Dear all:

When we look at the history one might conclude that the greatest forces in human civilization are not nuclear weapons or massive armies, but ideas. The ideas have propelled people engaging in revolutions, wars etc, these ideas have also been very influential that have developed in the sciences. They have rocked the world with intellectual revolutions.

Ideas have evolved in which creativity is deemed constructive as well as destructive. The development of science can be viewed from both perspectives. I believe greatest revolution in science took place with the invention of “plow machine” that put humankind on a different level. Man began to cultivate land and develop new ideas about using land for food. Since then, we credit many of our blessings to the results of science all shaped by simple ideas.

Along the lines, we theists have begun to understand God a little better through science. Yet, science is not fully adequate when it comes to explaining the nature of God. It is because we have developed ideas in our mind that objectivity is crucial in determining the truth in anything that is seen in this universe, which is believed to be accomplished through Science and scientific means. I would like to extrapolate this idea to the unseen. Can we explain God and His handiworks through science? How far can we push science to reconcile God? Science in and of itself is not wrong but may not be fully equipped in its current status to explain God.

Personally, I do believe that science is developing, in that more we know science, more of God will be revealed to us. Until then there is a place for mystery when it comes to the knowledge of God.

Here is what I read from different forums:
We know that the Universe exists and is real. Every rational person—including atheists and agnostics—must admit this point. So the question arises, “How did the Universe get here?” If a thing cannot create itself, then it is said to be “contingent” because it is dependent upon something outside of itself to explain its existence. The Universe, therefore, is a contingent entity since it cannot cause or explain its own existence. If the Universe did not create itself, it must have had a cause.


There are only three possible answers to this question:
(1) the Universe is eternal; it always has existed and always will exist;

(2) the Universe is not eternal; rather, it created itself out of nothing; or

(3) the Universe is not eternal, and did not create itself out of nothing, but instead was created by something (or Someone) outside of, and superior to, itself.
These three options deserve serious consideration.

I have seen numerous debates between atheist and theist on this subject on various forums. Most of theistic approaches have been Biblical in nature. I would like to put a twist to that. Perhaps, its time to see the take on this stemming from other theistic beliefs. On this note, I would like to know if there is any coherency among various theistic approaches. I mean, do people of different religious faiths come to agreement on the issue of creation vs. evolution science? It would be interesting to see different perspectives coming from different faiths and see if there is any connect between them.

This is free for all discussion.

Blessings,
nirotu