The Planets and other Space phenomena?

[Half/WayHouse]

I just put it down to that laws of nature creating every possible physical combination to create every planet which is physically possible from tiny rocky planets smaller than Mercury, atmospheric planets such as Earth and Venus, giant gas planets such as Jupiter and Saturn to almost brown dwarf stars and everything possible in-between. So we inevitably find ourselves living on one of those physically possible planets. There no need for any conscious creator. Natural happenstance is what created us.

Indeed, this is a reasonable outcome of thought and one which led me to question my faith as a youngster. It rendered all other heavenly bodies superfluous in my mind in relation to a grand plan in which we are paramount.

 

[cablescavenger]

I ask you, what do the Planets in our solar system mean to you and what purpose do you think they serve, if any?

No, purpose they just is.
The solar system means a lot because it is observable and has helped us understand processes in the wider universe.
For a few pounds you can buy a telescope good enough to observe the solar system and many of the planets for free in your own back garden. A picture of the moon will never be as beautiful to the eye as the moon itself, and the same goes for the planets, you cannot beat looking at them with your own two eyes.

The problem, I think, is if any credible explanation is presented, would it be reasonable to apply it to all other solar systems as well, even those still in the making?

That is exactly what happens.

Why would a creator make so many other planets, stars, comets, asteroids,black holes, gamma ray bursts and galactic collisions?
Is it just a sideshow for us, or maybe the creator? What do you think?

Thank you.

I am not a believer in the creation. In fact when you look at the size of the universe and everything in it, and then how insignificant the earth is in amongst it all, then the creation seems too ridiculous. It could also hardly be a sideshow for us because we can only barely see any of it from where we are.

 

[Half/WayHouse]

- thanks for black hole info. Shawn and Daviso

back to the OP:



I actually see the supereme God of the Universe as a Deistic entity.

I call it The Source / Master of the Universe.

This master creates things for a general function but they don't have a purpose as such.

When seeing the Universe as a deist it leaves you in a position to wave away these kind of questions with ease and I respect that. With regards to theists, I feel it must be addressed even if for ones own peace of mind.

 

[Half/WayHouse]

No, purpose they just is.
The solar system means a lot because it is observable and has helped us understand processes in the wider universe.
For a few pounds you can buy a telescope good enough to observe the solar system and many of the planets for free in your own back garden. A picture of the moon will never be as beautiful to the eye as the moon itself, and the same goes for the planets, you cannot beat looking at them with your own two eyes.


That is exactly what happens.



I am not a believer in the creation. In fact when you look at the size of the universe and everything in it, and then how insignificant the earth is in amongst it all, then the creation seems too ridiculous. It could also hardly be a sideshow for us because we can only barely see any of it from where we are.

Agreed, I have a telescope myself and I am introducing my daughter (who is ten) to the solar system around her. In fact, this is what spurred me to create the OP. She asked the same questions regarding religion that I did.

Yes, the creation does seem ridiculous, hence the thread, how do the superfluous objects make sense in a creationist model.

 

[cablescavenger]

Agreed, I have a telescope myself and I am introducing my daughter (who is ten) to the solar system around her. In fact, this is what spurred me to create the OP. She asked the same questions regarding religion that I did.

Yes, the creation does seem ridiculous, hence the thread, how do the superfluous objects make sense in a creationist model.

I have dragged my children out of bed at 1 am to watch an eclipse of the moon and they loved every minute of it, and they loved being the only ones in their class that had seen planets.

I am just about to lend my telescope out for a few months, I know I am going to miss it, but when you love something so much you have to share it with people, so they get the bug too.

 

[shawn001]

You guys might like this, which is pretty new and really cool.

"Eyes on the Solar System" is a 3-D environment full of real NASA mission data. Explore the cosmos from your computer. Hop on an asteroid. Fly with NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft. See the entire solar system moving in real time. It's up to you. You control space and time.

Eyes on the Solar System

 

[Half/WayHouse]

Thanks shawn001, it looks really interesting but after I install it, it won't let me update the unityplayer? I've tried it umpteen times now. I might have to find something similar for my little girl. She loves messing around on these kind of interactive programs.

Thanks!