Where do I think the universe came from? I don’t know. Nobody does; certainly not your preacher. Besides, saying that “God did it” really explains nothing. You’re in essence saying that an unseen, unknowable being created it in a way that we could never understand. You might as well say it was magic, or fairies! It has no explanatory power and doesn’t really tell us anything about the universe, or its creation. Also, when you say “God created the universe,” it begs the question, “Who/what created God?” then “Who or what created that entity?”
Here’s the problem. People do have valid questions about the origins of our universe, of life, and of humanity. Where did they come from? Where did WE come from? Do we have a purpose? And so on.
These questions are very basic human questions and it would be wonderful if the answers were easy to come by and easy to understand. However, they are anything BUT basic or easy to answer. To arrive at any kind of respectable or defendable answer you would have to study physics, chemistry, biology, anthropology, and philosophy just to begin with! We have long since passed the point where the layman can do more than can scratch the surface of these many diverse fields.
But religion makes it easy! Just study one book and get some help from your preacher, and you have ALL the answers! “God created the Universe..” “We’re here because He put us here.” “Our purpose is to serve Him (and the church).”
Sure, these answers are easy, but they’re really not answers at all because there are thousands of religions on the planet, and most have different answers to those questions. And even if we knew that one of the religions was true, we still wouldn’t know how that deity did it, or where it came from, or what their purpose was for putting us here. When we follow religion, we are not following the SAME religion/sect/teaching, and it’s very divisive. Even if we all DID follow the same religion, how long would it be before it splintered and fractured? They all do. Look at Northern Ireland. They’re all Christian, yet the Catholics and Protestants war over the interpretation of Christianity. Also, look at the clashes between the Shiite and Sunni, both factions of Islam.
Religions cause elitism, intolerance, and war. These are paths we can no longer afford to take. Humanity is too interlinked, the world is too small, and nuclear weapons are too abundant for us to continue down that path.
The sciences however, all over the world, tend to converge on scientific truths. Over time, using constantly improving instruments and techniques, science focuses our understanding of the universe to an ever -sharper image.
The main difference between scientific and religious answers is the way they go about getting those answers. Science starts by examining the universe, and tries to figure it out working from the data to the answer. Religion works backwards. It says it already HAS the answers, and says those answers are received through “revelations from God”; mainly found in their holy books. Then it tries to find data in the universe that supports those revelations, ignoring or denying evidence that contradicts them. Therein lies the problem.
David W. Key, director of Baptist Studies at the Candler School of Theology at Emory, put it this way: “The real underlying issue is that fundamentalism […] is incompatible with higher education,” Professor Key said. “In fundamentalism, you have all the truths. In education, you’re searching for truths.”
In the past, religion has denied that the world is round, that the sun is the center of the solar system; and that illnesses can be caused by microscopic organisms. Galileo Galilei was imprisoned, and Giordano Bruno killed, for espousing their scientific discoveries during a time when religion (the Catholic church, in this case) contradicted their findings.
Fundamentalist religion is currently denying evolution at a time when every major accredited institution of higher education in the world accepts it as the backbone of modern medicine.
So what do you do? Take some time and learn about the world around you. I, personally, enjoy the study of these different fields. The internet has put all of the sciences at our fingertips. You would be surprised how accessible and understandable the information is nowadays, if you will only take the time to ASK the questions, and use your brain!
“Learning is lifelong.” And fun! Just open your mind and start!
“Also, when you say “God created the universe.” it begs the question “Who/what created God?” and then “Who/what created that entity?””
Every time that Christians argue that the universe had a cause, they do so because everything that had a beginning must have a cause. God is eternal by definition, so He doesn’t have a cause.
“Religions cause elitism, intolerance, and war.”
Did you know that out of all 1,673 wars documented in the “Encyclopedia of Wars,” about 7% of those wars had some religious cause? When Islam is taken out of the equation, it drops to around 3%. True, religion is a cause of elitism, intolerance, and war (albeit a tiny cause), nationalism is a much larger cause of elitism, intolerance, and war.
“In the past, Religion has denied that the world is round; that the sun is the center of the solar system; and that illnesses can be caused by microscopic organisms.”
Before the 1800’s, there is no evidence that a single person believed that the world was flat. It isn’t that religion has denied these facts, but rather that science hadn’t progressed enough to validate these facts. Once these facts had been validated by scientific discoveries, the scientists responsible were never dubbed heretics due to their discoveries.
“Galileo Galilei was imprisoned, and Giordano Bruno killed, for espousing their scientific discoveries during a time when religion (the Catholic church, in this case) contradicted their findings.”
