Genesis with a Bang.
A while back I wrote about one perspective I have on spirituality, namely energy transference. In that entry I wrote about how energy cannot cease to exist, that it must always change into something else. I went into detail using examples as small as how the caffeine in your morning coffee turns into that burst of energy that gets you through to lunch time... and onto larger issues like how your life force/soul has to go somewhere once your body expires. (Ten bonus points to whomever knows the title and date of that one!) I've always tried to explain my own beliefs while telling others that science and religion go hand in hand. Each can explain things that the other cannot, but while taking different avenues to get there, they arrive at the same conclusion: there is something out there bigger than us.
Quote: "Science and religion are not at odds. Science is simply too young to understand."
I somewhat recently watched part of a documentary that featured an interview with the top astronomer[*] at the Vatican. It was an interesting segment to say the least. While it's true that religion as a whole has existed long before science, it is also true that science has existed much longer than most of the Christian based denominations that surround us today. I don't mind one bit that people with a variety of points of view all want to explain what's out there in the great beyond... in fact, I love it. I'll listen intently to anyone's theory in hopes that I'll learn something new... if not about the Universe, at least about them as a person. What bothers me is the level of offense people tend to take when encountered with an extremist of one side or the other. Yes, I will admit that any human being claiming that they are 100% certain that they are correct as to what God is (or isn't) is not only pompous, but also undoubtedly wrong due to impossibility... and I'll go one further and say that extremists of any particular thing annoy me, being one who strives for moderation in balance in life. However, as irritated as I might become, I would never think to bash their beliefs, call them stupid or throw snide and sarcastic remarks their way. It pains me when I see others doing so. It is baffling to me that those scoffing at another for sharing their beliefs do not see (or care) that their actions are far more offensive because they are doing so knowingly and with malicious intent. As a general rule: If a stranger on a sidewalk approached an individual and asked if they would like to know how to save fifty percent on auto insurance, they'd likely say yes or no in a polite manner and not think much of it. Then why would that same person react completely different to a stranger asking if they'd like to know "how to be saved by God"? Why act so offended and retaliate with rudeness toward that well meaning stranger and/or make fun of them behind later amongst your peers? On that same token, why would a person claiming to follow the teachings of the Bible (who'd likely have no problem listening about auto insurance, either) look down upon and judge someone who followed an Eastern or more scientific belief system? Sticking with my theme of a service represented by cave men and geckos, I'll say that while I would have no problem listening to someone's ideas of what insurance was better and polite even when faced with someone who claimed that their insurance was superior to all other companies... I wouldn't call them names or attempt to point out what an idiot they were just because I didn't agree. I'll admit to an eye roll and some humor upon receiving a gift of children's coloring books about Creationism... but even if my son will not be read those books any time soon because I want him to be able to think for himself before exposure to such information... I still do my best to remain understanding that the gift giver meant no harm and was honestly just giving us a gift. I may not have agreed with the content, but I wasn't upset by it, I didn't lash out and I even said "Thank You". So... I guess my point is that I don't understand why people get so touchy about religious beliefs. It really shouldn't be any different than any other opinion about any other subject that people have... and yet somehow, it is. It makes me a little sad sometimes.
In my perfect little world in my head, people would live a full, balanced and happy life... serving as a good example of whatever faith or non-faith they abided by... and when bumping into a fellow inhabiter of my imaginary utopia, they could freely share what made them so happy in life... and the other listening would simply be happy for them. Maybe that person would then share their opposing view and be greeted by an equal amount of mutual respect and genuine joy in knowing that they both had traveled different paths to end up finding what gave them peace. Oh, what a wonderful world it would be.
For now, I'll just have to put my sorrow for the general population's intolerance for one another's spiritual ideals aside and find some hope in the possibility that right now, somewhere a brilliant mind out there (far more intellectual than myself) is about to prove that anti-matter exists... that everything is created in symmetry... that creation started somewhere and science is a way not to disprove religion, but rather explain it and support it. Sure, some will still take every word of certain books literally and some will refuse to believe that simple coincidence isn't really an explanation of anything... but I'd like to think that creating some sort of union between opposite ends of one debate could bring so many others of on branching variations together as well. I'd love to believe that pulling science and the Powers-That-Be toward one another could help us be a little more accepting, humble and less offended over something as small as a passing word of unlike ideas. Maybe I'm just a little more tolerant because one long time friend has become an Evangelist and another is Buddhist, while another is Jewish and yet another doesn't believe in much outside of turning into worm food... but still, is it too much to ask that people just be nice to one another while we're on this planet? Eventually we'll all find out what lies beyond the end of our lives, but I don't see why it has to be a constant contest of who's going to be right... because quite honestly, either way... I don't think the dead get to gloat.
[*]Author edit: changed astrologer to astronomer. Typo pointed out by Doug.
[*]Author edit: changed astrologer to astronomer. Typo pointed out by Doug.
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I think we should go eat some Mcdonalds. They make their burgers out of worm meat (from what I hear). Then when we die, worms can eat us. Its the great circle of life. Mmmm Big Macs. (sorry, on a diet...one track mind...but I liked the message).
EEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
"top astrologer at the Vatican"
sorry, it's like nails on a chalkboard for me.
And by that I mean the Vatican doesn't have an astrologer... it has an astronomer...
"Doh!" That's what happens when you type fast after a long day. Pardon my typo. On a different note though, the title of the man is what caught my attention and made me tune into the documentary during some random channel surfing. Nails on the chalkboard or not, my scientist friend, he said some interesting things regarding belief in the big bang and alien life on other planets. Not what I expected from a man of the Catholic cloth... official cloth, at that.
"Then Facebook came along and made everyone lazy. Why post a thought provoking blog when you could simply overload everyone's newsfeed with a bazillion status updates about what you're doing just to see if anyone "likes" it?"
Your last post was three weeks ago. Some would call you a hypocrite. ;)
You deleted my comment?
Despite the whole Galileo thing, The Vatican has had a rich history in astronomy. Again, the "nails" were the astrologer part, not the Vatican part. Am I wrong to feel your use of "scientist" in your response has a certain pejorative feel to it? Hmmm...
For a rather poignant take on such, I recommend reading "The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke.
Doug:
1. That was not my intention. I refer to you as "my scientist friend" to others as well, solely to indicate the pride I have in knowing someone with scientific knowledge that far exceeds my own comprehension. Honest truth.
2. "The Star" is now on my list.