Is science making
the case for God? Have scientists
discovered that God is not dead? The
longer scientists look for life on other planets, the closer they move to
intelligent design.
Eric Metaxas wrote an interesting article about science proving the
case for God; in his article he gave figures and quoted scientists. Instead of saying “God is dead” or “he’s obsolete,”
scientists move closer and closer to proving that He is alive and well.
Scientists have been searching
for “Extraterrestrial Intelligence” since the 1960s and received only silence
in return for listening for signals of intelligence. The program was funding by public and private
money but now receives only private funds.
“What happened? As our knowledge of the universe increased,
it became clear that there were far more factors necessary for life than Sagan
supposed. His two parameters grew to 10
and then 20 and then 50, and so the number of potentially life-supporting
planets decreased accordingly. The
number dropped to a few thousand planets and kept on plummeting….
“As factors continued to be
discovered, the number of possible planets hit zero, and kept going. In other words, the odds turned against any
planet in the universe supporting life, including this one. Probability said that even we shouldn’t be
here.
“Today there are more than 200
known parameters necessary for a planet to support life – every single one of
which must be perfectly met, or the whole thing falls apart. Without a massive planet like Jupiter nearby,
whose gravity will draw away asteroids, a thousand times as many would hit
Earth’s surface. The odds against life
in the universe are simply astonishing.
“Yet here we are, not only
existing, but talking about existing.
What can account for it? Can
every one of those any parameters have been perfect by accident? At what point is it fair to admit that
science suggests that we cannot be the result of random forces? Doesn’t assuming that an intelligence created
these perfect conditions require far less faith than believing that a
life-sustaining Earth just happened to beat the inconceivable odds to come into
being?
“There’s more. The fine-tuning necessary for life to exist
on a planet is nothing compared with the fine-tuning required for the universe
to exist at all….”
Scientists may one day prove
what prophets have known for thousands of years: God created the Earth and the Universe for
the benefit of His children – us. In
fact, God created many worlds. Modern
prophets as well as ancient prophets attest to this truth. One of them is the late Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
“Christ is the Creator and
Redeemer of worlds so numerous that they cannot be numbered by man. As to his infinite and eternal creative and
redemptive enterprises the divine word attests:
`And worlds without number have I created,’ saith the Father, `and I
also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is
mine Only Begotten. … But only an
account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you.’ As to all of the other worlds of the Lord’s
creating we know only that it is his work and his glory `to bring to pass’ –
through the Redeemer - `the immortality and eternal life’ of all their
inhabitants. (Moses 1:33, 35, 39.)
“In what is probably the most
glorious vision given to mortals in this dispensation, Joseph Smith and Sidney
Rigdon saw `the Son, on the right hand of the Father,’ and `heard the voice
bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father – That by him, and
through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants
thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.’ (Doctrine and Covenants 76:20, 23-24.) Christ is thus the Creator and the
Redeemer. By him the worlds were made,
and through his infinite atonement the inhabitants of those worlds are adopted
into the divine family as heirs with himself…” (“Christ and the Creation,” Ensign, June 1982).
President Ezra Taft Benson also testified of Christ being the Creator:
“The first principle of our religion is faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Only He can provide the hope and
strength we need to rise above our human failings. Jesus Christ was and is the Lord God
Omnipotent. He is the Only Begotten Son
of God in the flesh. He was the
all-powerful creator of the heavens and the earth. He is the source of light and life to all
things. His word is the law of by which
the universe is governed” (“Jesus
Christ: Our Savior and Redeemer,” Liahona, April 1993).
Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also spoke about God being the
Creator: “The process of construction is
truly inspiring to me. From conception
to completion, any major building project reflects upon the work of the Master
Creator. In fact, the Creation – of planet
Earth and of life upon it – undergirds all other creative capability. Any manmade creation is possible only because
of our divine Creator. The people who design
and build are given life and capacity by that Creator. And all materials used in the construction of
an edifice are ultimately derived from the rich resources of the earth. The Lord declared, `The earth is full, and
there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things.’ (Doctrine and
Covenants 104:17).
“It is difficult for mortal
minds to comprehend the majesty of the Creation. It is much easier for us to think about good
things to eat or fun things to do. But I
would like to stretch our minds to think of things beyond our easy grasp. The creation of man and woman was wondrous
and great. So was the creation of the
earth as their mortal dwelling place.
“The entire Creation was planned
by God. A council in heaven was once
convened in which we participated. There
our Heavenly Father announced His divine plan.
It is also called the plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, the plan
of redemption, the plan of restoration, the plan of mercy, the plan of
deliverance, and the everlasting gospel.
The purpose of the plan is to provide opportunity for the spirit
children of God to progress toward an eternal exaltation….
“I testify that the earth and
all life upon it are of divine origin.
The Creation did not happen by chance.
It did not come ex nihilo (out
of nothing. And human minds and hands
able to build buildings or create computers are not accidental. It is God who made us and not we ourselves. We are His people! The Creation itself testifies of a
Creator. We cannot disregard the divine
in the Creation. Without our grateful
awareness of God’s hand in the Creation, we would be just as oblivious to our
provider as are goldfish swimming in a bowl. …
“This earth is but one of many
creations over which God presides….
Grand as it is, planet Earth is part of something even grander – that great
plan of God. Simply summarized, the
earth was created that families might be….
“The Creation, great as it is,
is not an end in itself but a means to an end.
We come to the earth for a brief period of time, endure our tests and
trials, and prepare to move onward and upward to a glorious homecoming. Our thoughts and deeds while here will surely
be more purposeful if we understand God’s plan and are thankful for and
obedient to His commandments….
“As beneficiaries of the divine
Creation, what shall we do? We should
care for the earth, be wise stewards over it, and preserve it for future generations. And we are to love and care for one another….
“I testify that God lives! Jesus is the Christ and Creator! He is Lord over all the earth…”
I too know that God lives and
created this beautiful Earth and the Universe through His Only Begotten Son,
even Jesus Christ. I know the words of
the above quoted prophets are true.
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