Astrophysics vs. Religion?

Question

Am I a christian?
I belive in God because something had to of created the universe , even if was the bing bang something had to of started time and the universe. But there's nothing that makes me beleive in the afterlife....I hope there is but there's no scientific evidence to support it. Does anyone agree with me? After I die is that it? I don't beleive in reincarnation either but nergy can't be created or destroyed, and our bodies have a lot of energy, where does that energy go? I kinda just think heaven and hell are just kinda scare tactics....and if there were/is a heaven my invisioning of heaven could be compltely different than everyone elses....Is heaven just a figment of our imaginations or a state of mind.....I'd like to hear your points of view...am I a christian if I don't beleive in the afterlife?

Answer 1

My son, you have taken the first step on the road to enlightenment. There is no afterlife. It's a pleasant myth, or an unpleasant one, designed by man to keep his fellow man "in line".

Most Christians not only believe in the afterlife, but believe Christ was resurrected. That's a pretty powerful myth too. I suppose that there are some churchgoers out there who are "social" Christians, going to church but not really believing in the factual truth of the resurrection. I used to be one of those. If you believe Jesus was a cool guy with the right ideas, but not that he was resurrected, is that enough to make you a Christian? Most Christians would say no, but not all. You might try the Unitarian Church, which believes in a non-divine, fully human Jesus.

The final step on your journey will come when you ask yourself, if God is necessary to create the universe, doesn't God have to be more complex than the Universe? And in that case, who or what created God? If we define God as "that entity which by definition requires no creator," can't we just define the Universe as that entity, since it's simpler than God anyway? Or perhaps that final step may come when you ask yourself, can God create a rock so big that not even God can move it? Either way, logic dictates that there can be no omnipotent being.

And the Truth will set you free.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, it's not a "vs" type of thing. Religion and science are two completely different spheres of knowledge.

Your religion and your sense of what happens to you after you die must rely on your faith, in which you may be more or less gifted.

Science on the other hand relies on verifiable evidence, and so works in a completely different way. You can't counterpose the two ideas, and you can't compare scientific evidence with religious sentiment.

There is a commonly held misconception that virtually all religions contain a doctrine of the afterlife. The fact is that the Christian notion of the next life is a recent and fairly rare idea. Historically, the Jews did not believe in an afterlife. Neither did the Sumerians, Persians, or Greeks.

We mostly get our ideas of an afterlife from the Norse people and from ancient Egypt. Clearly, not everyone agrees.

And equally clearly, when we die, our brains cease to generate scientific evidence of continuing consciousness. It's something you have to believe.

Doggie says, "I know, but why should I tell you?"

Answer 3

You might want to read Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion", as it's mainly intended for an audience like you, that's questioning religion and the existence of an omnipotent god.

The beliefs you describe are not Christian - you would fit into the category of Deist. Deism differs from theism in that according to deism God does not interfere with human life and the laws of the universe.

Deists typically reject supernatural events (prophecy, miracles) and divine revelation prominent in organized religion, along with holy books and revealed religions that assert the existence of such things. Instead, Deists hold that religious beliefs must be founded on human reason and observed features of the natural world, and that these sources reveal the existence of one God or supreme being.

Meanwhile Keith brings up a good point, which is one of the arguments Dawkins makes - if you think a god had to create the universe, then where did that god come from? Who created the god, or how did it come into existence?

The origins of the universe are something we can't answer and may never be able to answer, but personally I think saying 'we can't answer it therefore god did it' is a bit of a cop-out. Just because we can't explain it now doesn't mean we'll never be able to explain it, and even if we can never explain it that doesn't necessarily mean a deity was responsible for it. We've got little tiny brains, after all!

Answer 4

science cannot prove or disprove the existance of god or an afterlife, there are scientists out there who think they can, but if you look at their evidence, it is a bunch of milarky and you usually find that they do not have the credentials to make such a claim . . .
as for still being Christian . . .
most Christian religions are not set in stone, if you believe that jesus was god, etc. you are a christian, you do not have to agree one hundred percent with any religion to follow it . . . it is merely agreeing with the big ideas, doctrines and dogmas that guide you to the correct religion for you. . . believe what you choose, worship how you choose, don't kill anyone, and you will be fine. . . there is nothing wrong with questioning your faith, in fact that is an important part in any christian religion to becoming truly faithful . . . you shouldn't take everything at face value, ask questions . . .that is how you become a good christian and a good scientist

Answer 5

When you die, your body energy disapates in the form of heat - that's why corpses get colder over time. No, there's no evidence for an afterlife, heaven, hell, or a god. We have plenty of ideas (most of them testable) for where the universe came from, and even if we don't have all the answers yet that's no reason to just give up and say 'god did it'.

Answer 6

According to science there is no 'energy' behind consciousness unless you count chemical energy. When you die your body is subject to chemical decomposition and most of your 'energy' is released into the atmosphere much of it dissipated as body heat. In my opinion heaven is the state in which you loose consciousness and self-importance and return to the essence that you were created from i.e. particles. If you do not believe in an afterlife than you are not a Christian in the traditional sense.

Answer 7

It sounds like you're more spiritual than religious.

unfortunately I am neither, but you can have science and religion. Many people think of science as informed worship. You should read Carl Sagan's "the varieties of scientific experience" it talks about the struggles and the connections between science and religion.

about the "energy" in your body...your energy comes from food. when you die, your body, in a sense, becomes food for other organisms.

Answer 8

You are aware. Awareness is a scientific fact. We are all first hand observers of this phenomenon. Yet, there is no scientific explanation for awareness. Science can explain sight, but not the awareness of sight. Science can explain memories, but not the awareness of memories. You possess an awareness of the explicable, which in itself is inexplicable. Take comfort in this qualia.

If science can not answer how awareness is created, it likewise can not answer how it is destroyed. If the source of awareness can not be found within our known physical forms, then, logically, its source lies elsewhere - - and does not necessarily cease with the destruction of our physical forms.

Answer 9

Aviophage nailed it nicely. Thumbs up to her.
religion is a set of beliefs. I believe wholeheartedly that there is a god and something after death. but I also believe in science. do the conflict? nope. Science is a study of what is around you with rules and experiments to provide results. I love astrophysics with a passion. I also love christian faith with a passion. but they are 2 completely different things.

Answer 10

there is no connection.

Astrophysics is a scientific study of the stars and the shape of the universe.

religion is a humanistic study in which you study men and women way of thinking.

everyone stops at thinking "who created the universe ?" Astrophysics will never tell you THAT answer because there are NO Astrophysics researchers interested and researching that answer.

BTW if you have this kind of doubts in your mind your not anymore a christian.
if you're catholic go to the church and ask for help to regain your faith.
if you're protestant take the bible and search for answers in that.
if you're a scientist you're are probably more interested in this world and not the next one.

I'm a scientist, so i'm interested to give a better life to the next generations and i'm studying a lot for it.
I will take all the necessary actions (ethical or not) to improve the life of everyone on this planet.
this is not "ars gratia artis" we need to study a lot in every scientific field.
damn ! hundred of thousands of children in the world die of thirst each year and a medium american guy uses 400L of water each day !!!! I will not cover myself behind any religion. It's our fault. it's my fault.
I was born in a so called first world country, I will use my wealth to study as much as I can to improve the life of everyone in the future. and I hope very very near future.

that's my point of view, let me reasearch, let me study EVERYTHING.