To See Or Not To See

Shakespeare said it another way, of course. Hamlet, Act 3, scene 1: “To be or not to be, that is the question.” These are probably the best-known lines in English literature. I read something in the newspaper this week that made me think of phrasing them differently. Victor Stenger was coming to town.

You may not have heard of Victor, but lots of people have. He is the author of the 2007 New York Times bestselling book, “God: The Failed Hypothesis - How Science Shows that God Does Not Exist.” Hmmmm. I wondered how a very bright, intelligent person could fail to see what others see. After all, Dr. Stenger is an emeritus professor of physics at the University of Hawaii. Of course, he is also an adjunct professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado. Maybe that explains it.

Dinesh D’Souza has reminded us that “Science is based on an assumption that is, at root, faith-based and theological. That is the assumption that the universe is rational and follows laws that are discoverable through human reason.” Christians were the first to envision the universe in this way. They discovered that the laws which govern the universe seem to be written in the language of mathematics – something one physicist called “a kind of miracle.” Who made these laws?

The newspaper reported that the Southern Arizona Community of the Center for Inquiry was the sponsor of Victor Stenger’s free lecture. Its stated aim is “defending reason, science, freedom of inquiry and alternative ethical values in all areas of human endeavor.” Aha! The last phrase gave it all away. Now I understand why a very bright, intelligent person wants to establish the non-existence of God. All sorts of “alternative ethical values” become available when God is out of the picture.

I remember a conversation I had with a young man some forty years ago. He was a professed agnostic who wanted to be an atheist. When I asked him why he wanted to be an atheist, he responded, “Because if there is a God, then I will have to answer to Him.” Now, there is an honest answer. You see, the same God who made physical laws to govern the universe also made moral laws to govern our relationship with Him. Those laws are written on our hearts.

Hamlet’s soliloquy which begins with “To be or not to be” is filled with fears of the hereafter. He recognizes that “conscience does make cowards of us all.” I have a suggestion to make. Atheists are like little boys whistling in the dark. They are trying to keep up their courage. We need to tell them that light is available.

To see or not to see, that is the question.