Stephen Hawking: "God Did Not Create the Universe"

Professor Stephen Hawking has reversed his previous assertion in A hrief History of Time that god was the catalyst for the Big Bang and now claims God did not create the universe. Hawking explains his rationale in his upcoming book he authored with American physicist Leonard Mlodinow, The Grand Design.

Hawking is now challenging Sir Isaac Newton’s theory the universe could only have originated from a single, intelligent source. Hawking now believes the Big Bang, rater than evidence of a Divine hand, was the inevitable result of the laws of physics. In other words, the universe can create itself out of nothing because the law of gravity exists.

It is still a larger leap of faith to believe that than in a Creator. Where is the origin point for the laws of physics? Why, if all things head towards entropy, did chaos suddenly create order in a brief moment in time, then resume its course towards entropy?

Aside from heady questions such as those, Hawking is drawing unnecessary battle lines between science and religion by making it an either/or choice. Even his own theory of the laws of physics creating the universe as a natural outrowth does not disprove God’s hand in it. He is just claiming God is not necessary and therefore had no part in it. Ive people an either/or choice about science or religion and they are likely to choose religion exclusively rather than accept that science complements god, not replaces Him.

Of course, hawing is only coming public with his statement to hype the book eig released next week. Othig like controversy to stir up book sales. Just ask Richard Dawkins. He is the atheist version of cristian hucksters like Joel Osteen, but his provocative statements put The God Delusion on the best seller list a couple years ago. No surprise that he has already snapped up some of the spotlight from Hawkings’ book promotion.