Speaking the Truth

We don’t like to speak the truth about evil because we’re going to hurt somebody. Let me tell you, you are going to hurt somebody, but that Somebody is God. If you would rather hurt God than your neighbor, there is something wrong with your spirituality. It’s your obligation to speak the truth and everyone can either take it or leave it. But truth must be in us. We live in such poverty of the truth today.
- Mother Angelica

Monday, August 30, 2010

God VERSUS Science?

I got an email a while ago from my dad titled, "God vs. Science."  Now he just recently told me that he wasn't sure God even existed so I was skeptical about reading it.  I didn't know what in the world I would be getting into.  So it sat in my inbox for a little bit, but I decided to read it.  If it got too bad, I would close and delete.  Well, the beginning wasn't too good and I almost stopped reading it until it started to take a turn for the better.  I will let you read it (I apologize for the formatting.  It came from my inbox.).  Read it all the way through:                                                                                                                                                                                                          
 True Story
                                                                                                                                                 
  'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.'                  
                                                                           
  The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks
  One of his new students to stand.                                     
                                                                                                                                               
  'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'                                   
                                                                                                                                                     
  'Yes sir, 'the student says.                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
 'So you believe in God?'                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
  'Absolutely.'                                                            
                                                                                                                                                     
  'Is God good?'
                                                                                                                                                        
  'Sure! God's good.'                                                      
                                                                                                                                                     
  'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'                              
                                                                                                                                                    
  'Yes'                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
  'Are you good or evil?'                                                  
                                                                                                                                                     
  'The Bible says I'm evil.'                                               
                                                                                                                                                    
  The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible!' He considers for a      
  Moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here   
  And you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?' 
                                                                                                                                                      
  'Yes sir, I would.'                                                      
                                                                                                                                                    
  'So you're good...!'                                                     
                                                                                                                                                     
  'I wouldn't say that.'                                                   
                                                                                                                                                     
  'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. 
  Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'                          
                                                                                                                                                     
  The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't,    
  Does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he   
  Prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that 
  One?'                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                     
  The student remains silent. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says.
  He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time
  To relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'                 
                                                                                                                                                     
  'Er..yes,' the student says.                                             
                                                                                                                                                   
  'Is Satan good?'                                                         
                                                                                                                                                    
  The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.'                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                     
  'Then where does Satan come from?'                                       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
  The student falters. 'From God'                                          
                                                                                                                                                       
  'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?' 
                                                                                                                                            
  'Yes, sir..'                                                             
                                                                                                                                                    
  'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'     
                                                                                                                                                       
  'Yes'                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                    
  'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created          
  Everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to   
  The principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'       
                                                                                                                                                     
  Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred?
  Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'       
                                                                                                                                                     
  The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'                                  
                                                                                                                                                  
  'So who created them?'                                                   
                                                                                                                                                  
  The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question.
  'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer      
  Breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.  
  'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus   
  Christ, son?'                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
  The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'      
                                                                                                                                                    
  The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to  
  Identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'    
                                                                                                                                                      
  'No sir. I've never seen Him.'                                           
                                                                                                                                                     
  'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'                          
                                                                                                                                                      
  'No, sir, I have not..'                                                  
                                                                                                                                                   
  'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus?   
  Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that
  Matter?'                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                    
  'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'                                         
                                                                                                                                                     
  'Yet you still believe in Him?'                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
  'Yes'                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                    
  'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol,   
  science says your God doesn't exist... What do you say to that, son?'    
                                                                                                                                                    
  'Nothing,' the student replies.. 'I only have my faith.'                 
                                                                                                                                                  
  'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has
  with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'                             
                                                                                                                                                   
  The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His 
  own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat?'                           
                                                                                                                                                   
  'Yes.'                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                    
  'And is there such a thing as cold?'                                     
                                                                           
  'Yes, son, there's cold too.'                                            
                                                                           
  'No sir, there isn't..'                                                  
                                                                                                                                           
  The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room  
  suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have
  lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat,     
  white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called  
  'cold'. We can hit down to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but 
  we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold;      
  otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees.    
  Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits    
  energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. 
  Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold  
  is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure 
  cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold  
  is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'               
                                                                                                                                                    
  Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding
  like a hammer.                                                           
                                                                                                                                                    
  'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'     
                                                                                                                                                    
  'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation.. 'What is night if it   
  isn't darkness?'                                                         
                                                                                                                                                     
  'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of
  something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing  
  light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's     
  called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. 
  In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make        
  darkness darker, wouldn't you?'                                          
                                                                                                                                                
  The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will  
  be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'           
                                                                                                                                                      
  'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to    
  start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'                 
                                                                                                                                                    
  The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you
  explain how?'                                                            
                                                                                                                                                     
  'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains.. 'You 
  argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad    
  God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we
  can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.' 'It uses        
  electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood
  either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of   
  the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.. Death is not   
  the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor.. 
  Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'             
                                                                                                                                                      
  'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man,    
  yes, of course I do.'                                                    
                                                                                                                                                   
  'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'              
                                                                                                                                                    
  The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes    
  where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.               
                                                                                                                                                     
  'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and     
  cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not 
  teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'
                                                                                                                                                    
  The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion   
  has subsided. 'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other
  student, let me give you an example of what I mean.' The student looks   
  around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the     
  professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter. 'Is there anyone 
  here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's      
  brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have    
  done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable,    
  demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due 
  respect, sir.' 'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust   
  your lectures, sir?'                                                     
                                                                                                                                                 
  Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his    
  face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man      
  answers. 'I Guess you'll have to take them on faith.'                    
                                                                                                                                                  
  'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with    
  life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?' 
  Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it   
  Everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in
  The multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These       
  manifestations are nothing else but evil.'                               
                                                                                                                                             
  To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it    
  does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just
  like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the      
  absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what      
  happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like
  the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when
  there is no light.'                                                      
                                                                                                                                                  
  The professor sat down.                                                  
                                                                                                                                                           
  PS: the student was Albert Einstein.                                     
                                                                           
  Albert Einstein wrote a book titled God vs. Science in 1921..


Now I'm not exactly sure how "true" of a story this "True Story" is, but I liked the argument in it about the absence of God.

But my question is: Is this really about science VERSUS God, or is God science? What I mean is, God created everything on this planet.  He created everything to be able to work together in nature.  He created our cells to divide and to perform certain functions.  He created beings to procreate and live on.  He created the pollen and the bees and all the creatures of the Earth, big and small.

I think this whole notion of science VERSUS God is something we have created in our own minds to be.  We, as humans, have taken science and turned it against God when really, science works WITH God and everything that happens on this Earth, does it not? Without God, nothing "scientific" would ever work.

Thoughts?? Comments??

5 comments:

Jason Roebuck said...

Great post Karen...I am going to tweet it...God bless you...

Karen said...

Thanks Jason! God bless back!

Soutenus said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Soutenus said...

Great post, Karen!

The link I put in my earlier comment didn't work. Here is the whole URL for the Einstein post at my Catholic Notebook blog. I think you'll like it! You'll have to copy and paste.
Sorry!

http://catholicnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/09/albert-einstein.html

Blessings!
Peggy (aka Soutenus)

Karen said...

Hey Peggy,

I got the link in my email and it worked. I thought maybe you didn't want visitors or something.... I wasn't sure. I actually posted that video to this blog too. I will be sure to give you credit for that!

I think I saw this going around on FB. I put it there too!!

Thanks so much for the resource!!