Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
6 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,815 Year: 3,072/9,624 Month: 917/1,588 Week: 100/223 Day: 11/17 Hour: 0/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   God and the size of the universe.
kbertsche
Member (Idle past 2131 days)
Posts: 1427
From: San Jose, CA, USA
Joined: 05-10-2007


Message 46 of 53 (630744)
08-27-2011 12:40 PM
Reply to: Message 10 by nlerd
08-26-2011 9:21 PM


Re: Wrong answers
nlerd writes:
So far as I understand God created all that exists for man (am I wrong in that assumption?), if that is the case then why is the universe so vast? Seems to be a huge waste of space seeing as how man's purpose (whatever that is) should be achievable on Earth.
...
What I'm trying to get at is why would God create one small habitable zone in a massive dead universe? Whats the point of all that useless space out there? I'm not asking why the universe is the size that it is, I'm asking why would GOD make it that big?
Yes, according to the Genesis 1 creation account, man is the pinnacle and goal of God's creation. And yes, God could have created the universe in any way that He wished. He could have created it all last Thursday and placed us here with realistic memories, if He wished. So why did He do it this way? I think David gives a hint:
quote:
When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made, and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place, of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them? Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them, and make them a little less than the heavenly beings? You grant mankind honor and majesty; you appoint them to rule over your creation; you have placed everything under their authority, including all the sheep and cattle, as well as the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea and everything that moves through the currents of the seas.
--Psalm 8:3-8
Perhaps the reason God made such a huge universe is to show us our intrinsic insignificance, to help us see that our true significance comes only through Him?

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." — Albert Einstein
I am very astonished that the scientific picture of the real world around me is very deficient. It gives us a lot of factual information, puts all of our experience in a magnificently consistent order, but it is ghastly silent about all and sundry that is really near to our heart, that really matters to us. It cannot tell us a word about red and blue, bitter and sweet, physical pain and physical delight; it knows nothing of beautiful and ugly, good or bad, God and eternity. Science sometimes pretends to answer questions in these domains, but the answers are very often so silly that we are not inclined to take them seriously. — Erwin Schroedinger

This message is a reply to:
 Message 10 by nlerd, posted 08-26-2011 9:21 PM nlerd has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 47 by DWIII, posted 08-27-2011 1:12 PM kbertsche has not replied

  
DWIII
Member (Idle past 1752 days)
Posts: 72
From: United States
Joined: 06-30-2011


Message 47 of 53 (630746)
08-27-2011 1:12 PM
Reply to: Message 46 by kbertsche
08-27-2011 12:40 PM


Re: Wrong answers
kbertsche writes:
nlerd writes:
So far as I understand God created all that exists for man (am I wrong in that assumption?), if that is the case then why is the universe so vast? Seems to be a huge waste of space seeing as how man's purpose (whatever that is) should be achievable on Earth.
...
What I'm trying to get at is why would God create one small habitable zone in a massive dead universe? Whats the point of all that useless space out there? I'm not asking why the universe is the size that it is, I'm asking why would GOD make it that big?
Yes, according to the Genesis 1 creation account, man is the pinnacle and goal of God's creation.
Well, aren't we special?
kbertsche writes:
And yes, God could have created the universe in any way that He wished. He could have created it all last Thursday and placed us here with realistic memories, if He wished. So why did He do it this way? I think David gives a hint:
quote:
When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made, and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place, of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them? Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them, and make them a little less than the heavenly beings? You grant mankind honor and majesty; you appoint them to rule over your creation; you have placed everything under their authority, including all the sheep and cattle, as well as the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea and everything that moves through the currents of the seas.
--Psalm 8:3-8
Perhaps the reason God made such a huge universe is to show us our intrinsic insignificance,
Ooops, not so special after all...
kbertsche writes:
to help us see that our true significance comes only through Him?
What conceivable purpose does humiliating one's own children serve? Oh, yeah, like you said, to vicariously puff up the parent's ego.
Perhaps the reason God made such a huge universe is so that we could grow up already, leave the crib* behind, and learn to rely on ourselves.
*i.e., Earth.
OFF TOPIC - Please Do Not Respond to this message by continuing in this vein.
AdminPD
Edited by AdminPD, : Warning: Stick to the topic.

DWIII

This message is a reply to:
 Message 46 by kbertsche, posted 08-27-2011 12:40 PM kbertsche has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 48 by iano, posted 08-27-2011 1:33 PM DWIII has seen this message but not replied

  
iano
Member (Idle past 1940 days)
Posts: 6165
From: Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
Joined: 07-27-2005


(2)
Message 48 of 53 (630748)
08-27-2011 1:33 PM
Reply to: Message 47 by DWIII
08-27-2011 1:12 PM


