Thursday, September 2, 2010

God did not create the universe.

Okay, I thought that would get some attention. So here is an article on the brilliant (most brilliant, actually) Stephen Hawking's views.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100902/lf_nm_life/us_britain_hawking


Clearly controversial, but highly fascinating. I am curious as to what your thoughts are. Even/especially the Christians, etc out there.

Read the article first though, I don't want just biased opinions based on the titled.


Go.






XO Chels

27 comments:

Jessica said...

I try not to think about things like this as they tend to hurt my head. I'd rather sit here blissfully unaware and belief that magical pixies created the world.

TattooAstronomy said...

Well, being a Christian, I do believe in God. However (as my name states) I am a huge lover of Astronomy, planets, stars, etc. While I still believe in God, I also believe that the universe was created by the Big Bang. Basically, I feel like God is there to watch over everything, but lets the universe go about doing what it wants/needs to do, to create, expand and evolve itself.

Same thing comes into play when someone asks if I believe that there is life somewhere else in the universe. Even though I still believe in God, I think there is the possibility of life somewhere else. Now, I didn't say intelligent life, but I was thinking more along the lines of microbes, bacteria and possible plants.

Just because someone believes in God, doesn't mean they dismiss the idea of things like the Big Bang, or life on other planets :)

Shayna said...

haha yeah I tend not think about things like this either... but that's why i like reading articles like this, to expand my brain lol.

The man has a point!
I can't believe he talks through a computer generated device, and still has such strong views, and is heard!

makes you beleive anything is possible! no matter who you are or where you come from! :)

thanks for the article

Jackie A said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jackie A said...

I think it’s important to think about our existence.

Honestly it doesn’t matter to me if someone “proves” there is no God because of the personal experiences and encounters I had with God.

And if one were to prove God’s existence, then Faith would be pointless wouldn’t it?

I definitely agree that this is a very controversial topic and it has always been - even in Bible times :)

Well here are some bible verses if you are curious to know what it says:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%201:18-30&version=NLT

PS:
I think you are a great actress Chelsea, Good luck with your career!

God bless :)

Katy said...

I believe in God but that article was really interesting to read. I just try not to really think about that kind of stuff....it hurts my head lol

Bekah said...

As a Christian, I believe that God created the universe- and everything in it. There are too many tiny details in the world for me to even consider the possibility that it was all created by a Big Bang.

Even if the universe- meaning the planets, sun, and other elements of the solar system- were created by the Big Bang, how does that explain us? How could all of our feelings, each of our genetic characteristics be created by simple gravity and an evolutionary process. We are all too unique and complex.

-Bekah

P.S.- Emily is my favorite character on MIOBI, and I think that you are a wonderful actress :)

Kathryn said...

I really like the way Jackie D and Bekah put it. I'll tell you up front, I'm no great theologian and I'm DEFINITELY not a scientist. All I know is that I'm a sinner saved by Grace - God's Grace. I believe everything in His Word (Bible) as the TRUTH that it is. It's like I once told my brother-in-law - no, I can't PROVE there is a God but I don't have to. I know all the things He has brought me through. I know what He has done for me in my life and how He has provided for me when it seemed there was no way.

I could fill up a zillion books telling all the things He has done and still just be getting started.

And - personally - I'd rather live my life as if there IS a God and find out there's not than to live my life as if there isn't and find out there is. But I KNOW there is and it hurts my heart to think of all the people that are going to be crying out in vain to Him when it is too late.

James said...

To me, it seems that the universe could exist and develop as it is without divine intervention. But I'm not sure why there's a universe instead of the absence of a universe, so I could see some entity creating the universe and then just leaving it alone. So I sort of vacillate between being an atheist and deist of sort. (By the way, a lot of U.S. founders, like Jefferson and Franklin, were deists).

It's hard to evaluate Hawking's claim since it's not described in detail. I guess I'll have to read the book.

Interesting factoid: Genesis actual contains two different creations stories. The first story, in Chapter 1, has people created last. The second story, in Chapter 2, has the man created before the animals. Then, the woman is created after all the animals. Biblical scholars think Genesis was combined from multiple sources, so that's why there's different stories.

