....where the sidewalk ends.
I've been reading a lot of articles and watching a lot of television on astronomy and physics, and science in general, and I believe that I can prove that God exists. Granted, to accept my position, a bit of faith is needed, so let's start our discussion on what faith is, both theologically and scientifically.
The definition that scientists, agnostics and atheists would use to describe Faith comes from the Webster's Dictionary: a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. Theologically the definition is similar: A belief in something which is not seen which is true. For the purpose of these discussions, I would define faith slightly different: A firm belief in something that may be, in fact, true though we lack the knowledge that it is true.
I think this definition is a little more friendly to both the religious and the scientists and non-religious folks. Let me give you a little background on my experiences. I was raised in a religious family. My parents were very religious and I attended church both during the weekends and was educated from religious texts each and every day during high school. For those out there that may have recognized, Yes - I am LDS. I am a religious person, but I don't see religion and science butting heads but rather confirming the other to be true. I am not an educated scientist, my education is in computers and technology rather than physics and classical science, but the concepts, I think, are the same.
My definition is faith is oddly similar to that of a hypothesis. In the Scientific Method, a hypothesis is an "educated guess" or theory based on research, that is the basis of an experiment where the validity of that theory is scrutenized. The end result of that experiment is whether or not the original theory is true or not. If the experiment confirms that the theory is true, then the hypothesis is recategorized as a law. If the experiment suggests that the theory is false, then notes are taken and a new hypothesis is created for a new experiment.
I will give you an example how the process works, and then we'll go into how it can work to prove that God exists. A simple hypothesis could be capillary action draws water up though gravity should pull it down. The faith is that there is such a force that defies gravity, causing water to rise up while the laws of gravity say that everything is drawn down. You'd then setup an experiment in order to test the hypothesis to verify whether or not it is true. The thought of capillary action flies in the face of the law of gravity, so you'd test it to see if it's true. In this case, your experiment consists of water, food coloring and a stalk of celery. Mix the food coloring with the water in a cup, and then stand the celery in the water and let it sit for a while. When you come back (after a day or so), mark where the water line comes up on the celery before removing it. Then, carefully cut the celery at different distances from the mark up the stalk, where the water didn't come to. You'll notice that in these cuts there is colored water, or rather the celery has sucked up the water, contrary to the force of gravity that pulls it down. Congratulations, you just broke the law of gravity.... or have you? Obviously there is a law present here, though it is contrary to the laws you may understand.
Lets take this idea and apply it to God. I do, in fact, believe that there is a God, that He lives and that He really does exist. I also believe in science. I believe that the laws of physics, and science in general, are true laws that must be followed. I will then posit two things. One: God must follow the laws of science. and Two: God knows and understands laws that we do not understand. That makes God, in my definition, a scientist... the Ultimate Scientists if you will.
How many theories are posited by scientists that are, to this day, unconfirmed. On top of that, how many laws of nature are not known or understood by the human race? Countless I'm sure. So, back to the hypothesis: God exists. Since a hypothesis is an educated guess, we must must educate ourselves on the subject of God before we can come up with an adequate experiment. You cannot test the laws of physics without an education in Physics. One cannot solve proofs in calculus unless they are educated in mathematics. The same goes for the hypothesis that God exists. You can't merely dismiss the theory until you are educated in the subject, have tested your hypothesis, and come to a scientific conclusion. Over the next few blogs in this series, I will explore different subjects around the hypothesis of God that are currently unanswered by modern science. Such subjects as where did the universe come from, what existed before the Big Bang, entities of higher dimensions, and the like. Since my experiments are of the nature of theology, I will use references from scripture and the works of other religious leaders to give basis and back up my thoughts.
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