Is physicist Stephen Hawking right that physics, not God, created the universe?, page 1

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Topic started on 4-9-2010 @ 06:40 AM by Parallex

Is physicist Stephen Hawking right that physics, not God, created the universe?

www.guardian.co.uk

In a new book, world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has altered his previous position, which seemed to accept a divine creator, to argue that the universe is the work of physics, not God. Do you agree?

(visit the link for the full news article)

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 06:40 AM by Parallex

Note to Mods - this is a link to the poll that came about as a result of this subject - PLEASE do not move this as it is still breaking news given that the poll has not closed yet.

At the time of posting this thread, the results stand as -
1) 84.2% Yes. I believe in gravity, not divinity
2) 15.8% No. God: Hawking 'not necessary'

This is a decisive blow to the idea that the UNITED KINGDOM is a Christian country.

84.2% of respondents to the poll do NOT believe in divinity. Essentially, this states that 84.2% of people responding to this survey are either Atheists or Agnostics - in the UK.

Combined with this information -

•66% of the UK population have no connection with any religion or church.

•18% of the British public say they are a practicing member of an organized religion. (This figure tallies with the figure shown in the Guardian survey - and is statistically in line with the trend given the time lapse between the figures.)

With the trend shown in the second link only deepening, it is CLEAR that religion and moronic 'faith-based' conviction is breathing its' last gasp with the general populace in the UK. Now, crazy religion and faith is the preserve of the power-addled elites and fundamentalists - who seek power over others using religion.

Religion is nearing death in the UK - and I'm putting on the glad rags, cracking open a beer, and dancing around the house like a Bhangra dancer!

Parallex.

www.guardian.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 4-9-2010 by Parallex]

[edit on 4-9-2010 by Parallex]

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 06:45 AM by mc1km

Who created physics?

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 06:52 AM by Parallex

Originally posted by mc1km
Who created physics?

The scientific community did my smart-alec friend.

Physics is a field of SCIENCE, as designated by SCIENTISTS.

Parallex.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 06:53 AM by woodwardjnr

Is the poll of Guardian readers? Probably not the best representation of the UK public at large, I'm a Guardian reader and an atheist, like most people I know who read the guardian and visit the Guardian web page.

Still, we are not a very religious country. I was talking to my parents last night and they said they never really think about religion, I had my dad questioning everything he has ever been told about religion, it's the first time in over 60 years he had really questioned the beliefs that he had just taken for granted, interesting discussion though.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 06:54 AM by Romantic_Rebel

I believe the honorable Stephen Hawking is correct.
Check this link like out!
www.usbible.com...

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 06:56 AM by Parallex

reply to post by woodwardjnr

Fair points - do check out my second link though...

By the way, I love your signature.... that's a regular pub quote for me and a select group of friends...

Parallex.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 06:56 AM by Parallex

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel

I've starred you for a truly excellent link - great find.

Parallex.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 06:58 AM by Romantic_Rebel

reply to post by Parallex

Anytime. Us Atheist have to stick together. Remember all religions are more similar then you think. They can't all be right or wrong? Right?

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 06:59 AM by Sherlock Holmes

I tend to steer clear of these ''God exists/God doesn't exist'' 20-page borefests, but...

As far as I can see what Professor Hawking says is just as illogical as those that say that ''God must have created the universe, there's no other option that makes sense !''.

What Professor Hawking is doing, is voicing his personal opinion, and not a scientific one.

The truth is that none of us know how or what is required for the universe's existence, and I personally believe that the actual explanation will be unfathomable for the current human brain.

It's probably impossible for humans to make sense of the universe and existence, so why bother speculating one's own personal, ignorant opinion ?

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:01 AM by Parallex

reply to post by Sherlock Holmes

Thank you for the contribution, but I'm conscious the Steven Hawking conversations have been done.

This thread is about the Guardian poll suggesting the UK is now down to 15% in population ratio of religious nutters to normal healthy people.

Any thoughts on that?

Parallex.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:03 AM by dizziedame

Have yourself a jolly good time dancing around the house.

As for your "poll" I would like to see exactly where the poll was done and who conducted it.

I wonder if I or another member took a poll would the results be the same as the poll you relate to?

Happily we can dance together as my faith in the divine God has soared during the last year.

I respect your right to your opinion.

I'm singing and dancing because my faith in God is alive and well.

