Light

Dear Readers,

What is light? It seems like something we should have an answer for, but in reality it seems like science has no actual idea what it is. It behaves like particles so they call these particles of light "photons".

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Yet the particles also act like wavelengths, much like how sound passes through air and water. Nonetheless everything from gamma rays to radios waves are all the same particles just moving at different frequencies.

The most perplexing part is that they are considered "mass-less" (NASA emspectrum) particles because they can only be quantified while moving. They always travel at the speed of light. With their constant speed, it is just a matter of direction and wavelength. Without those photons don't seem to exist.

Even more interesting, we find that sunlight and any white light source contains all of the visible spectrum of light. The prism simply separates all of the wavelengths that normally blend together forming white. Therefore, white is full of light and black is, in reality, the absence of at least visible light.

When we paint, the pigments capture light. As with black paint, all of the visible light is absorbed thus creating the color of black. Now here is the question, if the light is absorbed, where does it go? The photons, for most scientific purposes seem to cease to exist. Nevertheless, we can perceive their effects.

Black objects get hotter because the energy from the light enters the object increasing its temperature and energy levels. This is why asphalt roads release so much heat that the air vibrates causing mirages. The air acts like the transparent prism and changes the direction of the photons slightly, but instead of separating the wavelengths, it just reflects them else where.

Hydrogen Atom

This leads me to a question I had, if photons are absorbed, where are they? Are they secretly protons or neutrons, even electrons? No, because all of those have a mass while being still and moving. So are they quarks or other building blocks of these particles, no for they too have mass. Instead of asking these questions that science has no answer for, lets look at what it does.

With photosynthesis scientists have observed that when light enters the plant cells, they activate organelles called chloroplast.

Now, inside the chloroplast are molecules called thylakoids that contain green pigments. The pigments appear green because they absorb the more energetic violet and blue wavelengths as well as the slower yellow and red wavelengths.

Thus reflecting only the green wavelengths. This optimizes the energy absorption. Yet, we already know that when photon stop they seem to stop to exist, so how does that transfer into energy?

The energy trapped by the pigments "excites" electrons making them jump from atom to atom. Being passed along the chain of atoms the electron slowly looses energy until it is trapped by creating the covalent bonds found in glucose and other fats and sugars. Some of the excited electrons help produce the energy needed for the plant to grow and live while others are stored in these bonds.

Carbohydrase is the enzyme that breaks down starch. 

For herbivores and omnivores, our protein based enzymes wedge and break apart the glucose bonds, releasing those energized electrons. The resulting sugars can also be broken down releasing even more energy that our cells can use.

Yet through all of that, the energy simply changes from the chemicals energy trapped in the bonds to the free electrons repeating back and forth until the energy is used up. So where are these photons?

When we burn wood for a fire, we introduce extreme energy that breaks downs the carbon bonds, and somehow that releases the photons we see in flames. Thus we know that somehow the photons are trapped in there.

Even with the atomic decay of different isotopes, they produce gamma rays and other radioactive rays. This is why another name for photons is electromagnetic radiation. Thus photons are experienced at the subatomic level with the decay and energized electrons. None the less, different molecule formations such as pigments, all made of nearly the same atomic structure, absorb different wavelengths of light.

This phenomenon leads us to consider how photons seem to react directly with atoms and yet are redirected or attracted at the molecular level.

edited from the Encyclopedia Britannica prism seen above. 

My personally theory on this is that the shapes of the molecules create densities or traps as the light passes through the membranes like a prism. Alas, I consign that I have not been able to research enough to have a definitive answer to that inquiry.

Wherefore, I have reached the limits of my scientific knowledge, thus I will now delve into my religious knowledge.

1 John 1:5 "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

As many of you have probably seen, a match ignited has the shadow of the stick itself, but the torch on the top has no shadow. There is no darkness in it.

Dark Crystal Urru

This is interestingly contrasted when compared to the movie Dark Crystal. In that movie the good Urru were combined with the evil Skeksis.

Dark Crystal Skeksis

This combination created an original former race called Urskek.

Dark Crystal Urskeks

Now, as my perception of how they were portrayed, they seemed to be beings of light and darkness fused together.

Another portrayal of the attempted fusions is with the light and dark attack by Lucemon in his Chaos Mode in the last episode of Digimon Frontier. His attack is depicted almost like an orb of symbols and data, almost as though the true combination of light and dark is that of knowledge or intelligence. It could also be interpreted as digital data which is the life essence of digimon.

Yet these combinations are not God, for there is no darkness in Him. Therefore He must be more like pure radiating light. However, this does not mean that He does not have a physical body, for we know that He does (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22).

