Mark I. Wallace (ed.), Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995, p 50. 10. Pope John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, p. 72.
11. Jurgens, W.A. The Faith of the Early Fathers – Volume One, Collegeville;
Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1970, passage 853, p. 363.
12. St Catherine of Genoa as sited in James W. White, Christianity 101 Tracing
Basic Beliefs, John Knox Press, 2005, p. 115.
13. Pope John Paul II, Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2559.
14. St Therese of Lisieux, Manuscripts autobiographiques, C 25r.
15. Pope John Paul II, Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2563.
16. Mackenzie, The Dynamism of Space, p. 160.
17. W.B. Ullathorne, Groundwork of the Christian Virtues, p. 74.
18. www.medjugorje.org.
19. Mackenzie, The Dynamism of Space, p. 142.
CHAPTER 20
IS GOD DEAD? Many claim a victory – ‘God is dead!’ As I noted in the introduction to God: Fact or Fiction? to many it seems a reality. Back in the 1960s, the following statement from Friedrich Nietzsche became the catch cry for the ‘God is dead’ movement: ‘Where is God gone?’ he called out. ‘I mean to tell you! We have killed him – you and I! We are all murderers! …Do we not hear the noise of the grave diggers who are burying God? …God is dead! God remains dead!’1
Though his statement is often taken out of context, he wasn’t saying that he was killing God. In fact he was saying that the West has killed God by ignoring Him and His creating of the universe.
How that statement rings with irony in the shadow of the 60’s, when nuclear war was a looming reality, and war with Russia was virtually a given. But in fact, the walls of communism have crumbled and Russia is no longer such an imminent threat to the West. With the speed that communism crumbled and the little bloodshed in the process of it collapsing (though sadly millions and millions were murdered in the name of communism) can we truly say God is dead? Pope John Paul II hugely inspired the Polish in their struggle for freedom.
In fact many of us claim or act like God is dead. We are trying to traverse the journey of life alone. Our Creator wants us to take Him with us, not leave Him on some far distant shore or just access Him when we need Him.
In this chapter you will discover in essence for yourself, whether He has been killed, or whether Nietzsche’s statement is flawed. If the latter is the case then God is very much alive. If the evidence is overwhelming, can we sit silently, ignoring Him?
Some of us may claim that God is dead. Some could even claim that you are dead. But we know that is only perception and not truth. How could God be dead? If He is beyond time, and eternal then how could the first cause just die? No, if God is not bound by time, space, or our universe, then He is not dead, but He is the living God!
Be Not Afraid Most of the time when the angels appeared to people in Sacred Scripture their first words were, ‘Do not be afraid’. Therefore it is a pertinent heading for this section. I urge you to not be afraid, but to trust in the loving Creator, who made all things, seen and unseen; as depicted in Psalm 139 God knows you so intimately.
There are many who believe that they have missed the mark so greatly that God could not possibly love or forgive them. Well Sacred Scripture has many examples of people who messed up big time, but the key is that God forgave those who came back to His loving arms.
King David really stuffed up! He really blew it! He let his loins do the thinking and not his brain. Not only did he have an affair with the thinking and not his brain. Not only did he have an affair with 12:15). Woah! Yes that’s pretty bad, and most of us wouldn’t forgive someone who did that. But God is so much greater than us. His mercy is endless, if we but turn to Him truly repentant. Yes God forgave the repentant David but there were repercussions that David had to suffer because of the hurt he had caused others due to his sin having social consequences.
St Peter, though one of Jesus’s closest friends was strong in faith and at times he displayed a lack of faith. He was the first disciple to acclaim Jesus as the Messiah. In one instance of Peter’s weakness Jesus rebuked him so strongly that He even called him Satan. The other disciples also showed weakness when most of them deserted Jesus upon His arrest; and three times Peter denied that he even knew Jesus or was His disciple (John 13:36-38; 18:15-27).
The Prodigal Son is a beautiful parable. A son leaves his father and squanders the inheritance. But his father longingly awaits his return, embraces his repentant son and holds a party for him, ordering his prized calf to be killed for the occasion. The father represents God the Father, and He waits longingly for you.
As mentioned in Sacred Scripture and Does Secular Evidence Confirm the Existence of Jesus? chapter this could be the most important, decision you could ever make. You have journeyed through this book, on a wonderful exploration of science and religion. You have discovered the overwhelming scientific, psychological, philosophical, theological and corroboratory evidence that a Creator made our universe. This evidence has
Is God Dead? 289 covered such diverse areas as the Big Bang Theory, DNA, astronomy, paleontology, Intelligent Design, the exploration of evolution and the laws of nature, as well as biblical and non-biblical evidence. You have also explored such concepts within religion such as evil, the nature of God, God being a loving and personal God, the soul, miracles, and prayer. The section on prayer will probably have shown you that God is calling you to follow Him, and so to co-operate with Him. But first you must make a momentous decision. If you are not a Christian, or a lapsed Christian this indeed could prove to be the most vital decision of your life. (If you are already a Christian then you can make a recommitment if you feel God wants you to.) This momentous decision is possibly an eternal one. Will you choose to follow God by letting Him into your life? Will you seek to join a Church and live as part of a family of God? If the answer is yes, then ask God for forgiveness, for your sins, and ask Him to help you to follow Him. If you were baptised Catholic or Orthodox then call your nearest priest and let him know that you would like to see him urgently for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
So God is not dead but is the eternal living God. Not only is He alive, but the Church is the living Church, and His word is the living word, and Sacred Tradition (divine revelation by God which has been handed on) is living Tradition.
