Does God Exist?
When I try to think about how God could exist, I come up with the same reasons why I think the Universe exists. Physics and Astronomy have developed scenarios of how the Universe began based on the Big Bang and theories of Inflation, Quantum Mechanics, Strings and Relativity. While I am far from expert on these theories, I have read a lot of popularized science books. The Universe can start from a quantum fluctuation where a pair of particles form spontaneously followed by Inflation, which creates all the energy and particles. It seems that there are eleven dimensions and the Universe is combination geometric relationships. I don’t understand how it can happen, but, I also don’t understand how God happens. The Universe can start as an uncaused cause; a characteristic attributed to God. The Universe may also be eternal in the sense that there was never a time when it did not exist.
It’s amazing that science has come up with natural explanations of how the Universe can come into existence, form atoms, stars, galaxies, and then by evolution, living beings. There are still gaps in our understanding, but the basic framework is there. The alternative is the blind assertion that God did it, which doesn’t really explain anything. How can God happen? Can God take credit for His own existence? Or is God also a product of natural causes?
My own thinking based on fuzzy impressions is that geometric relation ships exist eternally and they can mix and match till they form the perfect combination from which the Universe as we know it springs into existence. If I try to think about how God might exist, I come up with the same thoughts somewhat like the Ontological proof of God which posits that if we can imagine a perfect being, it must exist. But, I’m not sure God is a being or I could imagine a perfect one. I think the Universe is like God, but I don’t think it can reflect on and know what it is doing. There is an enormous amount of randomness and chaos in the development of stars, galaxies and life. Thinking and awareness might be our function.
Mathematicians since the ancient Greeks have thought that geometric relations are eternal. In recent years they have discovered the most complex dubbed the monster which has nearly 200 thousand dimensions. Is it possible that this is a kind of natural perfect combination (god) which in part may collapse to three dimensions releasing enormous energy as in the big bang which started our universe? Aparently many features of the monster are found in string theory, but it is still not well understood.
The idea that the Universe and life is the product of design is getting more attention today with the anthropomorphic principle in cosmology and the Intelligent Design movement to counter Evolution. To me it seems, that our world of nature is the product of randomness with exploding stars, galaxies, tremendous waste of energy and convincing evidence for evolution in the formation of life. But, there may be underlying design in the quantum world of information. The design is in the sense that particles and atoms are all identically formed and capable bonding to form stars and life. The design is like Legos are designed to be made into toys. The question is, is the design from the outside (God) or intrinsic to the nature of matter. Many theoreticians are trying to come up with the theory of everything that may answer these questions. Even if they hit a wall and cannot explain why things form the way they do, it still leaves open the question of how a God could come into existence and do it.
One question I have about quantum mechanics and God is; does quantum indeterminacy prove that an all knowing God does not exist? Experiments on indeterminacy prove that particles such as electrons are normally non localized waves until “observed” when they become specific particles. If a God were observing them, I don’t think this variance would exist. But I don’t really know.
People seem to instinctively believe in God and we all have feelings of something beyond the power of nature. Everyone is uncertain and fearful of death. This uncertainty is exploited by those bent on power and control and the concept of God has become politicized in the form of religion. If there is a God, maybe those with the arrogance to claim to speak for Him might be in the most trouble. For many, the feeling of God is inborn and we have our own minds and being to freely understand the Cosmos and existence. We don’t need scare tactics by those bent on domination.
So, does God exist? I don’t know. Certainly the Universe of multidimensional mathematical space time exists. I am just not sure what other properties we can justify attributing to it. Religions teach that God is all powerful, all knowing and all good. There seems to be no justification to attribute all that to God.
Religions also teach that God has communicated to mankind through their scriptures. There is no justification for that. The scriptures for different religions are different and they are also confused jumbles of unverifiable stories. They contain no new and useful information. For example if Jesus could have taught us about soap and washing off germs, he could have saved millions of lives and demonstrated some advanced knowledge. If God really communicated, He would have done a better job.
