How & Why Are We Here?
A short musing by Paul Quek
At one time or another, most of us probably have wondered the “how” and “why” of our existence on this planet we call Earth.
During our early schooling days, we may even had a writing assignment or project on this question — and we may had had enjoyed the numerous viewpoints and opinions, some of which were at variance with each other and some even were at odds with all the others. (Of course, if we were to do such an assignment today in the Age of the Internet, a lot more viewpoints and opinions would be the result … and we could probably get a good debate going! But we don’t have time for that here in this short musing.)
For most adults, caught up in the hustle and bustle of “real life”, we are far more likely to have had put aside such an “academic” question. After all, we tell ourselves, what can one truly say about this question? Is there any “final” answer, really?
That is, immersed, as it were, with your everyday “busy-ness” matters at the office and/or at home — that is, because of the ever-present pressure of all manners of work and personal matters — you have probably set aside the question of your origin and purpose … unless you are a scientist grappling with such a question, either directly (if you are an astronomer, astro-biologist, and the like) or as a “backdrop” question (to which your field of study may contribute partially to answering the question).
To many scientists, we are living on a rather insignificant speck of a planet, in a somewhat isolated star system, located near the edge of one spiral arm of a not-very-uncommon double-spiral galaxy, in a universe where there are literally “billions and billions” of galaxies.
And our planet and star and galaxy — and all other matter as well as all other energy, “dark” or otherwise — are the continuing results of an event that occurred some 14 billions years or so ago: the Big Bang. And, for all the scientists know, we are likely to end up, sometime in the far future, in a sort of reverse event, where the universe collapses on itself — that is, the Big Crunch.
In between the Big Bang and Big Crunch, various stars are busily combining simple hydrogen and helium atoms into heavier elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus and so on … and sometimes spewing these elements into the cosmos via supernovas and other catastrophic stellar and interstellar events, so that we are literally made up of “star stuff”.
I like that!
Now, I have little problem with the Big Bang — it is even conceivable that God may have used such an event to create the universe … why not?
But I have to admit that the ending (Big Crunch) is somewhat dismal, if it is true.
I don’t know if the scientists are correct about either universal event … but a study of the history of science shows that entire scientific paradigms as well as specific scientific theories do change over time, so that maybe in fifty to a hundred years from now, we may have new paradigms and theories to replace the Big Bang and Big Crunch theories. I mean, really new theories, and not just variations — such as oscillating between Big Bang and Big Crunch, in an endless yoyo fashion; or “multi-verses” where each local “universe” goes through its own Big Bang and Big Crunch, either once or in a yoyo fashion.
In fact, new ideas about “dark” matter and “dark” energy are beginning to sound important in the current paradigm/theory. “Dark” matter, it seems, is invisible and ghost-like … although it gathers into vast “clumps”, it can pass right through atomic matter. And interestingly, by one estimate, “dark” matter forms at least 85%-90% or so of the mass of our universe … in other words, the universe is not made up largely of atomic matter (note: other estimates put “dark” matter at only about 30% of our universe). “Dark” matter does not radiate anything at all apparently and is therefore virtually undetectable except for its gravitational effect on atomic matter. In fact, scientists think that galaxies would tear apart if not for “dark” matter acting as a sort of cosmic “glue” holding atomic matter together.
“Dark” energy, on the other hand, seems to destroy whatever “dark” matter is doing, as “dark” energy appears to be the flip side of gravity: it exerts a negative pressure (meaning “dark” energy repels), whereas gravity is positive pressure (that is, gravity attracts). In other words, “dark” energy may end up “tearing up” (or “stretching”) the “fabric” of the universe. So, instead of a universe eventually collapsing on itself in a Big Crunch, we might end up with a universe expanding and expanding (since the Big Bang) … until it “tears” itself into “nothingness”.
While I enjoy reading and considering all these science stuff and voyageuring into science fiction, I think that at my age (I have already pass the Big Five-O), I can take on some things on just pure faith … yeah, yeah, I know, “it ain’t scientific” … but “hey, I am NOT trying to put anything on you, so take it easy, wilya?”
And just in case you are of similar or related faith … let us praise Yahweh our Father (aka “the LORD our God“)!
And if you are a “follower of the Way” … then, in Yahshua Mashiah‘s name (in Jesus Christ’s name), we thank our “Abba, Father” for His grace (undeserved favor) … that is, we don’t deserve salvation but it was offered nevertheless.
Well … the buffet had already been laid … the meal had already been served — so, take up your plate, eh?
Sing to God [Yahweh / Elohim], sing praises to His name;
extol Him who rides on the clouds
by His name YAH,
and rejoice before Him.
— Psalm 68:4
Hallelujah / Halleluyah! {“Praise the Lord!”; or “Praise Yahweh!”}
(Why not Google the word YAH, as in “YAH, concordance”?)
(Check this out: http://bibletab.com/y/yah.htm and http://concordance.biblebrowser.com/listings/y/yah.htm)
Have a Happy & Blessed New Year!
Cheers!
Paul Quek
Woodlands, Singapore
1 January 2008
This post is from the blog “PQ888’s Thoughts And Things” at
http://pq888thoughtsandthings.wordpress.com
A PDF document of this post is available at:
http://www.thoughts-and-things.com
Check out “Paul Quek’s Website“:
http://paulquek888.tripod.com
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