From: richard@biblewheel.com
Date: Wed Jul 09 2003 - 23:03:11 EDT
re post http://www.calvin.edu/archive/asa/200307/0213.html
I had written this in response to the question of whether the MWH dimishes God:
>There is another aspect to consider. Atheists use the many-universes theory to defeat fine-tuning arguments. If every possible configuration is not merely possible but necessary, then there is no need to account for the fine-tuning of our universe that allows for life to exist. Indeed, there is no need to account for anything at all since everything is guaranteed to be found somewhere in one of the many universes. It seems to be an atheist philosophers cosmic dream that would greatly aid them in their attempt to diminish God to absolutely nothing.
Iain then unpacked a little of the reasoning in terms of evolutionary theory.
Wayne replied to both of us, saying:
>Both of you seem to be getting yourselves locked into this emotionally. First, always keep at the front of your mind that we (as Christians) want to know the truth, because the truth sets us free. We become like Creation science advocates and bad peer reviews when we allow our emotions and political opinions to cloud and bias our judgment.
I think Wayne's reminder is very good for us all to keep in mind, but I don't see any "emotional" content in my post. I thought I was arguing from the philosphical position that truth of the MWH could free us from the need to account for anything since every possibility is realized, and that this would be a great boon to athiest philosophy.
Of course, I did not present this point as a proof against the MWH, which is why I introduced it with the words "Another thing to consider ..." I was just trying to point out what I thought was another important aspect that hadn't been mentioned at the time I sent the post.
>Rather than paint the ideas as mere atheist propaganda, try to listen to what is being said, test it with your best understanding, and decide if you agree with it based on the best information you have. That is what we are asked to do a scientists. Although none of us can be sure about the truth, we should at least be sure that we are not ultimately ignoring things that are true because of our emotions and opinions. Who knows, the ultimate irony of it all might be that it give you more confidence that God exists.
I don't think MWH is "mere athiest propoganda." I believe the genuine effort to understand QM would lead one to explore this as a possibility. But I also think its fairly clear that the materialist philosophers really like ideas like this, and that they already have used it in their war with religion. Its not far from the eternal static universe materialists believed in before knowledge of the Big Bang. Its truth would solve a host of problems from biogenesis to fine-tuning.
Of course, none of these points impact the question of the truth of the MWH. But that's not the only question to consider, especially since it probably will not be solved any time soon.
In the peace of Christ,
Richard Amiel McGough
Discover the sevenfold symmetric perfection of the Holy Bible at http://www.BibleWheel.com
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