"[I]f by 'God' one means the set of physical laws that govern the universe, then clearly there is such a 'God'."
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That's the part I'd like your opinion on, but here's the quote in its entirety: "The idea that God is an oversized white male with a flowing beard who sits in the sky and tallies the fall of every sparrow is ludicrous. But if by God one means the set of physical laws that govern the universe, then clearly there is such a God. This God is emotionally unsatisfying... it does not make much sense to pray to the law of gravity." ... The source of the quote is Carl Sagan (my idol).
2006-10-27 05:21:57 · 11 answers · asked by Sweetchild Danielle 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm a Reconstructionist Jew (liberal branch of Judaism).
In my view (and religion), G-d is just the luck that the stardust came together to create the wonderful gift of life (pretty similar to your first quote). Jews do not view G-d as a person whatsoever.
However, I disagree with this part of your large quote: "This G-d is emotionally unsatisfying... it does not make much sense to pray to the law of gravity."
Why is it emotionally unsatisfying to pray to the "law of gravity"? If it wasn't for gravity, you'd be floating out in space, and most certainly die within minutes (if you were born at all). Pray to the scientific miracle that enzymes were created (where would we be without them?) etc. etc.
Science and religion go hand in hand, we just need to have a greater appeciation of the miraculousness that things turned out the way that they are (ie, that we are alive).
I know this is NOT a very common view, but I thought I'd share it. :)
2006-10-27 05:28:26 · answer #1 · answered by sarahg 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree that the big white guy in the sky god is nonsense.
Still I see Carl's God as being incomplete. The universe seems to Have a component of intelligence woven into it.
This intelligence can be accessed through meditation without to much difficulty. Sometimes this happens spontaneously or by accident if you will.
I have serious doubts that this is a product of gravity, or any other physical law or combination of laws.
Carl was good, He was one of my heroes too.
Still much has happened in physics since he left us.
Many of the leading thinkers in the field of quantum physics now admit that at the fundamental level of matter or the plank scale there exists something that resembles intelligence that some seem able to connect with.
Watch the movie, What the bleep down the rabbit hole. It gives a reasonably understandable explanation of this.
love and blessings Don
2006-10-27 09:04:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was a fan of Carl Sagan, when he hosted "Cosmos" but who believes that God is an over-sized white male with a flowing beard, etc, etc, etc?
Anyway, I disagree with the statement altogether. God is not a set of laws, physical or otherwise but, He does govern the universe. If anyone did hope to expect gravity to be satisfying, then of course they will be very disappointed.
We pray to the one who created gravity not to the thing He created. This is a human failing. We have a desperate need, so we pray. We finally get the thing we desired and then we become obsessed with it, forgetting how we bruised our knees in our deep longing. That thing now becomes our 'God'.
The Bible states that 'God created'. Read the Gospel of St. John, Chapter 1. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." He existed before the beginning. Sounds incredulous, but so it is.
"By Him was everything made and without Him was not anything made that was made." That is the old English translation. Today, we say -"He did it all, by himself, and nothing that exists was made by anyone else but Him. He's it!"
We've all heard about the big bang, but my question is, who caused the big bang? Out of nowhere, nothing collided with nothing? Or nothing was displeased with nothing and decided to crash into nothing to teach nothing a lesson? This, to me, sounds even more ridiculous!
The physical laws which supposedly govern the universe were set in motion by God. They did not - cannot of themselves, put themselves into effect.
If the earth did not hang at that crazy angle, tilting to one side rather than neatly and erectly poised in space, we all would roast in an instant or freeze similarly. No big bang theory (and that's all it is) did that.
There are so many inferences to support the existence of God as oposed to the 'big bang' and company, that it would take very much time to write.
We believe in God and, we believe God. We do so in faith. In faith, we believe. God is. He said, "I am God, there is none before me, there is none after me. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end."
'Nuff said!
2006-10-27 06:13:08 · answer #3 · answered by SANCHA 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The saying "a set of physical laws that govern the universe", in itself, describe not one, but many 'GODS'. To say that they are each singular, finite, or omnipotent(godlike), would be contradictive to the term god., there can be only one(see christianity). Since all physical laws demand co-existence and balance from each other, they could not, individually, be labeled, god. As to one controlling, or basic theory(ie...E=MC2),of which all laws can be factored, does not yet exist in man's theories, including quantum nor string. Therefore; if a god does exist, then man has yet to sum it up, and there is no need to pray to something that does not exist.
2006-10-27 06:02:25 · answer #4 · answered by benzhowz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you call God something that's beyond us, then sure. I can go with the assumption that "God" is the set of physical laws that govern the universe. I don't normally subscribe to that, but I'll easily recognize that the laws of the universe are far beyond me. I can't change them; they can change me.
Such a view, in my mind, weakens the idea of God. And it usually isn't what Christians think of. When they discuss God, they don't refer to him as that set of laws that keep up alive on this planet. They refer to him as a being with human wants, loves, and hatreds.
Now, humans have been anthropomorphizing life for centuries. The sun was a charioteer. Thunder was caused by fighting. And we have someone to watch over us and judge us when we die. It seems to be a human desire to create superhumans to explain the greater laws of physics.
2006-10-27 05:23:58 · answer #5 · answered by Rev Kev 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Leave God to those That need a mystical prop.
If a set of physical laws are god then why not a God of electricity, magnetism, gravity etc. etc.
Science does not need a God. Leave science alone to exist for thinking people and leave Gods to those that need religion.
2006-10-27 05:44:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A set of "laws" the govern the universe is not the same as a god. A god is an entity that can exert its will and direct the actions of people and things. A set of "laws" simply is, they have to will and are not an entity.
2006-10-27 05:25:36 · answer #7 · answered by boukenger 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I kind of agree with the statement. To me the big white male 'God' has been replaced by a Divine force that runs as a current through all living things.
2006-10-27 05:25:55 · answer #8 · answered by a_delphic_oracle 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Einstein said something rather similar. Personally I think it just comes back to bite you as the fundies then start quoting it back at you as support that scientists really do believe in God, their sort of god.
2006-10-27 05:24:55 · answer #9 · answered by fourmorebeers 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you mean god is a turd in my toilet... then yes there is a god, I just saw it... and flushed it...
You are right Carl had a way of cutting right through the bull.
2006-10-27 05:31:18 · answer #10 · answered by notheistme 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