Angels and Demons
I have read the first 200 pages of Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I do not relish reading this book. I do it to prepare for any religious uprising that may come from the movie to be released in May. I believe the Roman Catholic church has also condemned the movie and has called for a boycott. We will see what happens shortly. It seems that Angels and Demons attacks the Roman Catholic church rather than Jesus, the Bible, or faith. This was not true concerning The DaVinci Code, which attempted to discredit Jesus and the Bible. But Angels and Demons does contain some teachings that we should not overlook and must be ready to dispute.
I found the following statement to be particularly disturbing:
Mr. Langdon, all questions were once spiritual. Since the beginning of time, spirituality and religion have been called on to fill in the gaps that science did not understand. The rising and setting of the sun was once attributed to Helios and a flaming chariot. Earthquakes and tidal waves were the wrath of Poseidon. Science has now proven those gods to be false idols. Soon all Gods will be proven to be false idols. Science has now provided answers to almost every question man can ask. There are only a few questions left, and they are the esoteric ones. Where do we come from? What are we doing here? What is the meaning of life and the universe? (pp. 31-32)
Essentially, God only suits our purposes for things that science cannot explain. However, once science gives us all of the answers, then humanity will have no need for God. Such a simplification assumes that science has answered all questions. Yet even the Big Bang Theory and evolution leaves many questions that even Darwin himself recognizes. Science not only does not answer any “why” questions (the esoteric ones, as Dan Brown calls it), but also does not answer how. For example, science tells us that if the earth was any closer to the sun or further from the sun that the planet could not sustain life. How can random chance (an explosion, no less) put the earth in just the right location for life? Science says that the earth is at the perfect tilt for seasons and for life. Any change in the degrees of the tilt of the earth would be catastrophic. How can random chance (an explosion, no less) put the earth at just the right tilt to sustain life? I could go on and on with these questions.
Science has not answered anything. Science has told us “what” and “where.” But there are not explanations beyond that. Only God answers all the questions of the universe. Science leaves us lacking.
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Your Thoughts
14 Comments so far14 Responses to “Angels and Demons”
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Ambigram
April 7, 2009 at 12:55 pm
“How can random chance (an explosion, no less) put the earth in just the right location for life?”
Ah, but if you start with a bad question, you’re going to get a bad answer.
A better way to look at it is:
“Because the Earth is in the position its in, we exist to be able to ask questions about its position.”
In other words, if the Earth were anywhere ELSE, we wouldn’t be here to question such things (just as there are no Martians asking why their planet does not support life).
So, the Earth HAS to be where it is for you to write this blog post, and for me to comment on it. Why do you feel a need to bring God into it at all?
If anything, our existence here (and few, if any, other places) is evidence of the fairly random nature of life in the universe.
Richard
April 7, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I’m off to the casino feeling random nature to be leaning in my favor. Because the casino exists where it is; we are able to locate it.
Parabolic logic (being much better than the circular kind) rolls off into the distance only with a slight lope.
I think, therefore I am, I think?
Ambigram
April 7, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Whatever.
At least my post made sense.
Joe
April 7, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Great, now we need an interpreter here at CMS…
Ambigram
April 11, 2009 at 5:51 pm
There are a billion suns in our galaxy.
There are a billion galaxies like ours.
At an average of 10 planets per solar system, that makes at least 10 billion billion planets.
Out of 10 billion billion planets, ours is one that has the right conditions to support life. We got lucky.
Most of the other planets do NOT have the right conditions to support life. Tough break.
Of the planets supporting life, some may have enough intelligent life for the inhabitants to ask the question “why?”. We are one.
As far as you personally, you were one of the very few fertilized eggs from your mother. The vast majority of her eggs never became life.
Do you think that the unfertilized eggs are asking “why not?”.
Of course not. They just don’t exist. Just like Martians do not exist. Yes, the probability is very small for your individual existence, but when you consider the massive numbers involved, the probability actually becomes quite high.
visitor
April 20, 2009 at 3:12 am
Yea.. you are right to say too that this site and all movies came into existence without any builders, designers or producer’s creation. Why do you feel a need to bring in any designer, developer or producer at all?
Any mind that has come into a place that replace itself as God tears down any possibility of God. The mind has such audacity as though creation cannot be possible without his or her affirmation.
The finite wanting to define the infinite invalid but how weak are the finite.
The truth is, all thoughts will be judged on the end of days by the Creator himself and on this day of terror, no man can stand apart from those whom he died for their sins and had call his own.
Believe in Jesus Christ with repentance and be saved.
Cautious
April 21, 2009 at 10:07 pm
When I read this article, I felt that the text used from the book was taken out of key. It was as if I were reading a phrase that was chosen out of spite not knowledge of the text. This is fiction not fact. The author of the article above has read this as if it were fact, not fiction. I would like to add that this was a well written book that will entertain, but will be ruined by people who declare it treacherous.
Joe
April 21, 2009 at 10:56 pm
@Cautious,
The same could be said for The Da Vinci Code, yet how many believe it as truth? Many folks will be reading and believing this as fact.
SueZ
May 4, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I have seen several interviews with Brown where he has become convinced himself that he has uncovered “truths” while writing these “ficticious” works. Joe is absolutely spot on…Many people think he’s more of a documentarian than a fiction writer…that IS the danger!
Chris
May 8, 2009 at 8:10 pm
First of all these books are meant to be fiction.. I don’t understand why you “christians” always have to come with vendetta’s against anything in the media that even mentions Christ. Why would you have to” be ready to not overlook and must be ready to dispute” parts of a fictional piece of literature because it mentions something you believe in but if someone tries to dispute the bible (which has just as much of a chance at being fictional) then it is wrong and you won’t listen but feel we should listen to you now?
I don’t understand the hypocrisy in religion and it is this fact that caused me to turn away from the church after growing up in a very christian family with a grandfather who is a preacher. Needless to say my family isn’t happy, however in that fact I find solece that I am doing the right thing. If they were really christian minded wouldn’t they be happy for me for finding something that makes me feel whole and good as oppose to condeming me for being wrong? What makes you people anymore right than the rest of us?
Joe
May 9, 2009 at 3:41 pm
@Chris,
Did you happen to read any of the comments?
Richard Vandagriff
May 10, 2009 at 7:10 am
“These books…” mislead the gullible; that’s all there is to it. Be thankful that you are not so gullible.
DanBrownFan
May 10, 2009 at 10:52 pm
“These books…” mislead the gullible
—————————
Are you talking about Dan Brown’s books… or the bible?
That quote could really apply to either.
To prevent becoming gullible, only believe what you read or hear if you have proof of it’s truth.
Richard Vandagriff
May 11, 2009 at 4:40 am
The proofset for the Bible is out there for any casual observer to peruse, from historical verifications, complementary accounts to empirical evidence. The proofset for Mr. Brown’s books does not exist, for they are listed as fiction.
What else needs to be said of that?