I'm joining this conversation late, but hopefully, you all can accept one more opinion.
I'm a scientist. I have studied science in some form for most of my life and have been involved in professional scientific research and development for the past 16 years.
And in all of this time, I can say one thing without doubt: the more I learn about this world the more convinced I am that God exists.
This may contradict the stereotype of scientists. That is, most people feel that scientists are atheists or agnostic. This stereotype is not without its truths (as all stereotypes are). In some cases, the more a scientist learns, the less he/she believes in the concept of an "all-powerful God" who created the world.
However, in my personal world, just the reverse is true. Furthermore, I know of several very prestigious scientists who also strongly believe in God. And I believe they share my thinking - that the more they learn, the more convinced they are there is a God.
For me, the "proof" that God exists came as a result of my studies. I was utterly fascinated at the level of intracacy and design required for life. It is mind-boggling when one realized that all of these laws of physics and elements of chemistry came together to form the biology we know today. In other words, I just cannot accept that the life we know on this world all just happened by chance.
Some argue that perhaps aliens seeded this planet. I can accept this argument. Again, when I look at the level of detail involved in DNA and proteins and how this translates to functioning organs and ultimately life, I can very easily accept that our world was designed or engineered by another.
And there are so many possibilities. Perhaps an alien race planted the initial seeds that took a lifeless rock and ultimately brought about bacteria, plants, insects, dinosaurs, and finally mammals. Alternatively, perhaps our world was designed for dinosaurs, but an alien race, wanting to seed another world in their image, eliminated the dinosaurs so that mammals could dominate the planet. After all, dinosaurs rulled this earth for several hundred million years - mankind has only existed for several hundred thousand years.
Of course, then there's the big question. Even if an alien race was responsible for life on this planet, what and who created that alien race?
But let's get even simpler than this. Let's break everything down to the simplest smallest particle there is - perhaps all God did was create this particle and then set everything in motion. That was God's only role - to create that little particle and then set the laws for the universe to form. But what laws those were! And that particle clearly was a mighty powerful one!
All of this said, all of these theories stated, one question constantly remains: what created God? If God created this world, what created God? If aliens created this world, that's great, but what created the aliens? And if God created the aliens, then that goes back to the original question - what created God?
But alas, that is the mystery of faith. All religions have this "rule." Man may be able to explain how he was created, how the earth was created, how the heavens were created - but man cannot explain how it all began, and perhaps more importantly, why it began. Why were certain laws of physics put into place? What if different laws existed? Why have any laws at all? What's the purpose in creating all of this? And this is where faith must play a role. Either you accept this element of faith and that there is a greater purpose, or you believe that all of this just happened by chance and that when you die, life ceases to exist.
Most people believe in the notion of God. Some do just to be on the "safe side." That is, if God does exist, far better to have faith in Him now on earth than risk an eternity in some sort of "hell" because one chose not to believe in God. However, I feel that most people believe in a higher power because of all the questions I raised above - what or who really created this vast universe, and why?
But then there's even a bigger question. Assuming there is a God (and I do believe there is), does God interact with humans daily? Does He save some while letting others die?
My answer to these questions is "yes."
The tragedy of Sep. 11th will never be forgotten. But let's step back a moment. How many plants die each day due to natural causes or fire or being eaten or destroyed? How many animals die each day from natural causes or fire or being eaten or destroyed? How many people die each day from natural causes or fire or being destroyed? Death is a constant.
I don't believe in destiny, per se. I do believe we have a series of choices presented to us every day. The choices we make, though, do determine our destiny. For example, there is a young lady who was on her way to her art studio in the Twin Towers on Sep. 11th. She forgot a book at home and returned to retrieve it, risking being late. This decision saved her life. Had she chosen to disregard the book, she might not have been alive today.
The people that died on Sep. 11th made a decision to be in a certain place at a certain time, as sad and unfortunate as it was for them. In other words, based on the decisions they made, it was their time to leave this world and enter God's.
However, God did see fit not to have everyone die that day. Some were allowed to survive. Some had things they had yet to accomplish on this earth. And I feel this is statement is the true reason for our existence.
Do any of you feel you have a greater purpose on this planet? I have felt this way - I have felt this way for a while. And I know now that I am now accomplishing that purpose. It was a calling - just as a priest might feel a calling to serve God. My calling wasn't for the ministry, though, rather for science. I am not the brightest scientist, but one does not need to be the best or the brightest to still have a powerful impact.
Just as I know that I am doing God's will (or so I hope and pray that I am), I also know that my work here is not yet complete. When it is, I may be called away. I may be one of those people that might make a decision that ends my life. Again, it is the mystery of faith.
Every one of us probably has a story to tell of how God or at least one of His angels interacted with us. I'm sure God has sent His angels to me many times - but the one time I that I feel was the most obvious occurred when I was a young man of 18/19. I won't go into the story here, other than to say that a person appeared suddenly when I needed someone the most (to help pull my car out of a ditch). Then, when I went to thank the person, he was "gone." The fact that someone helped me the very second I needed it and was then just "gone" strongly suggests God was watching me that day - in some capacity.
Perhaps God, Himself, doesn't interact with us on a day to day basis - perhaps this is why there are such things as angels. Again, this is an element of faith. But all I can say is, I do believe in God, I do not think that science and religion have to clash, and I do believe God can and does interact with us in some capacity on a daily basis.
