it very, very thoroughly”.
Frank, you nourish a notion second to none.
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I liked the first episode of Cosmos v.2.0
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I have always loved what Carl Sagan said about our pale blue dot – it is [from my humble non-denominational spirituality view point] truly spiritual [despite his scientific agnosticism] and beyond religion/s – [perhaps pan religion?] It is factual, real and entirely absolute as a truth.
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I liked the way Carl Sagan thought, Frank. My immediate response to this video is too bad he’s not still around. I wonder what he would have been like at 80. This pale blue dot has changed so much in the 18 years since he bought his rainbow.
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I enjoyed the video very much, Frank. I have vivid memories of following Sagan’s “Cosmos” and I’ve thought of that series a hundred times since. I knew his agnosticism and used to wonder how we could see the vastness of the universe and be moved so differently. The new series is promising, but I will always miss Sagan’s voice. “Contact” is one of my all time favorite movies. Time to see it again! Thank you for this video, Frank. It’s fascinating to me.
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… and we… the great and (pseudo) powerful “humans” … we are but grains of sand…
Thank’s Frank for the special Sagan’s video!
Have a lovely day 🙂 claudine
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Great share, Frank. Nowhere else we can go, so we have to make the best of where we are. Makes a lot of sense. 🙂
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This is the first time I’ve seen this video (not a space person remember), and well, it is lovely. We should be kinder to our neighbour because this is all we have, and even if it wasn’t we should still be kinder.
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Reblogged this on AlwaysARedhead and commented:
A good reason to be kinder to your neighbour.
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Loved seeing this again, Frank. I’ve taped the new series but haven’t had a chance to watch it yet. I lived in the same town as Carl Sagan (I was in a Christian commune) that taught the Bible was completely literal and to think otherwise was ungodly. Carl Sagan was to be pitied. Well, roll forward in time by 45 years and even though I believe that there is a God who answers the “who” and “why” of my spiritual thirst, I truly believe that Carl Sagan was pointing us to the “what,” “when,” and “how” of our pale blue dot. I am so happy to truly meet him without blinders on. Thanks for sharing!
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…so was I: “transported to the land of personal awe” !! Thank you for this, Frank!
Have a great Wednesday!
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Lovely, lovely reminder. Thanks, Frank!
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The Sagan clip is one I never tire of hearing, but give the present state of affairs I view it with great poignancy.
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Pingback: A Matter of Perspective | Still Skeptical After All These Years
I have seen / watched / listened to this before and never tire of it. Wonder and wonderful.
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Well that just made me cry…..for many reasons…
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I believe Sagan’s “speck” IS a stage, for the playing out of Creation–that the cosmic backdrop is God’s set decoration for Man and the vista for Man’s dreams of exploration. And would my “geocentric” worldview be shattered, the Christian faith be shattered, if we were visited by extraterrestrials? Would Christ’s dying on the cross for Mankind be meaningless after the discovery of other inhabited worlds? What if these “aliens” never left Eden, never left God’s grace, never needed Christ to die for them? What if they never had our Fall.
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John,
A stage indeed. I enjoyed that you shared your perspective relative to religion. Personally, I don’t view alien encounters the same way, but I understand your point.
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