For the chakra mode from Naruto Shippuden seems to illustrate how light and energy, being released from chakra, could make someone radiant and glorious. Indeed, having an appearance like fire (Revelation 10:1).

Nevertheless, Naruto's chakra from the Kyuubi (Nine tailed demon fox) had a limit, it could be extinguished and used up.

Then there is Saitama from One Punch Man. His power came from when he was younger and broke his limiter. During his fight with Boros (a one eyed alien capable of seeing energy), Boros remarked about the limitless energy that Saitama possessed. After contemplating what this all means, it seems less likely that Saitama is all that powerful in himself, and more like "the limiter" of his power is energy flowing through him. He expels countless energy like a vacuum, it passes through him, directed and modified by him, but it is all not his. The energy is all around, he is simply a conduit for controlling it. 

However, this still does not satisfy my concept of God. Though it might be false, I perceive a God that does not have to rely on the energy around Him, but actually produces His own light and energy ever rejuvenating, ever growing, and ever progressing.

Alas, I will yield to the scriptures:

Doctrine and Covenants 93

2 "And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;"

8-14 "Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messanger of salvation-- The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men. The world were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him. And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us. And I, John, saw that he receive not of the fulness at the first, but receive grace for grace; And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first."

From that we can see that Jesus Christ, premortal as Jehovah, is the Spirit of truth and was full of light.

23-24 "Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth; And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;"

Not only is light, truth and spirit connected, but it is ultimate truth, not relative truth.

26-36 "The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth; And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments. He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things. Man was also in the beginning with God. intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation. For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy. The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, a man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple. The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth."

There is quite a bit in this one, so lets break it down. Like in my blog post about Intelligence, light and truth is this intelligence and they are different from the elements or physical matter. Yet the elements house them, like a tabernacle or building. Thus we see that it is likely that the photons might actually enter into the atomic particles themselves. The elements themselves being eternal, yet the radioactive decay is the loss of their light through Alpha, Beta and Gamma radiation. Also that without these intelligence, or this light, there is not existence, no self awareness, and without photons, no living life.

Doctrine and Covenants 88

7-17 "Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; Which light proceedeth froth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space--the light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things. Now, verily I say unto you, that through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead. And the spirit and the body are the soul of man. And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul. And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it."

Here it appears that there is a direct comparison to the light of Christ and actual light. The light of the sun which then reflects upon the moon and shines upon the earth. The light of all of the stars in the sky and the reflected light upon their orbiting planets and other objects. We also have some insight as to light being the driving force of the organization of the universe. For it proceeds forth similar to the Higgs Field which I talked about in another post, and that field gives mass to the elemental or physical matter. Yet photons pass through it without having mass. They pierce through so much like x-rays and radiation. Indeed, even NASA admits that the universe itself is the biggest generator of gamma radiation, aka photons, aka light particles that fill the immensity of space. I also want to note that this light is the "law by which all things are governed". We could almost see how light enters an electron and then energizes it or gives it instructions as it gets passed along the atomic shells.

25-32 "And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of the celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law--Wherefore it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it. For not withstanding they die, they also shall rise again, a spiritual body. They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened. Ye who are quickened by a portion of the celestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness. And they who are quickened by a portion of the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness. And also they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness. And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received."

Now we see that the light and truth we let into our lives, run our lives and laws we live by actually leave an imprint, quickening us. Then, when we are resurrected and our spirits and bodies are inseparably connected, we will have a fulness of the glory that we are willing to receive and obey.

66-67 "Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness--in the wilderness, because you cannot see him--my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth; truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound. And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things."

Finally we see how, in our mortal stage, we can have the light in our eyes. How much light we let in and is then reflected out, because our inward light is full. This is incredibly like Christ's parable of light in Matthew 6:21-23.

Whether light is spirit or intelligences themselves I know not, but it does seem as though science thus far has no idea where it comes from or what it really is. Also, as far as I can tell, the scriptures revealed much truth about light that has since been proven long after Joseph Smith's day. Indeed, he was a Prophet of God. I leave you with these things in hopes that maybe you will discover more truth of "things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come" in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,
Jacobugoth

Naruto 2: Kekkei Genkai

Dear Readers,

Because my first Naruto blog post was getting lengthy, I have decided to have a separate post expanding more upon the kekkei genkai, or bloodline limits, with how and why they work. As I did explain about some of the elemental kekkei genkai, I do not quite agree with all of the powers, nor are all of the combinations explained.

