I just read a short article on relativity a couple days ago.

The train station example. Say you're near the end of the side of a train. Lightening strikes the front and the end of the train simultanously. Lets call this strike A and B.

A--------B
--------
U

You'll see A first (in theory) before you see B, even though they happen at the exact same moment.

Now the part I didn't get was how the clocks could run slower as you approach the speed of light. Well the faster you go, the present slows down because the light of the present is following you and you don't see it early enough.

When light curves around the sun, you theoretically could view a star to the side of the sun even though it's actually behind it.

Now my question, I don't get how reality actually slows down though. Isn't the true reality, the reality of A and B from the train example? Does how fast light travel dictate time? Why would the clocks go slower viewed in the outside world? Is this because you see the ship from the "past", and not the "present" ship?

In other words, is time always the same? Or is the different distances of light actual time?

Do scientists consider NOW to be the actual time, or what the light waves carry as the actual time?

It's amazing no one thought and published relativity sooner...

I think getting more official, thought out responses is better than attempting one myself.. . so...
http://www.geocities.com/researchtriangle/campus/6791/relativity.htm http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/lectures/srelwhat.html

Those hopefully should explain time dilation and special relativity, etc.

I always liked this question,

Consider the problem you having, you are finding it hard to wrap your mind around the 'time continum' or 'time flow' sort of ideas. But the answer is simple, what is the theroy called again?

Time, and to a lesser extent matter is relative to you position. Cast your mind back to a previous thread about light bending. To us the 'outsider' the beam of light is bending around the gravational force, but from the lights percpective, its going strainght ahead (and the universe is somewhat odd looking when passing high gravational fields).

Think ball on a pillow.

I didn't read the posted links. Necron..s answer was interesting.

When I thought of this stuff many years ago, the train, paradoy of the twins etc, I figured that it [theory of relativity] was just an illusion, something like the doppler effect.

For me it isn't important.

I think you are mixing simple physics, relitivity, and gravitational fields together in that statement, but you more or less have a grasp on it.