It was not very long ago that Newtonian Physics was considered the last word in Physics because it could explain and predict all phenomena that we see around. It could even explain the motion of celestial bodies. But the whole edifice collapsed when we started dealing with the sub-atomic particles. Special and General theories of relativity were required to reach a reasonably acceptable level of hypothesis that could explain everything. We are passing through an identical phase in the case of metaphysics now. The theory of God (theology), which is central to all religions, has entered its final phase now. Rigid Science which is nothing but the other side of Blind Religion is dead and irrelevant to modern Man. Pure, impartial and realistic Science has made tremendous progress and it is challenging many of the hitherto unchallenged tidbits of Science contained in some of the holy texts. Time has also come for proposing a General Theory of Theology to explain the Science of God who is supposedly ‘controlling’ the whole universe (or multiverse).
Different religions and their own versions of God have evolved in different isolated pockets around the world at different times. Exchange of ideas and debates on the various concepts of God were physically impossible during yesteryears. Vested interests in each society kept their own concepts of God in isolation and prevented all forms of challenges to their own supremacy for obvious reasons. With the unprecedented growth in Science and Technology in the past two centuries, many such limitations have vanished. Details about any religion or any concept of God are freely available in the internet now. So also the latest in Science and Technology. But religious bigots are still trying to retard the progress of mankind by preventing free enquiry and debate. We should not allow this to happen and all progressive sections must make the debate continue without any break.
Need for God
The Big Bang theory and all pervasive Higgs-Bosons (God Particles) have been confirmed by Science. We now know for sure that our universe is 13.7 billion years old, our beloved planet about 5 billion years and Man a few million years old. All these unquestionable facts have serious implications. It will take some time for its effect to percolate into all fields of human knowledge. But it will definitely change everything we can think of. The simplicity of having everything originating from a single entity and having something that is present everywhere cannot be ignored. Though some scientists may sound over confident in their explanation of everything, the fact still remains that there is indeed ‘something’ which maintains order and evolution of universe in a particular direction. But equally important is the fact that, as a bare minimum, the very ‘something’ has to be omnipresent, omnipotent and permanent in order for everything to be as it is. All variables can be appreciated and measured only against something that is invariable in every sense.
Need for God becomes inevitable in the context of the order we see in the universe. Scientists believe that everything started off from zero energy and it was a slight tilt in the universal plane just after the Big Bang that created all the various particles constituting the universe which is still of zero energy. Then the question remains as to who or what created the ‘slight tilt’ that resulted in all that we see around. Why not attribute it to something known as God? Another important aspect is the fact that Science can talk with absolutely certainty only about physical aspects of the universe. How about all other aspects of the universe like relationships between various animate and inanimate objects? What about the social, emotional and evolutionary aspects of those with life, especially of humans? And what about the most certain and yet the most misunderstood aspects of birth and death? All these unknown aspects call for a need for God, which is nothing but the ultimate answer to everything.
Use of God
Most part of most religious thoughts deal with human issues. Makers of religions put forth their own theories that can provide answers to various problems that confront humans. God is an essential content in all religious thoughts and each of them define it in their own convenient ways. And then they forget the simple fact it is the very same God that they have reinterpreted. Clash of religions starts from that point. It was understandable in old days because only the religion makers thought about God and claimed to have understood it. That is not the case anymore. In this age of information everyone can know about everything if one wants to. Once all of us realise the simple fact it is the very same God that we are talking about, there will be nothing more useful to us than the concept of God.
An ideal world would be one when each human being will have his own religion with a version of same universal God. This would sound an impossible dream but the concept of personal God in ancient India refers to such an ideal state of affairs. There are many who ridicule the talk about 330 million Gods in Hindu Sanatana Dharma (HSD) with out realizing the fact it is something much above their own understanding. Having a God of your own who can teach you, make you realize things, scold you, pamper you and even play with you will make all the difference in any human being, who is nothing but a bundle of flesh with ego, emotions and maximum helplessness that only he or she knows. All great men are those who have effectively used such Gods to get the best out of themselves and had immense faith within. This would include even the most acclaimed atheists among us.
A General Theory of Theology assumes great importance in contemporary context. The best definition for God is that it is an Energy, Matter or Consciousness (all interchangeable) that is omnipotent, omnipresent and permanent. And more importantly, God is definitely not something that is making, managing and monitoring everything (especially humans) for providing rewards and punishment. It is possible to have other universes where the same God is in control but it does not matter to us. All things in this universe are evolving against the background of a permanent and unchanging God. Morality and righteousness are something that is natural in the make-up of evolved humans. While certain collective virtues take us forward in the path of evolution, the negative elements impede our progress. And ultimately it will all end up gradually only to be reborn again because the entire universe is cyclic, symmetric and of zero-energy in nature.