Wed, 5. October 2011
Big Questions Need Big Answers
I have the greatest respect for my friends whose Primary Belief may be that a 'supernatural being' did it all but I too have a Primary Belief and it demands - but does not receive - even greater respect. It is simply this:
"We cannot pick and choose which bits of science to 'believe in' - and we must not deny the bits which don't fit our preconceptions. When qualified people carry out detailed research, collate the data, analyse it and draw conclusions; then we MUST respect what those scientists have told us and change our 'beliefs' accordingly."
We know that astronomers have discovered the Universe was created in a Big Bang; and that biologists have confirmed that Evolution Theory is a conclusive fact. We also know that climate change scientists have warned us that human activity has changed the dynamics of the atmosphere.
Scientists have deduced all these things, cross-checked them and peer reviewed them. We have to believe what they have concluded. My Primary Belief has solid foundations which do not exist within the belief systems of any organised religion:
Science is the gathering of facts and the drawing of uncontested conclusions. To the contrary, religion only accepts the facts when they back preconceived ideas and rejects them when it does not.
Science is a vehicle for improving our knowledge whilst for centuries religion has been a vehicle for suppressing it.
Science begins with the questions and develops an answer which conforms with the evidence - but religion starts with an answer, tolerates no questions and has no evidence.
Some may like to attribute the creation of the Universe to their particular concept of a 'supernatural being'; that is their personal choice - but to argue from such a position avoids the obvious question. To postulate that "someone" created the Universe, one needs to also propose a plausible explanation as to how that particular "someone" was herself created and how she then conjured up an entire Universe. How was the creator created (and by whom)? It is simpler to save a step and accept the science behind the Big Bang.
The fact that time, space, energy and matter were all created at the same time messes with my head but science cannot always explain things in laymen's terms. Indeed, science does not yet know everything - but if there are big questions which remain to be answered, the answers will come only from science. All you theology enthusiasts out there are taking the alternate path at your peril.