Far above the clouds, faith or evidence?
During an idle moment, waiting for something, a noise drew my gaze toward the sky. It came through the solid cloud cover and I strained to identify the source. I had a good idea but wondered how you’d explain it to someone who didn’t, who knew nothing of our modern world?
Of these alternatives I doubt they would pick the correct one:
- Angry Sky Gods?
- Thunder, from lightening I couldn’t see?
- Several hundred people (and hundreds of tonnes of metal, fuel, luggage) high above the cloud watching movies and, possibly, about to tuck into a late lunch while doing about 900 km/h as they head to the over side of the world.
- The man with his bag of secrets far above the clouds
I can’t prove it wasn’t 1, it is perhaps the simplest answer and some might say with faith it is all you need. 2 makes noise in the sky but this was different, longer lasting and far less dramatic.
If you didn’t know about modern aviation then 3 would be absurd. However visit to an airport would provide enough evidence to suggest it was not only possible, but also the most likely.
4: Far Above the Clouds
It also reminded me of this:
And the man in the rain picked up his bag of secrets, and journeyed up the mountainside, far above the clouds, and nothing was ever heard from him again, except for the sound of Tubular Bells
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BSGdX7eNn4&w=480&h=385]
It was an aircraft up where the sun or moon always shine. I never saw it but from the engine noise I suspect a 747-400 as was louder than I’d expect an A380 to be. The simplest solution is not always the correct one, faith is not the answer but evidence provides one.
