Last night, Alyssa Athanasopoulos and I watched the first episode of an amazing new show called Cosmos with Neil DeGrasse Tyson. The show explores such topics as the vastness of the universe, the scale of time, the Big Bang Theory, Evolution and the history of science. It was explained in a way that was both captivating and understandable to the scientific layman, and had stunning visuals. I feel that there is really no full comprehension of the universe, and each of us are free to fill in the blanks however we see fit. As a believer in God, I watch with keen interest as scientists and creationists often find themselves at odds. I think this is unnecessary, and besides the point. Last nights episode featured the story of Giordano Bruno, a monk from centuries past who was ultimately executed for religious heresy when he suggested that the universe was infinitely more vast than the scholars of the day believed. He tried, unsuccessfully, to convey to his peers that, far from denouncing God, his infinite universe theory actually exalted the Deity, for why could an all powerful God not create an infinite universe? The question of God, and why we are here, is, for me, as much a philosophical one as a scientific one. Just as scientists theorize that there is no end to the universe, and that behind each star lies another, I theorize that there are no end to the questions, and that each answer will only bring forward other questions. As science makes incredible leaps and bounds in its attempts to explain the nature of things, all philosophies about the meaning of life and the source of our essence remain valid. Scientists must humble themselves and use language that admits that for all of their incredible accomplishments, and compelling findings, their theories remain just that, theories. They must vigorously defend the right to free thought, exploration and the scientific principles, while making sure not to close their mind to larger possibilities. Believers of God must also humble themselves before the Almighty, and remain open to all scientific developments. To claim that you know better than science is to assume you are capable of understanding the scope of God’s creation, which is arrogant and misguided. Stubbornness will only serve to place you on the wrong side of history, as was the case with the ‘flat earth’ crowd. I have learned, with great interest, about the Big Bang Theory, Evolution, and other concepts, and, to my way of thinking, even if they are absolutely true, they do nothing to disprove the existence of a Higher Power. I do not expect all believers in God to accept wholesale the claims of science with regards to the origins of the universe. Nor do I anticipate all scientists to become believers in the concept of God. But, as humans evolve into the next phase of our mental, spiritual and intellectual development, I hope to see an attitude that accepts that the idea of God, and the idea of science are by no means mutually exclusive.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 17:39:18 +0000
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