I consider myself spiritual but not extremely religious.
I am Catholic but I am also certain that no one, priest or otherwise, knows the mind of God.
The death of my mother last year has given me reason to ponder the question. I have always considered myself a scientist. As a scientist I cannot deny the clear fact that all creatures on Earth seem to evolve from creatures with a more simple structure. So, as a scientist, I have always used that evidence to support my conclusion that God intended it that way. Then, as I grew older and I saw that the world was not perfect, I started to question whether Jesus was the son of God, just an extraordinary man that was written about in the bible, or if he even existed at all. Soon after I began to question the existence of God at all. After all, scientists seem to have a good bead on how things work…the Big Bang and all.
Then I got older…and maybe, more wise…and I realized that just as a computer is only as good as its programmer, that science is only as good that the scientist who has interpreted the data that he/she is looking at. For the most part, like doctors, I consider that most scientists are intelligent, competent, and without bias…well, I don’t know about the bias any more. Global Warming…Ha_ha.
Now science is pointing to the fact that the Big Bang may not be the end-all/be-all of the universe and that it may not be unique. A theory that I read about many years ago, String Theory, seems to have reemerged and morphed into Membrane Theory (M-Theory). I like this theory for many reasons.
- First, it pleases both sides of my brain. Unlike Einstein’s theory, it seems to be mathematically complex. It opens the door for the possibility of multiple dimensions and parallel universes.
- Second, it involves music. There are no particles like electrons or quarks. These things are simply the same tiny strings vibrating at different frequencies. The membrane on which our universe sits is simply the woven fabric of all of these strings.
- Finally, it allows me to reconsider God. Not the God that is limited to creating man in his own image…although I think that we may hold a special place…but the God that lies outside, inside, and throughout all dimensions and resides in a universe…heaven…that contains all other universes.
Or, I could be wrong…
Whatever the case, I still have faith, I still have hope, and I still believe that love is God’s greatest gift of all. Also, that somehow God gave us Jesus to help us find our way.
Merry Christmas.