Re: Wrong answers
DWII writes:
What conceivable purpose does humiliating one's own children serve? Oh, yeah, like you said, to vicariously puff up the parent's ego.
Sounding remarkably (and somewhat ironically) like something that would fall from the lips of an unruly, rebellious child.
OFF TOPIC - Please Do Not Respond to this message by continuing in this vein.
AdminPD
Edited by iano, : No reason given.
Edited by AdminPD, : Warning: This is not a chat page. Please stop one liners.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 47 by DWIII, posted 08-27-2011 1:12 PM DWIII has seen this message but not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 49 by jar, posted 08-27-2011 1:36 PM iano has seen this message but not replied

  
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


(1)
Message 49 of 53 (630749)
08-27-2011 1:36 PM
Reply to: Message 48 by iano
08-27-2011 1:33 PM


Some gods should be opposed.
Or from the lips of a reasonable child talking about an abusive father.
OFF TOPIC - Please Do Not Respond to this message by continuing in this vein.
AdminPD
Edited by AdminPD, : This is not a chat page. Please stop one liners.
Edited by AdminPD, : Warning

Anyone so limited that they can only spell a word one way is severely handicapped!

This message is a reply to:
 Message 48 by iano, posted 08-27-2011 1:33 PM iano has seen this message but not replied

  
IamJoseph
Member (Idle past 3668 days)
Posts: 2822
Joined: 06-30-2007


Message 50 of 53 (630761)
08-27-2011 5:41 PM


WRONG QUESTIONS
Is not size only applicable to the components of the universe if those componenets never existed before the universe?
Edited by AdminPD, : This is not a chat page. Move the discussion forward.

Replies to this message:
 Message 51 by fearandloathing, posted 08-27-2011 6:04 PM IamJoseph has not replied

  
fearandloathing
Member (Idle past 4145 days)
Posts: 990
From: Burlington, NC, USA
Joined: 02-24-2011


Message 51 of 53 (630764)
08-27-2011 6:04 PM
Reply to: Message 50 by IamJoseph
08-27-2011 5:41 PM


Re: WRONG QUESTIONS
Is not size only applicable to the components of the universe if those componenets never existed before the universe?
What? I have no idea of what you mean?
OFF TOPIC - Please Do Not Respond to this message by continuing in this vein.
AdminPD
Edited by AdminPD, : Warning: Not a humor thread or a chat page

"No sympathy for the devil; keep that in mind. Buy the ticket, take the ride...and if it occasionally gets a little heavier than what you had in mind, well...maybe chalk it off to forced conscious expansion: Tune in, freak out, get beaten."
Hunter S. Thompson
Ad astra per aspera
Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 50 by IamJoseph, posted 08-27-2011 5:41 PM IamJoseph has not replied

  
Phat
Member
Posts: 18262
From: Denver,Colorado USA
Joined: 12-30-2003
Member Rating: 1.1


Message 52 of 53 (632232)
09-06-2011 1:42 PM
Reply to: Message 16 by nlerd
08-26-2011 10:18 PM


Re: Wrong answers
deleted post
Edited by Phat, : made a better post

This message is a reply to:
 Message 16 by nlerd, posted 08-26-2011 10:18 PM nlerd has not replied

  
Phat
Member
Posts: 18262
From: Denver,Colorado USA
Joined: 12-30-2003
Member Rating: 1.1


Message 53 of 53 (636922)
10-12-2011 8:08 AM
Reply to: Message 31 by nlerd
08-26-2011 11:42 PM


Topic Synopsis
nlerd writes:
So far as I understand God created all that exists for man (am I wrong in that assumption?), if that is the case then why is the universe so vast? Seems to be a huge waste of space seeing as how man's purpose (whatever that is) should be achievable on Earth.
Maybe God has other projects going on in other parts of the universe?
To begin with, I applaud your method of asking questions. I am assuming that you are not looking for the "correct" answers to such a philosophical topic since there likely are none!
Four Reasons Why Questions are Better than Answers
Rather than looking for answers per se, except to learn how others think, lets compile a list of questions, shall we?
1) IF God exists, is God concerned primarily with humans and humanity, or was that something that WE read into it?
2) Is there intelligent life in other parts of the universe? Are we humans making the same error we made in times past, where we thought that the Sun went around the earth?
Anthropocentrism
nlerd writes:
What I'm trying to get at is why would God create one small habitable zone in a massive dead universe? Whats the point of all that useless space out there? I'm not asking why the universe is the size that it is, I'm asking why would GOD make it that big?
3) If God exists, what characteristics does He?She/It have?
nlerd writes:
MOST current day Christians seem think of the Bible as the Word of God, regardless of who wrote it.
4) IF God exists, is it possible to communicate with Him?(Her,It)
Buzsaw writes:
Imo, it's arrogant of itty bitty humans, existing on this speck in our Solar System called Planet Earth, which is a tiny speck in our Milky Way Galaxy, being, itself a tiny speck amongst all of the existing billions of galaxies, etc, to think that theirs is the highest level of existence existing in this vast wonderful Universe.
Which brings up many questions...namely, will God wipe out the entire universe for the benefit (or judgement)of earth?
And the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.~Revelation 6:14

This message is a reply to:
 Message 31 by nlerd, posted 08-26-2011 11:42 PM nlerd has not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024