My Trip in Time Read online

say that the universe occurring on its own has more new assumptions than God creating it?”

  “OK,” Jacob replied. “Let me put it another way. Regardless of whether or not there is a God, we, human beings, cannot fully understand how the universe could have come into being on its own – without at least some initiating force. A creator would be that initiating force. Some scientists have speculated on a steady state universe.”

  “Steady state?”

  “Meaning the universe always existed – has no beginning or end. Albert Einstein originally included a fudge factor in his Theory of Relativity, to reflect a steady state model. He later retracted it, and confessed that he only included it because he didn't like the idea of their being a Creator. Anyway, a Steady State universe model has been a point of speculation for 2,000+ years, but nothing more than that. As in your time, the Big Bang theory is still the leading scientific theory on how the universe came into being. Many argue that the Steady State theory is just an attempt to avoid the Nothing-from-Something argument.”

  “Nothing-from-Something?”

  “Yes, in other words, from a human perspective everything in the universe has a beginning and is created from some base elements. The one exception to this is the origin of the universe itself, which as far as we can tell was created from nothing. Which from a human logic perspective is not possible, thus supernatural; or to put it a different way, is a miracle – the first miracle.”

  “A miracle?”

  “Sure, by definition a miracle is a beneficial event that cannot be explained through our scientific understanding of the universe. Now to be fair, the Nothing-from-Something argument still exists with a Creator, for where did the Creator come from? So many philosophers, and now even some scientists, speculate that at some level of existence there is a steady state plane which all other planes, universes, originate from. In fact, I am going to be attending a lecture next month by renowned Physicist Melanie Avery on this very topic. It is fascinating stuff. In fact, when you start looking at the universal constants from a meta-…”

  “Jacob, you are getting off topic,” Aaron interjected. “Grandfather isn't going to be able to comprehend the physics involved; in fact, I don't even pretend to understand them.”

  “Wait minute,” I replied. “Do you mean meta-universe or multi-verse theory? The theory that there are an infinite number of universes.” I had read a couple articles on meta-universe theory, and was at least casually familiar with the principles involved.

  “No,” Jacob replied. “Meta-plane is the theory that our universe originates from a completely different plane of existence, whose physics are completely different from our own. Meta-universe is a completely different concept, which quite frankly has never gained much scientific credibility. In fact, meta-universe is often cited as an example of how scientists can fall into the trap of trying to use infinity to explain the mathematically improbable.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Oh just like it sounds,” Jacob replied. “It goes back to the old complexity of the universe argument. If you only have one universe, then the chances that it would form on its own at exactly the right speed to support life is statistically zero. But if you have an infinite number of universes, then it would be guaranteed. However, there is no scientific data to support this theory. It was just a misguided attempt by some scientists to apply infinity to the equation to get the answer they wanted. Anyway, as we have already discussed, there is no need to get exotic to explain the rate of expansion, once you have – the bang – the rate of the expansion is the same.”

  “Are you almost finished?” Aaron complained to Jacob. “We only have ten minutes left.”

  “Oh sorry,” Jacob replied, sheepishly. “I guess the Professor isn't the only one who gets carried away sometimes. Anyway back to Occam's razor. Since the creation of the universe, either a cosmic accident or created by a divine hand, defy our ability to explain through our knowledge of the universe – they are both by definition supernatural explanations. Of which, a divinely created universe actually has less new assumptions, even when you factor in that God’s existence also defies human explanation.”

  “Huh?”

  “Sorry, I am not explaining this very well,” Jacob replied. “Let me put it another way. If you prescribe to a steady state model for the origin of reality, which as I said some scientists in our time do, then you acknowledge that the nature of reality so far exceeds our ability to comprehend that anything could be possible. So a divine origin of the universe and accidental creation are equally valid theories. Now if you believe that reality had a beginning, then you believe an event occurred which resulted in either the creation of God or resulted in the Universe itself. By definition an event which results in the creation of one thing, has less new assumptions that an event that results in the creation of many things. Does that make sense?”

  No, it doesn't, I thought to myself. I mean it does if you accept the notion that the universe coming into existence on its own was supernatural, but there was no way I was conceding that. At the same time, I could see that arguing about it was pointless, so I shifted to a new line of reasoning. “Look, we could argue about this all day, but the burden of proof falls onto you to prove that a mythical God exists, not me.”

  “Ok, Grandfather,” Aaron replied. “The best argument for the divine in the 41st century is probably the best argument in your time as well – the divine truth. In short, it just feels right.”

  “What?” I replied, totally taken back by Aaron's statement.

  “Oh come on, are you really telling us that in your entire life you have never felt it – the divine truth. That in all the years you went to church, or simply living life, you never felt It…that overwhelming sense that there is more to the world than what you can see, the feeling that there is something with you, guiding you?"

  “No, of course I haven't,” I replied, though I admit that was not a completely honest response. When I was much younger, and the God-wool was still pulled over my eyes, I would have answered yes, but that was back when I was an ignorant, trusting child.

  “Really?” Aaron asked, genuinely confused.

  “No, at least not since I became a thinking adult,” I conceded.

  “So you mean, not in the last three years or so?” Jacob asked. “Since you became an atheist?”

  Now in retrospect, I don't think Jacob meant that as a smart-aleck comment; I think it was really just more of an observation, but at the time, I once again was tempted to strike one of my multi-millennial descendants. Of course I didn't, instead I said. “Look, if you are simply telling me that some people claim to have had a religious experience in church then you are wasting your breath. Oh sure, I do not doubt that some Christians have had religious experiences at church or in a hospital, but I am also sure that is true for Jews, Muslims, Hindu's as well. Not to mention that people can have religious like experiences playing music, looking at art and etc. So, trying to claim that God exists because some Christians claim to have had a religious experience is totally ridiculous!”

  “Is it really?” Aaron calmly replied. “Why is that?”

  “Well, like I said,” I replied. “They are Jews, Muslims, and Hindu's that would also claim to have religious experiences. You can't all be right?”

  “Really, why not?” Aaron replied. And I was taken back by his calm, I know something that you clearly do not, attitude.

  “God has a plan for everyone,” Aaron continued. “Not just Christians or Muslims or Jews, but everyone. God is everywhere – His subtle call goes out to everyone. The divine truth is there for anyone who can calm their mind long enough to listen, and quite frankly, even those who can't. So the person who has a religious like experience sitting in a concert hall listening to Bach, may indeed be hearing the divine call of God – the divine truth, even if they don't consciously realize it. This is the real reason why the majority of people believe i
n a divine presence, they experience it in their lives, even if it is only at a subconscious level.”

  I was initially taken back by the absurdity of the statement. “Look,” I began. “That's a nice thing to say, but everyone in my church would tell you that if you don't believe that Jesus is the Son of God, then you are going to Hell.”

  “Well of course they do,” the Professor chimed in with a laugh.

  And I knew exactly what he was going to say before he said it – “You are from the Theological Dark Ages.” Not that again, I silently groaned to myself.

  “Don't worry,” the Professor said, needlessly trying to console me. “Mankind is on the verge of leaving the Theological Dark Ages. In fact, the process is well on its way in your time. And we have now touched on the second, and the most important truth that will lead mankind out of the Theological Dark Ages – Heaven is for everyone.”

  “What?” I exclaimed.

  “Heaven is for everyone,” the Professor calmly repeated. “Or to put it a different way, God is the God of everyone, not just Jews, Christians and Muslims. As Aaron was just saying, God, Jesus, or whatever other name He may go by, has a plan for everyone. This truth appears throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testament, but has gotten lost over the ages.”

  Seeing my