Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Noun Phrase 388. The noun phrase today is an act of God.
Okay. If somebody wants a screenshot, do it right now. Let's get right to it. We got two meanings
and two uses. Here's the first one. An act of God could refer to a natural disaster or another large
event beyond the control of humans or it could be an actual action taken by God. Of course.
Let's continue. The origin of this term is believed to derive from the Bible,
especially used in reference to actual actions taken by God. All right. Let's
continue here. In the mid 19th century the term started to be used in law
and among insurance companies to refer to any act that was beyond the control of people.
Thus, there was no responsibility to individual companies or people. This term is credited to
Peter Simmonds in his book "Dictionary of Trade Products" in 1858. The citation is in
the definition of "force-majeure. " Here ... here is the quote. Force majeure, a French commercial
term for unavoidable accidents in the transport of goods. from superior force, the act of God
etc. " Okay. And we got five examples to show just how it's used. Here's the first one.
You need to buy insurance to protect yourself from any acts of God. You know, such as earthquakes,
tornadoes, tsunamis etc. All right. Number two. He says we wouldn't miss it for the world. An act of
God couldn't stop him from coming. Yeah. I myself wouldn't say this because I don't like to say
an act of God wouldn't stop somebody from doing something because it's almost like daring fate.
But it is used a lot. When I looked at a lot of examples. A lot of examples say
you know where people might use this phrase. An act of God couldn't stop me from doing something.
All right. Number three. You cannot blame anyone for his death. He was struck by lightning. It was
an act of God. Very good. Number four. now this is a famous quote. Ben Rich, CEO for Lockheed
and author of "Skunk Works" and this is from his personal memoirs before he died, very soon before
he died. And and so he ... Lockheed, Lockheed Martin , I think that that's a company that made
parts for like NASA and stuff. So so he knows a lot about space and he knows a lot about NASA
and this is his quote. "We already have the means to travel among the stars, but these technologies
are locked up in black budget projects and it would take an act of God to ever get them
out to benefit humanity. Anything you can imagine, we already know how to do it. " So what does this
mean exactly. He's saying that they have the means that the methods to travel among the stars means
we could travel around to a lot of other planets. According to him ... but these technologies are
locked up in black budget projects. Well black budget projects are real. They are projects
that the government has that they don't keep a record of. That's why it's black budget.
It doesn't actually make the budget. It's completely secret. Supposedly they have a lot
of stuff either relating to space or some underground tunnels and things like that.
That, that are black budget projects and it would take an act of God to ever get them out to benefit
humanity. So of course if we really had this technology that we have the energy to fly around
to other planets well that means we could use that energy on Earth and that sounds like that would
solve most of our energy problems that we have today. So why aren't they using them. I mean if
what he is saying is the truth. Okay. Anything you can imagine we already know how to do it.
Well, that's what he said in his book. Who knows ? All right. And the last one here. Number five.
Some people say the lightning strike right at the tip of Saint Peter's
Basilica at the Vatican just hours after Pope Benedict retired was an act of God. Well ,
it was... and all if it wasn't an act of God. It was an awful coincidence because how can you get
the lightning strike just to hit the really tippy top of the dome of the you know, the
Saint Peter's Basilica and it was right on that day and just after it. So you know some people
think well maybe maybe that was God. It almost looked like hit exactly the tip you can if you
want you could check the Internet you can actually find videos of that. All right. Anyway, I hope
you got it. I hope it's clear. I hope was very informative. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.