Does Gravity Negate God?

[fantome profane]

This is actually a serious question. Think about it for a minute. What does the theory of gravity actually indicate?

Objects fall to the earth, not by the divine will of a deity, but through a unconscious naturalistic force. It is not random, but nor is it directed by any supernatural agency.

Likewise the orbits of the earth, the moon and all the other planets and astronomical bodies around the sun is dictated by the mindless force of gravity. According to this theory the earth orbit is dictated by naturalistic forces, not by divine ordinance.

Even the very shape of the earth itself is the result of gravity. According to this theory any sufficiently massive body will under the force of gravity become spherical. The shape was not decided upon by any creator, but again was dictated a by non-random, mindless, naturalistic force.


So does our understanding of Gravity negate the need for "God"?

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Yeah, this and the germ theory of disease.

 

[AndromedaRXJ]

I would say there isn't a need to be negated in the first place, even if we didn't have a Theory of Gravity.

That goes for Evolution too.

 

[Quintessence]

Depends on how one is defining "god(s)" and how one is assessing "need."

On defining "god(s)." There's an assumption being made here that begs to be pointed out, as it must be granted for any of the rest of this argument to track. It is being assumed that god(s) are something in contrast to and categorically distinct from naturalistic forces. This is not so for all theists, particularly ones who conceptualize god(s) in an immanent, non-supernaturalistic fashion. The argument fails to have any traction at all for such god(s); it can only reasonably apply to theisms that emphasize transcendent, supernaturalistic god(s).

On assessing "need." I'm not going to nitpick the fact that "need" is probably a poor choice of words. Instead I'd like to point out that the "needs" filled by accepting the reality of god(s) are many. Providing an explanation for various phenomena as posited in the OP is but one of these many possible needs. Therefore, the failure of certain god-concepts to be relevant for explaining phenomena in no way negates the need for them as there are several other needs the concept can fill. I can't say I've ever met a theist whose acceptance of god(s) only fills a single need, much less the one mentioned in the OP.

 

[fantome profane]

Depends on how one is defining "god(s)" and how one is assessing "need."

On defining "god(s)." There's an assumption being made here that begs to be pointed out, as it must be granted for any of the rest of this argument to track. It is being assumed that god(s) are something in contrast to and categorically distinct from naturalistic forces. This is not so for all theists, particularly ones who conceptualize god(s) in an immanent, non-supernaturalistic fashion. The argument fails to have any traction at all for such god(s); it can only reasonably apply to theisms that emphasize transcendent, supernaturalistic god(s).

On assessing "need." I'm not going to nitpick the fact that "need" is probably a poor choice of words. Instead I'd like to point out that the "needs" filled by accepting the reality of god(s) are many. Providing an explanation for various phenomena as posited in the OP is but one of these many possible needs. Therefore, the failure of certain god-concepts to be relevant for explaining phenomena in no way negates the need for them as there are several other needs the concept can fill. I can't say I've ever met a theist whose acceptance of god(s) only fills a single need, much less the one mentioned in the OP.

Excellent post. Agreed on all points.

 

[Willamena]

This is actually a serious question. Think about it for a minute. What does the theory of gravity actually indicate?

Objects fall to the earth, not by the divine will of a deity, but through a unconscious naturalistic force. It is not random, but nor is it directed by any supernatural agency.

Likewise the orbits of the earth, the moon and all the other planets and astronomical bodies around the sun is dictated by the mindless force of gravity. According to this theory the earth orbit is dictated by naturalistic forces, not by divine ordinance.

Even the very shape of the earth itself is the result of gravity. According to this theory any sufficiently massive body will under the force of gravity become spherical. The shape was not decided upon by any creator, but again was dictated a by non-random, mindless, naturalistic force.


So does our understanding of Gravity negate the need for "God"?

Depends on whether that's what use you find for god.

 

[fantome profane]

Depends on whether that's what use you find for god.

Right, and in the (apocryphal?) words of the Marquis de Laplace, "I have no need for that hypothesis".

 

[SheikhHorusFromTheSky]

This is actually a serious question. Think about it for a minute. What does the theory of gravity actually indicate?

Objects fall to the earth, not by the divine will of a deity, but through a unconscious naturalistic force. It is not random, but nor is it directed by any supernatural agency.