Lia said...

Hi Chelsea!! It's a very hard topic. But i couldn't agree more with Mr. Hawking because the man is a genius. If he is right or not, i don't know but it's a great theory. Sorry for bad english. I'm brazilian so...Ow I loved the last episode for this summer.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Kathryn..How could something as amazing as Earth come from nothing? Just think about how everything works together. Then, how were humans created? God obviously created Earth and man to please and glorify Him. I don't understand how someone could think that we just evolved. I hate to think about all the people that don't belive in God or think there isn't a God because when they die, they will go to Hell for eternity.

James said...

Anonymous, why would a just god leave shaky evidence for its existence and then punish a person with eternal torture just for failure to believe the shaky evidence. That sounds like what an absolute monarch from pre-Enlightenment times would do. It doesn't sound like the actions of a moral paragon. We should all use our reason rather than living in fear that we might be tortured for thinking.

A. Sun said...

How funny, my friend and I were just talking about Stephen Hawking yesterday. Lol.

You know, I find it funny that some people can believe that something was created from nothing. You would think that believing in something being created by something would be easier.

Personally, I believe that God did create the world. I mean, if you look at it, for all the right elements to be combined at the right moment, at the right time, with the right amount... it's all too exact for me to be considered as "just a coincidence" that we exist.

I think a lot of people are misguided and think that science and religion butt heads. I think they kind of go together. I'm not an expert on science or God... but I think that science more answers questions of how and when while religion is asking more of why and who. We can't rely our lives solely on one or the other because we cannot find the God of the Bible through science alone. As well, science cannot speak to the deepest needs of men and women.

A quote I really like by Albert Einstein is:
"A legitimate conflict between science and religion cannot exist. Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind."

I just became a Christian almost two years ago. Before that I was Buddhist/Agnostic (mostly agnostic). In these last two years, God has transformed my life more than I could have imagined. Before, my thoughts were exactly like what James has written.. I thought "why would a just god leave shaky evidence for its existence and then punish a person with eternal torture just for failure to believe the shaky evidence." That was exactly how I felt two years ago. But then, I started investigating and finding out what believing in God really meant. The "evidence" has never been so crystal clear for me. It really is a journey you have to go through for yourself to find out on your own time.

I think a lot of people are quick to judge something they do not know as well and do not take the time to research. Or even so, they judge the whole religion based on people(s) that are not such great examples. But you have to understand. No person is capable of being perfect. And no person can hold another to that expectation because it's simply impossible. You can't base something off the experience of someone else. You really have to experience it for yourself.

And that comment about God wanting to eternally torture people, I don't think that he wants to torture anyone. But God has no choice because a person refuses to want to have anything to do with Him. That would be like if I invited you to my house but you don't want to come to my house. I can't force you into my house. You have to make that choice for yourself.

Josh Husmann said...

I really enjoyed and agree with much of what A. Sun wrote. I did read the Hawking article and there really wasn't much there. I would be interested in reading the book...I'd like to make it through "A Brief History..." first.

The only part I saw in the article for why God didn't create the universe was because of a 1992 discovery of a another star with an orbiting planet? Does that mean the chances of life happening by random chance went from 1 X 10 (to the 52) to 1 X 10 (to the 51)? Did they find life on that planet? I really am intrigued now...it seems like some big statements to make without presenting much of any evidence at this time.

Anyway, I believe God created the universe and Jesus as the only means to life with God. I would encourage all Christians (and non-Christians) though to actually use their brains and search these issues out. I could agree more with A. Sun (and Albert Einstein) that religion and science are not always at odds with each other.

Thanks for the interesting post!

James said...

Personally, I haven't been quick to judge anything. I was raised Christian. It would have been much easier on me to remain Christian with the way atheists are demonized in a majority Christian society. But weighing the evidence over the years I found that I could no longer believe in Christianity.

I believe both moral and immoral people can be found among both atheists and various religions. But a religious person is more likely to be moral if his/her version of god is just and values morality.

