The Challenge of the Stars 向众星挑战

[Dexu Xia]

What is mankind that you are mindful of them?  Psalm 8:4

In the early twentieth century, Italian poet F. T. Marinetti launched Futurism, an artistic movement that rejected the past, scoffed at traditional ideas of beauty, and glorified machinery instead. In 1909, Marinetti wrote his Manifesto of Futurism, in which he declared “contempt for women,” praised “the blow with the fist,” and asserted, “We want to glorify war.” The manifesto concludes: “Standing on the world’s summit we launch once again our insolent challenge to the stars!”

Five years after Marinetti’s manifesto, modern warfare began in earnest. World War I did not bring glory. Marinetti himself died in 1944. The stars, still in place, took no notice.

King David sang poetically of the stars but with a dramatically different outlook. He wrote, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:3–4). David’s question isn’t one of disbelief but of amazed humility. He knew that the God who made this vast cosmos is indeed mindful of us. He notices every detail about us—the good, the bad, the humble, the insolent—even the absurd.

It’s pointless to challenge the stars. Rather, they challenge us to praise our Creator. 

What current philosophies or movements can you think of that leave no room for God? What reminds you of your Creator, and how does that prompt you to praise Him?

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge Your love for me with feelings of amazement, awe, and humility. Who am I? Thank You for loving me!

人算什么，祢竟顾念他？—诗篇8篇4节

在二十世纪初期，意大利诗人菲利波 · 托马索 · 马里内蒂（F. T. Marinetti）发起了未来主义运动。这一场艺术运动否定了过去，嘲笑传统的审美观念，并夸耀机械科技。1909年，马里内蒂撰写了他的《未来主义宣言》，其中表明“蔑视女性”，对“挥拳击打”予以表扬，并主张“我们要歌颂战争”。宣言的结论是﹕“我们昂首屹立于世界之巅，再次向众星发出我们狂傲的挑战！”

马里内蒂的宣言发表之后五年，现代战争就开始了。事实上，惨烈的第一次世界大战并不值得歌颂，而马里内蒂于1944年去世，众星依然灿烂，对他完全不予理会。

大卫王曾在诗歌中提到星宿，但观点却与马里内蒂截然不同。他写道﹕“我观看祢指头所造的天，并祢所陈设的月亮星宿，便说，人算什么，祢竟顾念他？世人算什么，祢竟眷顾他？”（诗篇8篇3-4节）大卫的提问不是出于怀疑，而是出于谦卑。大卫知道创造如此浩大宇宙的上帝确实顾念我们，祂知晓关乎我们的每一个细节，不论是好，是坏，是谦卑，是傲慢，甚至是荒唐。

挑战众星根本毫无意义可言，反而，是它们挑战你我来赞美我们的创造者。

当今有哪些哲学思想或运动，
否定了上帝的存在？
是什么使你想起创造你的主，
又如何促使你去赞美祂？

亲爱的天父，我以赞叹、
敬畏和谦卑的心，感谢祢对我的爱。
我是谁？祢竟然如此爱我！