Diversity is one element that makes life so interesting.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:04 AM by Amandla

I think that noone, even not Hawkins, can actually know it. I also don´t undesrtand, why should creator and physics exclude eachother? Why can´t physical laws be part of creation and Creator? I personaly think, that Universe is much much greater and complex that we can imagine. And that´s what makes it interesting.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:11 AM by MrVertigo

Originally posted by Parallex

Originally posted by mc1km
Who created physics?

The scientific community did my smart-alec friend.

Physics is a field of SCIENCE, as designated by SCIENTISTS.

Parallex.

Wow! So science created physics?

Meaning that before the scientists figured it out we were all just floating in a great big void?

Thanks science!

Seriously though, the logic of Hawking is so backwards it's not even worth discussing. Guess he should stick to equations and leave the philosophical stuff to others.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:11 AM by Parallex

reply to post by dizziedame

Great post. You've demonstrated that faith is a private, and often joyful thing.

It's just when faith becomes evangelism or indoctrination of others that it becomes bad.

Enjoy your beliefs - and dance like you mean it!

Parallex.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:11 AM by Sherlock Holmes

reply to post by Parallex

Sorry mate, I didn't mean to go over old ground, as I didn't read any of the original Hawking threads.

My thoughts on the poll are that the majority of Britons tend to be non-religious, but not necessarily atheist.

Other polls back up this notion that only 20% maximum, of people are what might be termed ''hardcore'' atheists.

A lot of people I know have a general belief in ''God'', but follow no particular religion.

I've noticed that there also appears to be a trend towards ''new-age'' spiritual versions of ''God'', at the expense of the more traditional Abrahamic religions, but there's also more people interpreting Christianity with a slightly more ''spiritual'' slant as well.

Britain is a Christian country, because there's an inherent connection between the Head of State, and head of the Church of England.

This is why Britain is referred to as a ''Christian country'', even so ironically, the USA has a far larger proportion of adherents to Christianity, but is not a Christian country !

[edit on 4-9-2010 by Sherlock Holmes]

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:16 AM by woodwardjnr

reply to post by Parallex

You do know that there has been an increase in Faith schools in the UK, with now 1 in 3 schools being religious in character. This is set to increase with the Tories plans to introduce more independent schools which will lead to more faith based schools. A really regressive move, never before have we needed to intergrate all children of all backgrounds together.

I wouldn't start cheering the demise of religion in the UK too soon.

The number of faith schools in Britain is rising. Around 7,000 publicly-funded schools - one in three - now has a religious affiliation.

As the coalition government paves the way for more faith-based education by promoting 'free schools', the renowned atheist and evolutionary biologist Professor Richard Dawkins says enough is enough.

www.channel4.com...

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:17 AM by Parallex

reply to post by Sherlock Holmes

Nay bother friend - you're in the groove I understand!

I must disagree with your point about the UK being a 'Christian' country. A democracy is defined by it's majority. We may have a Christian monarchy, and Christian-impeded government and judiciary, but that does not mean the country is Christian. That's what is known as propaganda from a powerful and dangerous Church.

Our country is secular, tolerant, open-minded and free. The church stands for exactly the opposite of that - if we were a religious state, we'd see far more prosecutions under the blasphemy law that the evil Blairite government ushered back in.

Parallex.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:21 AM by Parallex

reply to post by woodwardjnr

Oh I completely agree with you Jr.

Tthis rise in faith schools is real, and completely against our national identity. It is being perpetrated by a sickening campaign of PR and corruption by religious organisations - and religious fanatics in positions of power within our government. Typical really.

Don't worry though - these schools breed atheists faster than any normal state school could.

Trust me - I'm a product of that.

Parallex.

reply posted on 4-9-2010 @ 07:21 AM by CHA0S

As an agnostic, I've considered both possibilities long and hard, but in my mind, when it comes down to it, God couldn't of have just suddenly spawned, "he" too had to come from something, some how. Logic leads me to conclude that at some point, there literally had to be nothing, not even a god. There is one other possibility of course, and that is that before "nothing" existed, "something" existed, and before that something there was another nothing from whence that something came - infinity. Meaning there was really no start to everything, and there will be no end, but rather an infinite cycle of "starts" and "ends". In this scenario, the logic starts to become quite fuzzy, I suppose an infinite all knowing God is possible, but that doesn't mean reality and existence isn't possible without such a God.

[edit on 4/9/10 by CHA0S]

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