s a
fairy tale. 2. Life began because of small fluctuations in the universe at the beginning of time.
3.We are here by chance.
4. Religion was invented because were afraid of the dark
5. Being afraid of death and the hereafter, religious followers needed some crutch explanation, reassurance or comfort.
All these ideas are posited by famous British physicist in his controversial new book, The Grand Design, to be released on Sept. 7 in The United States and Sept. 9 in the United Kingdom.
From what Hawking posits, I gather that my life has no meaning, purpose, goal or objective -- since I am here only here on small fluctuations in the universe.
The end result of such a notion renders meaningless the noble traits of love, joy, mercy, forgiveness, hope, honor, justice or duty. Every value that we read about in literature, watch in films, learn about in school, teach our young is meaningless.
It becomes a dog eat dog world, a cold,
heartless place where survival of the fittest becomes the norm as in the grim world of I Am Legend. Moral relativism rules, each man or woman determining
his or her truth and right or wrong. Laws are irrelevant and standards
unnecessary. Everyone can do their thing, disregarding the feelings and
emotions of another.
Hawking essentially denies Albert Einstein's statement that humanity exists solely for the benefit of each other. If this is not so, eventually we will consume each other from the face of the earth, which is - simply put - madness.
This planet is all we have and we need each other to survive. No man is an island. Everyone needs help and we all build on the work of someone else. Even scientific achievement moves forward because one stands on the shoulder of another.
Therefore, religion at its worst
encourages order and discipline, at its best, acknowledgment and appreciation of the value and
purpose of life.
Now if Hawking's opinion was
universal, we could be worried and troubled. But Francis Collins of the Human Genome Project
and others - not at all considered an illiterate or naive - disagree with the notable scientist.
"Science provides us with a wonderful narrative as to how [existence] may happen, but theology addresses the meaning of the narrative," said Denis Alexander, director of The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion.
And Fraser Watts, an Anglican priest and Cambridge expert in the history of science, said that it's not the existence of the universe that proves the existence of God.
Nevertheless, that is unimportant, because Mother Teresa succinctly observes, "in the final analysis, it has never been between you and them but between you and God."
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. The intelligence of the intelligent, I will frustrate." 1 Cor.1v18&19 NIV.
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