Re: Questioning God

Murphy (gmurphy@imperium.net)
Wed, 16 Oct 1996 18:17:03 -0400

John W. Burgeson wrote:
>
> George Murphy writes, in part: ' But if I ask God "Why did you
> create a universe embodying (approximately) Einstein's equations instead
> of some other system, the answer will be "Because I chose to."'
>
> You may be right, George, but I would hope not. Presumably our creator had some
> reason to build our universe the way he did; I would think he will be delighted
> to share that reasoning with us! Possibly more likely, though, he will tell us
> to do a few millenia of study and figure it out for ourselves!
>
> Maybe I think this way because heaven, for me, is not sitting around singing
> songs, but more like a really really great college campus, with unlimited
> opportunities for study and learning, along with like opportunities for creating
> worlds of our own! Of course, I guess I'll take what's offered! < G >
>
> Burgy

The contingency of the universe is a consequence of God's
freedom. I think that God voluntarily limits his action in the world to
the processes compatible with his original choice of a rational universe
, but that choice was free.In a similar way, God can accomplish his
purposes with creation in a variety of ways. That means, e.g., that we
can't thwart God's purpose by our mistakes &c.
George Murphy