I already included wood release and lava release in my first post. They are the elemental combinations of earth/water and earth/fire respectively. So lets continue where that left off...

Earth and wind pose a difficult twist, for they can be combined in two ways.

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First would be a sand release. Though Gaara uses sand techniques, he does not produce the sand using chakra. Instead, to mimic and recreate sand release, he intertwines his chakra with the sand, and the manipulates it like a puppeteer. Despite his ninjitsu not being real sand release, there are at least two characters mentioned that have used it. One creates iron sand, and the other gold sand.

Sand Release would be combined in this manner. The wind and sand working together to create an edge.

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The second kekkei genkai, and one more of a true combining, would be crystal release.

The earth element acts as a catalyst as the wind sharpens it and creates the flat edges.

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In a similar manner, earth and lightning have a close relationship with magnet and metal release. For metal release, the electrical energy melts and refines the stone into metal.

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With added electricity, that metal can then be polarized creating a magnet. In either case, the fundamental building is the same.

The electrical circuit is run along the outside edge while being compressed.

Water and fire is a simple combination.

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The heat and expansion of the water turns it into boiling hot steam.

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As for water and wind, the wind sharpens it in a similar way as it does stone making crystal. Instead, it makes ice.

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The inside flowing is distinctly demonstrated when Haku uses ice mirrors to transport himself into a different dimension.

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Now, water and lightning mix together for form a storm release.

The water acts as a catalyst for the electrical current. Water molecules rubbing together also aid in the lightning formation.

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As this diagram shows, the current goes from positive to negative, both down and up. This maintains that cycle of polarity.

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Air and fire make an obvious combination as well. Essentially an explosion, it is called scorch release.

The explosive power is controlled by the directional aspect of the wind blade. This allows the heat to be controlled easier and even sustained far from the body.

Now, this next combination is not shown in the anime or manga, as far as I am aware. Thus, this is purely my own ideas on the matter. Fire and lightning would create a very strange element combination. I do not currently have a proper name for it, but ash release could be a potential.

This combination of explosion and current would create lightning that is super heated, almost like lava turned into a plasma that follows polarity courses.

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The phenomenon I just described is well represented by the Magic the Gathering card, Chain lightning from the Lightning and Fire Premium Deck.

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Now for realistic applications, the smoke of a forest fire can create a lightning storm. Thus, this super heated lightning would be a result of the ash storm. This is my only reason for the possible name of Ash Release.

Now for the hardest one for me to conceive, wind and lightning. I call it Gale Release, though Windstorm Release is another possibility.

The lightning flows down the center, like a tornado with a plasma center.

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This is the best visual representation, and "gale" force winds is an adequate way to describe this lightning, tornado, windstorm thing.

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Now, there is one more elemental kekkei genkai I want to mention, Particle Release.

Particle Release is the only known kekkei genkai that uses three elements simultaneously. The earth and wind create that crystal like structure that is then a reciprocal for heated energy to pour out, either in the form of a beam or as a implosion within the structure. In either case, the result is the breakdown of the particle bonds within the blast or formation. This is simply put as disintegration. Thus, the Particle Release, being a combination of earth, wind, and fire elemental charges, is one if not THE most devastating elemental ninjutsu.

Now that I have covered all of the known and potential elemental kekkei genkai that I am aware of, or fond enough of to include, I will talk about the physical manifestation bloodline limits.

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I have already talked about the sharingan and it's variations in my first Naruto post.

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However, there are other dojutsu or eye techniques that are worth mentioning. The first is the byakugan. Byakugan means all seeing white eye. Though the individual is born having the white eye, they see normally. It is only when they activate it using chakra and blood flow that it gains its impressive abilities. That is why the veins of the individual bulge when in use.

This is quite an adequate ability because the blood flow added to the chakra allows the eyes to stay healthy unlike the mangekyo sharingan. However, because of this, it is both physically taxing and chakra draining.

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Yet, using this technique after much practice, the individual can see great distances through solid objects. Indeed they can see the very meridian system and target it with chakra in combat. Using their chakra, they can close down, pinch, or block the meridians cutting off the chakra flow.

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There is another hole in the sight. The eyes allow the individual to see in a nearly complete 360 degree sphere. However, there is a blind spot cone from the base of the neck, radiating out at an acute angle.

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Now, there is another dojutsu called rinnegan.  If an individual has the genetic code for both the sharingan and wood release, whether inherent from birth, or by genetic or cellular introduction, that individual has rinnegan eyes. Though these eyes are named after the Buddhist reincarnation cycle called samsara, they could be simply put at cycle eyes.