Do not be afraid that God will call you to do more than you will be able to handle. God will give you the all graces that you will need: ‘But he has answered me, “My grace is enough for you: for power is at full strength in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).’
The key is to respond to God, and each time we overcome temptation we become stronger as we respond to the grace that God has given us. Do not be afraid, your loving Creator is preparing you for eternity. The greatest reward you will ever receive will be waiting for you – eternal life.
Notes
1. Friedrich Nietzsche. Joyful Wisdom, trans. By Thomas Common (New York: Frederick Unger Publishing Co., 1960), section 125, pp. 67-168.
CHAPTER 21
CONCLUSION Throughout God: Fact or Fiction? we have explored the concepts of science and religion. It should be clear by now that there do not have to be hostilities between the two. In fact contrary to popular belief that the Church is anti-science there is evidence of a remarkable harmony with Christians, specifically Catholic priests having contributed greatly to scientific discoveries throughout the history of science. Science uses three conceptual models to explain the gas hydrogen, and so we can use the concepts of science and religion to explain our universe.
Empirical science can only answer the how and when regarding the origins of our universe. When it comes to the other questions such as why and by whom, and what our ultimate destiny will be then we turn to religion for the answers. Although science can’t tell us that the God of the Old Testament created the universe and so us, I believe it is possible to reason through science that whatever caused the Big Bang was all-p
owerful bringing into existence from nothing, outside of time, and so could exist forever. Additionally this Creator is one who created humans with a greater ontological goodness than other creatures, with free will and an intellect and ability to truly love through self-gift, including loving one’s enemies.
We are the only species with the desire to ponder our own existence and ask: why? We are incredibly creative, have an intellect which has enabled us to discover the laws of the universe, have abstract thought, and an understanding of love, truth and morality.
According to atheistic evolutionists humans are the only species who purely by chance have been able to speak articulately, create our own spoken and written languages, and discover and create codes. We are the only species to want to solve the problems of nature, such as diseases; to advance so much technologically; to explore the universe; and to reveal scientific answers to questions surrounding our universe.
Through science we can reason that a Creator has left His imprint on creation through what we can detect through the code left in DNA. Natural Selection even reveals purpose and points to a Creator.
Scientifically mankind is the only species to advance so much. The sciences of archeology and paleontology have helped us learn from the past, uncover secrets hidden for thousands of years; the science of astronomy has led to the exploration of the universe and shown us the wonder of God’s creation; and the sciences of theology and philosophy have enabled us to explore our nature as a dim shadow of the nature of God, together with seeing Him as a loving God who created us as the pinnacle of creation.
The Intelligent Design Theory with the information richness and specified complexity within the cell and especially proteins and DNA refutes the atheistic view of evolution, also known as neo-Darwinism. The likelihood of life coming into existence by chance is very unlikely, especially as the fluke would have to be repeated thousands or millions of times. Remember that it’s like lining up 1050 blind people who each solve a scrambled Rubik’s Cube simultaneously. The mindlike qualities whereby Natural Selection, scrutinises and selects, points towards a mind and thus to a Creator. Either Natural Selection is one of the greatest hoaxes perpetrated in the name of science or it reflects Intelligent Design, and thus our Creator; if it is real it is a law of nature which God has given us.
There have been many marvelous discoveries in science which include helping humanity to live longer, and explore the awesome depths of the universe – though admittedly we still have a long way to go to be able to explore the farthest outposts, the billions of other galaxies of the universe. Science has also opened our eyes to the wonders of nature as we discovered how genes are able to be transmitted through the generations, and can now grow body parts and explore regenerative medicine.
There are several defects in the theory of atheistic macroevolution which I have covered extensively. In itself the theory of evolution is not opposed to belief in a Creator. Science can’t disprove the existence of God. On the contrary science is an illustration of the handiwork of a Creator who has made our universe.
Science alone does not give us all the answers to life. The quest for knowledge must be explored through religion and science. These two, give us the wholeness, and make us complete. You can’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Therefore if you try to get rid of one then you are courting trouble. If you throw away science, you are left with just various religious parties quibbling over scientific meanings – including the age of the universe – and more importantly you would not have the quality of life that especially we in the western world have (which incidentally, has its positives and negatives) – science has brought marvelous cures for diseases, and life saving operations can now be performed which never could be in the past.