Religions are shaped by their cultures. Unfortunately, many people adhere to version of Christianity formed during the era of absolutist monarchs. God is conceived of as an absolute monarch. Total subservience to the ruler is made the supreme value. Morality towards other common people is only secondary. The sad result is that some Christians believe that a kind, just person who does not believe in the divinity of Jesus will burn in hell, while a person who believes that Jesus is god but has horribly mistreated others will get into heaven. Such a worldview devalues behaving morally.

People are less likely to behave justly when their god is not a role model for justice. A. Sun, if you had been killed instantaneously two years ago before your conversion, apparently you think you'd burn in hell. Were you evil then? Is that the act of a just creator?

And Albert Einstein would burn in hell, too. Einstein wasn't a Christian. Einstein was apparently a Deist who believed that there was no divine intervention in daily life. Einstein wrote that he did not believe in a "personal God" and called the Bible "a collection of honorable, but still purely primitive, legends which are nevertheless pretty childish."

A. Sun said...

I agree with you James that moral and unmoral people can be found on both sides of the spectrum (and everywhere in between). Like I said before, no one is perfect. I also agree with your statement that religion is shaped by culture.

My answer to your question, James:
Yes, I thought I would burn in hell, even before I became a Christian I thought that. Sure I was a good person, but I couldn't be good 100% of the time. And what counted as good or bad? I initial beliefs was that I thought that for every bad thing I did, it would cancel out if I did something good. But essentially, I thought I was going to hell.

But how does that even begin to judge that my God is "just" or not? He simply just let me chose the path I wanted to go. He didn't force anything on me. Every step of the way, it has been my decision. Instead of damning every person that does not believe in Him, I think that he does provide opportunities for everyone to come to Him. Whether they see it and chose to take it, that is a different story.

Being a Christian is not about adhering to a high and powerful monarch who, at anytime if I disobeyed, could smite me. It is about building a relationship, a friendship, and trust in my God. I would say that the difference between that and absolute monarch is that there is no choice in a monarchy. You are told what to do and you have to do it. But, that is not how God wants it, for if He wanted it that way, he would make us that way and we would not be free to chose. God wants us to do the things He tells us to do because we want to, not because we have to.

Yeah, the general consensus to many/most Christians is even if you are good but don't believe in Christ, you go to hell. But that's not their place to judge. Who are they to say that to you and judge you in that way? And yes, even if your earthly life was a wicked one, you could still go to heaven. But how is that fair? Well, who said life was fair? But also, this outlook is from an earthly perspective. All this transcends that of the life we have here.

Sorry, I'm getting a little out there. I know I probably sound really preachy and corny. I am in no way trying to convert you or anything (I actually appreciate the different perspective). I'm very passionate about this and I just feel like the Christianity that many people see is not really what being a Christian means. I just want to paint a better picture of how things really are.

Anonymous said...

I remember a preacher once saying "Man's understanding the ways of God can be like a dog understanding how an automobile engine works".
Point being, our intelligence and reasoning can take us only so far.

Is the allure that we can not figure this out? It this what attracts us to it?

Carl Sagan's "A demon haunted world" may be of interest to some here.

keite mantala said...

GOD created the heavens and the earth...believe it or not...you cannot make something out of nothing only God can...

Anonymous said...

dead link. As an agnostic I was looking forward to reading this article. :(

A servant of God said...

As a growing Christian, I know that the earth is God's creation and along with everything in it. Articles like this is a result of sin and sin also leads people to come up with ideas that take away God's credit for creating the earth and all of his work. Sin pulls us away from God. I encourage all of you to read the Bible to have all your questions answered and I also pray that you all will realize that this earth isn't our home and there is something way better that God created, His kingdom, heaven. And there is only one way to get to God and that's through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). God is using me to type these words out and spread the truth, so please just allow all of this to soak in you.

To answer this question, the very first verse of the Bible answers this question.
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." - Genesis 1:1


And believe what the bible says.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching..." -2 Timothy 3:16

Anonymous said...

Its impossible to be a Christian and believe the Bible (hello?! have you NEVER read Genesis 1???) and believe in the Big Bang.

Anonymous said...