Religions teach that we should love God. I don’t know what that means. Does it mean wish Him well? I often feel a sense of gratitude for my life and loved ones, my country and state in life, my health. And I have a feeling of awe at all of existence. But, I am not sure I should thank God. Much of the Universe is random and much of life is cruel. Rather I should be grateful to the people who have gone before me and by their sacrifices have made the world the good place it is.
It’s amazing that science has come up with natural explanations of how the Universe can come into existence, form atoms, stars, galaxies, and then by evolution, living beings. There are still gaps in our understanding, but the basic framework is there. The alternative is the blind assertion that God did it, which doesn’t really explain anything. How can God happen? Can God take credit for His own existence? Or is God also a product of natural causes?
My own thinking based on fuzzy impressions is that geometric relation ships exist eternally and they can mix and match till they form the perfect combination from which the Universe as we know it springs into existence. If I try to think about how God might exist, I come up with the same thoughts somewhat like the Ontological proof of God which posits that if we can imagine a perfect being, it must exist. But, I’m not sure God is a being or I could imagine a perfect one. I think the Universe is like God, but I don’t think it can reflect on and know what it is doing. There is an enormous amount of randomness and chaos in the development of stars, galaxies and life. Thinking and awareness might be our function.
Mathematicians since the ancient Greeks have thought that geometric relations are eternal. In recent years they have discovered the most complex dubbed the monster which has nearly 200 thousand dimensions. Is it possible that this is a kind of natural perfect combination (god) which in part may collapse to three dimensions releasing enormous energy as in the big bang which started our universe? Aparently many features of the monster are found in string theory, but it is still not well understood.
The idea that the Universe and life is the product of design is getting more attention today with the anthropomorphic principle in cosmology and the Intelligent Design movement to counter Evolution. To me it seems, that our world of nature is the product of randomness with exploding stars, galaxies, tremendous waste of energy and convincing evidence for evolution in the formation of life. But, there may be underlying design in the quantum world of information. The design is in the sense that particles and atoms are all identically formed and capable bonding to form stars and life. The design is like Legos are designed to be made into toys. The question is, is the design from the outside (God) or intrinsic to the nature of matter. Many theoreticians are trying to come up with the theory of everything that may answer these questions. Even if they hit a wall and cannot explain why things form the way they do, it still leaves open the question of how a God could come into existence and do it.
One question I have about quantum mechanics and God is; does quantum indeterminacy prove that an all knowing God does not exist? Experiments on indeterminacy prove that particles such as electrons are normally non localized waves until “observed” when they become specific particles. If a God were observing them, I don’t think this variance would exist. But I don’t really know.
People seem to instinctively believe in God and we all have feelings of something beyond the power of nature. Everyone is uncertain and fearful of death. This uncertainty is exploited by those bent on power and control and the concept of God has become politicized in the form of religion. If there is a God, maybe those with the arrogance to claim to speak for Him might be in the most trouble. For many, the feeling of God is inborn and we have our own minds and being to freely understand the Cosmos and existence. We don’t need scare tactics by those bent on domination.
So, does God exist? I don’t know. Certainly the Universe of multidimensional mathematical space time exists. I am just not sure what other properties we can justify attributing to it. Religions teach that God is all powerful, all knowing and all good. There seems to be no justification to attribute all that to God.
Religions also teach that God has communicated to mankind through their scriptures. There is no justification for that. The scriptures for different religions are different and they are also confused jumbles of unverifiable stories. They contain no new and useful information. For example if Jesus could have taught us about soap and washing off germs, he could have saved millions of lives and demonstrated some advanced knowledge. If God really communicated, He would have done a better job.
Religions teach that we should love God. I don’t know what that means. Does it mean wish Him well? I often feel a sense of gratitude for my life and loved ones, my country and state in life, my health. And I have a feeling of awe at all of existence. But, I am not sure I should thank God. Much of the Universe is random and much of life is cruel. Rather I should be grateful to the people who have gone before me and by their sacrifices have made the world the good place it is.
posted by PCD at 6:39 AM
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