Order in the universe

By Herbert Vego

 

IS it possible to know whether God exists or not?

To say it is not is to be an agnostic or one who thinks it is unknowable. He could not appreciate the wisdom behind the Bible verse that says, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1).

Learned atheists, on the other hand, would rather view order in the universe as the product of the “big bang” theory – resulting from chance, defying the law of probability.

You must have read about the late English physicist Stephen Hawking, a quadriplegic agnostic, who said that the odds are “less than one chance in a trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion.”

He said in a TV interview, “The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to make possible the development of life.”

Finding the proverbial needle in a haystack would be “realistic” in comparison.

We God believers can only reason out that the above scenario is impossible — unless fixed by the omnipotent Someone behind the scene.

Scientists who believe in God may have expected such fine-tuning, but atheists and agnostics are unable to explain the remarkable “coincidences.”

In his book The Symbiotic Universe, agnostic astronomer George Greenstein asked, “Is it possible that suddenly, without intending to, we have stumbled upon the scientific proof of the existence of a Supreme Being?”

In another book, God and the Astronomers, astronomer Robert Jastrow postulated why some scientists are reluctant to accept a transcendent Creator: “Science is the religion of a person who believes there is order and harmony in the universe. When it is violated by the discovery that the world had a beginning under conditions in which the known laws of physics are not valid, the scientist has lost control. He would be traumatized.”

Greenstein and Hawking could not accept a God-made universe because, being speculative, it could not be verified in the realm of science – in other words, beyond the reach of either the microscope or the biggest telescope.

Although Hawking continued to explore purely scientific explanations for our origins until his death in 2018, other scientists have acknowledged what appears to be overwhelming evidence for a Creator.

British astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle wrote, “A common-sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super intellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature.”

Albert Einstein wasn’t religious, but he called the genius behind the universe “an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection.”

The late atheist Christopher Hitchens, who had spent much of his life writing and debating against God, was forced to admit that life couldn’t exist if things were different by just “one degree or one hair.”

Now comes Ilonggo lawyer Edwin Catacutan — an ardent Bible student and author of the book Creation, Fall and Redemption – who told this writer that he does not doubt the creation of the heavens and the earth because “they could not have always been there.”

He echoed the famous English physicist Paul Davies, who wrote that “the essential hypothesis  that there was some sort of creation seems, from the scientific point of view, compelling.”

 

‘MORE KONEK’ A SUCCESS

THE month of March 2021 marks the beginning of the second year of operation of MORE Electric and Power Corp. as the new electricity-distribution utility in Iloilo City.

In taking over the function of the previous franchisee Panay Electric Co. (PECO) on February 29, 2020, MORE Power was saddled with the awesome responsibility of serving 64,000 initial customers.

Alas, however, the management found out that they had also to deal with an estimated 30,000 pilferers or “freeloaders” using the so-called “jumpers”. They would have to legalize or face criminal charges in court, which would compel them to post bail for their temporary liberty.

An apprehension team headed by Ariel “Ayê” Castañeda was tasked to catch electricity thieves and turn them into happy, paying customers.

Power pilferage is punishable by reclusion temporal (imprisonment of 12 years and 1 day to 20 years) or a fine of P100,000.

So far, MORE Power has dismantled more than 10,000 jumpers all over 180 barangays.

Today, MORE Power has 75,000-plus paying customers – an indicator of the success of its “More Konek” program.

Under this program, applicants are only required to submit an accomplished application form, a copy of government-issued identification card, barangay certificate of residency, permit for temporary service connection with electrical plan and vicinity, and oath undertaking for informal settlers.

The informal settlers or settlers would no longer be required to present a certification or authority from the lot owners, which could be a big problem should the latter refuse.

To enable the poor to afford a legitimate connection, MORE Power President Roel Z. Castro has devised a plan that would enable them to pay only P2,500 for bill deposit, payable by installment.

The indigents may also avail of lifeline service for one or two light bulbs which would cost them as low as a hundred or two hundred pesos a month.

Wow, affordable!