Alternatively, you can’t throw away religion and keep science. Without religion, some scientists seek to stretch the moral limits of science. We are already witnessing this with various people trying to clone humans. Isn’t it amazing how history repeats itself? Hitler would have loved to have the ability to clone blue eyed, blond men and these would have been his army – an army that could be replaced at breakneck speed. Without religion there is no hope; as we discovered through the writing of Richard Dawkins, there is no real meaning or purpose.
As Albert Einstein so succinctly emphasised, ‘religion without science is blind, and science without religion is lame’.1 Science and religion complement each other; they are in harmony. God intended us to use our brains to discover the intricacies of His creation. He gave us brains in order to create; and thus the ability to be creative is a God given gift. He also gave us brains to study His nature, (we reflect the nature of God) His works and His creation together with the laws of nature. Most importantly He enabled us to discover Him and have a relationship with Him, a relationship which can transform our lives and those around us.
But why did God give humans such a gift? He didn’t have to. Why didn’t He bestow this gift on the other creatures in the animal kingdom? It is because His plan was for us to be superior to other creatures and so more responsible – though sometimes I think some of us are dumber than dumber! While animals can be superior in sight and maybe brain power, we are superior in our creativity. Furthermore contrary to animals we have an intellect and will that allows us to think abstractly, love selflessly and overcome instinct. In fact as divine revelation has explained we are created in the image and likeness of the Triune God.
We are the crown of God’s creation. We are the only species to be created with an eternal soul and the only species to have the ability to reason – to reason between right and wrong, between good and evil. It’s not just the ability to choose between good and evil, but it is the gift to know why you have made such a choice. This is something to ponder, and thank God for. Religion shows us that we are the only species that has an imperishable soul.
While science can improve and enhance our lives, the abuse of science, (e.g. abortion, euthanasia) can in fact destroy our lives. While religion can improve and enhance our lives, the abuse of religion (from within or without) can also destroy our lives and destroy our countries – nations have been ravaged especially by people choosing to turn away from the loving Creator. The main social upheavals are caused because people choose not to follow the Creator, or they have a twisted or erroneous view of their God
– e.g. so called religious terrorists such as al-Qaeda and the IRA. How can these people represent a loving God if they take the lives of innocent people?
But when we seek and discover God’s tremendous love for the crown of His creation, you and I, then we discover the purpose for life, which embraces those around us – the purpose to love God, self and others.
Inherent in our human nature is the ability to truly love others. However there is one person who is the source of love, the Creator of love, Jesus Christ. Because Christ is love then we should truly seek His graces, His love to flood our hearts. The best way to do this is to totally surrender to Him and to seek His love through the graces offered through the Sacraments of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. If you do not have Sacraments in your Church then ask God for the grace through prayer which is listening to God, surrendering to Him and also petitions where we ask for His blessing in our lives for ourselves and others.
At this point I want to again quote the agnostic, Robert Jastrow regarding the scientist who has disregarded God: For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.2
With the embracing of science and religion we can indeed discover the wonders that I have only briefly touched upon. If we really delved into all the areas of science and the traces of evidence God has left us, then many more books could be written. I hope you have enjoyed this book as much, if not more, than I have in researching and writing both editio
ns. Trust in God, and above all talk to Him. It is through this dialogue (remember, prayer is a dialogue) that you will discover truly who you are and to an extent who God is. Please be assured that all of you who read this book are in my prayers. May our wonderful, loving Creator bless you and reveal more of His truth of who He is as you seek Him – God is indeed fact and not fiction.
God bless.
Brendan Roberts
Notes 1. Albert Einstein, “Science, Philosophy and Religion: a Symposium”, 1941
as cited on www.quotationspage.com/quote/24949.html. Accessed 24
February 2010.
2. Jastrow, God and the Astronomers, 105-106.
Author’s Note Since the release of the First Edition of God: Fact or Fiction? much has happened in my life. I felt called to study theology full time and have now completed my Bachelor of Theology. I have also become a leader in a Catholic Community and have become a columnist for http://tob.catholicexchange.com. I have also been interviewed on US Radio with El Kresta, Fr. Thomas Loya, the Sonrise Show which was broadcast on the EWTN Radio Network. In 2004 I was a speaker at the Eucharistic Convention here in Auckland, New Zealand (videos on www.youtube.com). I now have a Facebook profile and Facebook God: Fact or Fiction Fan Club.
I’m endeavouring to publish my writing into many different languages. If you have any contacts, or wish to contribute financially, then we can make this happen. It’s a challenge that I am yet to overcome. But I know it will indeed happen with perseverance. So please keep me in your prayers.
I have received some wonderful mail from people who are using my book in sharing our faith via R.C.I.A. It would also be a great resource for your local school, (or you could sponsor a class/school for them to get God: Fact or Fiction?) university, school libraries, and your local public library too.
This was such an exciting book to research and write. It certainly has evolved into what I hope was an amazing journey of discovery for you.
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