Hi Chelsea,

I can only say what my wife experienced (which I've included in my novel @ quantumfires.com). An active and deeply introspective woman--hiking, yoga, weights, reading, creative metaphysics, etc.--my wife had several dream-like experiences that may be relevant to your question.

Several times in the course of her life, my wife has had out-of-body experiences that took place almost instantaneously after laying down to sleep (during that half in, half out stage). Each time, after meditating beforehand to ask for answers re God, existence, life, etc., she traveled bodiless through space where she encountered a vast energy field as It created planets and stars.

Besides being a perfect and vastly-powerful consciousness in energy form, the energy field was aware of my wife and allowed her to 'hear' Its thoughts.

"You wanted to see me," It said. "Here I am."

Forgetting her (or at least returning to Its business), It went back to making planets.

At first my wife felt terrified.

"It knows everything I ever was and ever will be," she thought, "...all my smallest actions and petty thoughts."

In the midst of her fear, she realized the Being didn't care. It makes things. It perceives Its creations, and It continues to create. It found my wife (and humans) interesting because we try to communicate with It. My wife gathered most species don't. Otherwise, It was a live-and-let-live energy field. It might help us out through Its creative powers, but only if our petitions (via prayer, meditation, visualization, or asking for help) can get Its attention--not an easy task.

In some ways, the experience was VERY liberating for my wife but sobering as well. On one hand, the Being didn't care about anything. Certainly nothing my wife could do would earn Its censure. On the other hand, the fact It didn't care meant we're on our own. If we wreck our lives or planet, no celestial 7th cavalry will come riding to our rescue five minutes before the credits roll across a celestial screen (like Star Wars:<).

The experience ended when my wife tried to expand her mind to encompass the full scope of the energy field. The more she perceived, the more It revealed until It far eclipsed solar systems, galaxies, and more...until she felt like her mind would explode.

Bolting upright and fully awake, she related the experience in minute detail.

By the way...it's nice to meet you. Btw2, in my opinion, the possibility the Being might not care about our actions or fate represents precisely why we should--especially if our species hopes to survive the fruits of its industrial and biotechnical 'success.'

Very best regards,

James

Anonymous said...

well i do believe in god, and the humans are intelligent . and something intelligent has to be created by something intelligent, and the nature isn't intelligent. so god is intelligent and he created the universe but not like the bible says. he created it to evolve and created the humas to know and adore him.

Anonymous said...

humans*

Joshua said...

Chelsea,

I might just be the only guy in the world who watches "Make It or Break It" but I don't mind. I watch it for the drama, the intrigue, and because I like to keep an eye on the popular shows and songs that people our age are consuming. Keep in mind, I'm catching up on Netflix. When you didn't appear on a few episodes (due to your character's pregnancy), I googled you and found this blog.

Stephen Hawking has a fabulous mind. In fact, when I was an atheist, he was a hero of mine, as was Bertrand Russell, David Foster Wallace, and Antony Flew. I was in a period of real frustration and questioning when I decided to cut all ties to my parents' Christianity and my friends' atheism. I decided to think for myself. I don't want to take any more of your time, so I will write a letter to you on my blog. Read only if want. Please visit me at joshthompson.tumblr.com.

Somnath Chakraborty said...

I'm a student of physics..and by "God" it's very advanced nowadays..boyond some of yours wildest imaginations! You really have no idea how big or small we can see now! but let me pass you a secret, don't read pop stories! they are sort of misleading you know..I truly don't mean that the authors are lying or so, but it's just you are not properly trained to understand what it means! Like if I try those things that Chelsea Hobbs do so gracefully and easily, no doubt I'll shatter (if I live twice!!) badly! don't take offence please, I don't wanna hurt anybody..it's just the way it is!
so what I think, don't read news, if you really wanna know the universe around you, start with some Newtonian Mechanics! Leave Stephen Hawking's minkowski space time curvature for now! you need to learn how to understand first!

Anonymous said...

I love that science and religion are mixing here. Science is a beautiful thing. I feel like too often christians forget to think with their heads (no offense, but some of you would believe anything).