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Now these eyes hold tremendous abilities. These abilities are mostly physical, though rooted in the eyes. They are most evident in the six paths of pain.

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In the six paths of pain, a rinnegan user creates rods out of yin chakra, basically shadow solidified with chakra.

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These rods are very similar in nature to the truth seeking balls that Obito uses later on in the series. I think that is quite significant because the yin chakra is mostly influenced by creativity and the spirit. Our spirits seek truth, and are even fed by it.

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Once the rods are inserted into six corpses, the user uses chakra in the manner of radio waves to control the six bodies very similar to remote control cars.

Because of the user's chakra entering the bodies, that chakra influences and changes the cells, artificially keeping them alive. This also causes the hair to turn a orange color, as well as all the individuals having rinnegan eyes. This is the same manner as when a sharingan user completely take over someone else with hypnosis.

Because all six bodies are being controlled, each pair of eyes acts like a camera. The user is able to see what all six see, and possibly what they themselves see. There is also certain abilities, or six paths, that are transferred, one to each body.

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First there is Deva Path. This path has the abilities to create the truth seeking balls as well as have powers over gravity, push and pull. When used together, the individual puppet is able to create a gravitational force with a truth seeking ball, creating a small moon like object.

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Next is Asura Path. This path has the abilities to change their body into mechanical manifestations. These include metal armor, blades, and ballistic weapons. How, specifically, this is done, I am not sure. I would surmise that the chakra changes the properties of the cells themselves, transforming them from organic to inorganic materials that are then controlled using chakra much like a puppeteer's manipulation.

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Third is Human Path. This path all the puppet to remove the "soul" or rather spirit of an individual. This kills the person and also allows intelligence to flow from the spirit. Having received of that intelligence, the Human Path is then able to know all of the experiences the victim had. Secrets and techniques can be learned this way.

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Fourth is Animal Path. As the name adequately describes, this puppet is able to summon creatures.

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This puppet is able to use fuinjutsu to create a space-time rift, summoning a creature, one that the formula dictates. A normal chakra using individual can also use the summoning technique, though they have to enter into a blood pact or oath with the creature or it's family. Thus, the formula is released using blood. However, the Animal Path is able to summon creatures without a blood sacrifice.

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These creatures, unlike those who have entered into a pact, are usually controlled as well by the yin rods.

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Fifth is Preta Path. This path is able to absorb chakra, whether element charged or not. The puppet can also create a shield to resist attacks.

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Lastly, the sixth path is called Naraka Path. Naraka Path's only power is to summon the Outer Path. The Outer Path is an entity made of spirit. Only those who it seeks to devour can see it. It rips spirits from their bodies and stores it in a state of purgatory. This would be considered spirit prison, however, it is also a different dimension. Unlike spirit prison, it is not all around us in the unseen world.

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Outer Path also has the ability to release the spirits it has engulfed. Not only that, it can restore the spirits of others who have passed on that are still in the spirit world all around us. Thus raising the dead. This seems to also heal the bodies of those raised.

It is important to note that the six paths are only divided if used as the six paths of pain. Otherwise, the rinnegan user is able to use any and all of these paths.

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As a finale, I would like to talk about the shikotsumyaku. Shikotsumyaku, as a literal translation, means "Dead Bone Pulse". This kekkei genkai not only allows the individual to harden their bone structure, making their bones as hard as steel, but also allows the person to grow them at will. With this ability, the individual is able to create swords, knives, and even armor using their bones.

However, like with most of the bodily manifesting kekkei genkai, there are draw backs. The ninja shown to use shikotsumyaku is Kimimaro. He suffers from some kind of "disease" because of it, that is killing him. Orochimaru, a ninjutsu enthusiast, desires to help him, but too little is known about his body for Orochimaru to aid him.

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I believe that this mystery illness is bone cancer. His marrow and cells are activated by his chakra into producing bone and more cells quite rapidly. Possibly, in the DNA transfer process, the "off switch" for the genes is lost and the cells produce bones without control, damaging the user's body systems. This damage continues to build until the individual dies.

Alas, on that sad note, I will end this post. Though the series does not explain all of the chakra elemental combinations, nor explain the existing ones to my satisfactory, I am passified by this post. If any of you, my readers, have other ideas of what fire/lightning and wind/lightning chakra would become, I would be very glad to hear them. Also, if you have ideas for the names of those elemental combinations, I would also be intrigued to hear those as well.

I hope that you have enjoyed this post, and that it has given you several ideas. Special thanks to naruto.wikia.com for all of their useful information.

Love,
Jacobugoth

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