Galileo was put under house arrest, not for his scientific discoveries, but rather for going back on his word that he would teach heliocentrism as a theory, and not an established fact. His opposition not only came from the Church, but also from different scientists. The reason that the Church didn’t buy into heliocentrism was because there wasn’t enough scientific evidence at that time to demonstrate its validity, not because the Church was unscientific. Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake, not for his scientific discoveries, but because he subscribed to very heretical doctrines that he would not recant from. He was a scientist, and he was burned at the stake, but he wasn’t burned at the stake for being a scientist.
“Religion currently is denying Evolution; and this at a time when every major accredited institution of higher-education in the world accepts it as the backbone of modern medicine.”
There are many Christians throughout the world who believe that evolution does happen. There are also many Christians who deny evolution as a valid option. The one difference between them is how to interpret Genesis 1. I, and many other Christians, view Genesis 1 as a poem rather than a strictly chronological story. If Genesis 1 is read as a poem, then Christianity and evolution are compatible. It isn’t so much that religion denies evolution as certain religious people who deny evolution.
“Also, until Scientists found that there was an actual beginning, Christians always preached that the Universe is eternal.”
This could not be further from the truth; Christians have believed throughout history that the universe was finite. They believed this because the Bible taught that everything was created by God, which includes the universe. If any group of people throughout history believed that the universe was eternal, it would be the atheists. Before the Big Bang theory had been developed (by Christians), atheists adamantly believed that the universe was eternal.
“Ok, so what’s wrong with trying to remove the cause of 7% of all wars. And we’re only talking War here, what about all the other religious strife, bigotry, suppression of science, etc. that comes along with it?”
Getting rid of religion will not suddenly make the world more peaceful. Since nationalism also caused strife and bigotry, eradicating religion will not make the world more peaceful, especially since the Bible teaches Christians to be peaceful people. Christianity has never suppressed science; it has embraced science.
“Even if they weren’t called heretics for this particular discovery, you can’t deny that religions did that for many other discovers that clashed with their wrongly held beliefs.”
Such as who?
If you’re going to say that I’m wrong on historical facts, please present me with historical evidence. A chapter in “Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion” explores the myth that Galileo was persecuted for his scientific discoveries from a historically neutral perspective. Even Wikipedia says that Bruno was executed for his heretical view of the Trinity and Christ, and not for his scientific discoveries. Arguing that Bruno was executed for his scientific discoveries is using the “post hoc ergo propter hoc” fallacy. You’re arguing that because Bruno was a scientist and was executed, Bruno was execute because he was a scientist.
“Every time that Christians argue that the universe had a cause, they do so because everything that had a beginning must have a cause. God is eternal by definition, so He doesn’t have a cause.” – More knowledge claims of a God that never shows himself. Also, until Scientists found that there was an actual beginning, Christians always preached that the Universe is eternal.
Did you know that out of all 1,673 wars documented in the “Encyclopedia of Wars,” about 7% of those wars had some religious cause? – Ok, so what’s wrong with trying to remove the cause of 7% of all wars. And we’re only talking War here, what about all the other religious strife, bigotry, suppression of science, etc. that comes along with it?
“Once these facts had been validated by scientific discoveries, the scientists responsible were never dubbed heretics due to their discoveries.” – Even if they weren’t called heretics for this particular discovery, you can’t deny that religions did that for many other discovers that clashed with their wrongly held beliefs.
“Galileo was put under house arrest, not for his scientific discoveries, but rather for going back on his word that he would teach heliocentrism as a theory, and not an established fact. [Bull, and even if so the church had no right to imprison him for it. DO you think the church should be able to do that now? ] His opposition not only came from the Church, but also from different scientists. [ That’s always the case.. Scientists differ, but they don’t place each other in prison for it.] The reason that the Church didn’t buy into heliocentrism was because there wasn’t enough scientific evidence at that time to demonstrate its validity, not because the Church was unscientific. [Bull] Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake, not for his scientific discoveries, but because he subscribed to very heretical doctrines that he would not recant from [You’re DEFENDING this? Should I be burned at the stake then?]. He was a scientist, and he was burned at the stake, but he wasn’t burned at the stake for being a scientist.” [No, he was burned at the stake for expressing scientific views contrary to the church. Scientists who agreed with the church were in no danger. And you’re defending the church.]
“It isn’t so much that religion denies evolution as certain religious people who deny evolution.” – No, it’s religion which denies evolution, SOME religious people deny the literal reading of their Holy Scripture (i.e. religion).