Likewise the orbits of the earth, the moon and all the other planets and astronomical bodies around the sun is dictated by the mindless force of gravity. According to this theory the earth orbit is dictated by naturalistic forces, not by divine ordinance.

Even the very shape of the earth itself is the result of gravity. According to this theory any sufficiently massive body will under the force of gravity become spherical. The shape was not decided upon by any creator, but again was dictated a by non-random, mindless, naturalistic force.


So does our understanding of Gravity negate the need for "God"?

Search: "gravity isn't absolute"

Probably not even real if you ask me.

 

[AndromedaRXJ]

Search: "gravity isn't absolute"

Probably not even real if you ask me.

Well it's more of a warping of space-time rather than a force that reaches out and grabs thing. Also, gravitational fields are really result of the stress-energy tensor rather than just mass.

Gravity from energy is possible, and if I'm not mistaking, from magnetism too.

 

[chinu]

This is actually a serious question. Think about it for a minute. What does the theory of gravity actually indicate?

Objects fall to the earth, not by the divine will of a deity, but through a unconscious naturalistic force. It is not random, but nor is it directed by any supernatural agency.

Likewise the orbits of the earth, the moon and all the other planets and astronomical bodies around the sun is dictated by the mindless force of gravity. According to this theory the earth orbit is dictated by naturalistic forces, not by divine ordinance.

Even the very shape of the earth itself is the result of gravity. According to this theory any sufficiently massive body will under the force of gravity become spherical. The shape was not decided upon by any creator, but again was dictated a by non-random, mindless, naturalistic force.


So does our understanding of Gravity negate the need for "God"?

Do you know what made you start this thread ?
Answer is; Will of God

 

[fantome profane]

Do you know what made you start this thread ?
Answer is; Will of God

Everything I write is divinely inspired.

 

[LuisDantas]

Yeah, this and the germ theory of disease.

Even more than that. If people are supposed to actively avoid understanding and participating on the happenings of the world, why even attempt to defend oneself from aggressors anyway? Why sow?

Trusting God may or may not be a good thing. But when push comes to shove, it is just not an universal good answer.

 

[chinu]

Everything I write is divinely inspired.

Not everything you write, everything you wrote was divinely inspired to be happen.

 

[Sculelos]

I think gravity is imaginary. You can't see it. You can't feel it. You can't taste it. You can't smell it. You can't hear it.

Gravity, is a natural phenomenon by which all physical bodies attract each other.

An electric current is a flow of electric charge. Electric charge flows when there is voltage present across a conductor.
In electric circuits this charge is often carried by moving electrons in a wire. It can also be carried by ions in an electrolyte, or by both ions and electrons such as in a plasma.[1]
The SI unit for measuring an electric current is the ampere, which is the flow of electric charges through a surface at the rate of one coulomb per second. Electric current can be measured using an ammeter.[2]
Electric currents cause many effects, notably heating, but also induce magnetic fields, which are widely used for motors, inductors and generators.

The visible Universe is 99.999% plasma. The Sun is about 100% plasma, as are all stars. Plasma makes up nearly 100% of the interplanetary, interstellar and intergalactic medium. The Earth's ionosphere is plasma.
3: Why is plasma so?

Plasma react very strongly to electromagnetic forces, and is the dominant force in many cosmic plasmas, e.g. stellar surfaces, active galactic nuclei, interplanetary, interstellar and intergalactic space.[1]

 

[Willamena]

I think gravity is imaginary. You can't see it. You can't feel it. You can't taste it. You can't smell it. You can't hear it.

And so it is a force.

 

[Monk Of Reason]

And so it is a force.

Technically not but we calculate it as a force.

 

[Falvlun]

It is strange that these fundamental believers are so focused on evolution, they don't realize that basically any other scientific theory has repercussions for their worldview (if they insist on taking God so literally.)

 

[Willamena]

Technically not but we calculate it as a force.

Out of curiosity, in what way does it get rendered "technically not" a force?

 

[ignition]

Well gravity is simply one of the rules of universe, God did create the universe along with other heavens their own modus operandi:

41:12 And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command.

 

[Sculelos]

Well gravity is simply one of the rules of universe, God did create the universe along with other heavens their own modus operandi:

41:12 And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command.

There are 7 layers of Heaven, and indeed the Universe is about 2 light day's thick if you went from one end to the other and measured the time it would take for a beam of electricity to get from one end to the other.

I'm not a Muslim but I applaud this verse for it's accuracy. :clap