People sometimes say something along the lines of “but the scientific outlook makes for such a dull, boring world. If science was the dominant force, then everything would be ordinary and material. Can you never feel the awe and reverance for creation?” And I tend to think about this. I don’t need a stinking god to be floored by the universe. The universe, as it is, without having been shat out out by a dying Titan or automagically puffed into existence by Yahwe’s finger-snapping, is utterly amasing and awesome (in the true sense of the world). Have a look at this clip, and tell me that this is not the true sense of wonder, quite separate from imaginary beings in the sky getting in the way.
People want simple, concrete answers. Do this, don’t do that. Religious leaders provide this simplistic, black and white view of the world.
Scientists provide a more nuanced, probabilistic narrative. The sun will almost certainly rise tomorrow. “Our best guess”, “current theory suggests”; doesn’t have the certainty of an absolute authority.
Television, pandering to this lowest common denominator (in the US at least) likes to get experts that put things in absolute terms. “DNA rules this out and this in”, “this gun could not have been used”; these TV experts usually aren’t experts or have been coached to simplify it to black and white terms.
Yes! My thoughts exactly.
Damn, that brought a lump to my throat. Kind of puts it all into perspective and you’re right, the wonder is out there in the night sky. If you’re not afraid of that immensity then you need no god to hold your hand.