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Spirituality for Today
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Recently, I came across an amusing cartoon depicting two snowmen; one was rebuking the other. The caption read, “Don’t be absurd! Of course, no one made us! We evolved from random snowflakes.”
Poking fun at Darwin’s theory of evolution is considered irreverent in some circles, but I take delight in it. His theory gave so much comfort to atheists in their effort to deny God’s existence. I gladly admit that the theory of evolution is a scientific fact, but this in no way proves that God does not exist.
Albert Einstein and I do not understand how a serious person can deny the necessity of the existence of a supreme intelligence behind the cosmos. But that’s just us. We believe there are many ways of knowing: rational deduction is one and intuition is another. Albert thrived on intuition.
Atheists are quick to dismiss these tried and true methods, saying that the burden of proof is on the believer to prove scientifically that God exists.
New scientific evidence
No problem! I am pleased to tell you that there is new scientific evidence that is helping us to understand some very important theological truths. Permit me to share a quote from a mathematical physicist named Frank Tipler, from Tulane University. His book is entitled, The Physics of Immortality.
Doctor Tipler wrote, “When I began my career as a cosmologist some 20 years ago, I was a convinced atheist. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that one day I would be writing a book purporting to show that the central claims of Judeo-Christian theology are in fact, true. And that these claims are straightforward deductions of the laws of physics as we now understand them. I have been forced into these conclusions by the inexorable logic of my own special branch of physics.”
Wow! The usual claim of science that the existence of God cannot be scientifically proven has now been discredited by many professional physicists.
Check out Google, and you’ll find 40 quotes that were made by former atheists who are now believers. They talk about the folly of denying God’s existence. Those who deny this essential truth in the name of science are performing an act of deliberate inadvertence.
Can’t defy right reason
This new understanding has affected my attitude toward atheists in general. I now find their hubris a bit sad. How can a serious person conclude that a random scattering of atoms accidently fell together to form our complex universe? One cannot even imagine the possibility of it.
Common sense is at play here. Walt Whitman, in his poem “Song of Myself” from the collection Leaves of Grass, wrote, “A single mouse is miracle enough to convert a thousand infidels.”
No one should defy right reason. Especially not since we now see that the higher levels of physics are compelling many to admit that God must exist. Of course, you knew that, but those who denied this fundamental truth for years can no longer claim to be intellectually superior — quite the opposite.
I intend no personal disrespect toward atheists in general. My effort is to discredit the atheistic movement. There are many atheists who are good human beings, and who have shown real charity to those in need, perhaps more than you might suspect.
I just want to help them find their way home, and to discover the joys of living a life of faith.
May the Lord be your strength and your joy.
Fr. John Catoir is the founder and current president of the St. Jude Media Ministry, a national apostolate which uses radio and television to reach out to millions of unchurched people in America and to those in need of joy in their daily lives.