A Privileged Planet?

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Mark 9:03 am on August 19, 2009 Reply
Tags: Apologetics ( 6 ), Guillermo Gonzalez, intelligent design
A Privileged Planet?
Hey guys – I don’t normally promote books or DVDs on here, but this one was a lot of fun, and very intriguing. Its called the Privileged Planet, a documentary on the origins of the cosmos and on the peculiar and relative uniqueness of the planet Earth. The authors of the book with the same name suggest that the Earth, which was given an incredible amount of variables and was able to develop complex carbon life, is rare if not unique in the universe – even when compared to the hundreds of billions of galaxies that make it up. Much more – the very same elements that allow for life to exist on our planet are actually what allow us the chance to discover the rest of our universe with relative ease.

Take our sister planet Venus for example – not only is its atmosphere so clouded with poisonous gas that life is unsustainable, but it also does not allow for a clear night’s sky in which to ponder the stars and galaxies beyond. Or take our position in the Milky Way – our solar system is located right in between two arms of the spiraling Milky Way Galaxy, allowing us not only the relative safety from galactic dust (harmful asteroids, etc) but it gives us a picture perfect setting for looking out of our own galaxy and over at distant galaxies (like Andromeda, etc).

Is there a potential correlation between our fragile survival situation in the universe, and our ability to learn and discover our surroundings? Is it merely coincidence? I don’t think so -

A Divine Creator – a thoughtful God – created a safe place for us not only to live and survive, but also to enjoy and discover. Earth is far more than a the product of time, chance and circumstance. The dynamic relationship between survival and our capacity to observe in wonder points to a God who wants to share in his created beauty. Not only does such a finely-tuned planet point to a Designer, but the opportunity to revel in a beautiful creation points to a God that desires relationship; in wonder, worship, love.

If physics, metaphysics, faith, space, and nerdery are your cup of tea – check out this sweet documentary. You won’t be disappointed.

Hey guys – I don’t normally promote books or DVDs on here, but this one was a lot of fun, and very intriguing. Its called the Privileged Planet, a documentary on the origins of the cosmos and on the peculiar and relative uniqueness of the planet Earth. The authors of the book with the same name suggest that the Earth, which was given an incredible amount of variables and was able to develop complex carbon life, is rare if not unique in the universe – even when compared to the hundreds of billions of galaxies that make it up. Much more – the very same elements that allow for life to exist on our planet are actually what allow us the chance to discover the rest of our universe with relative ease.

Take our sister planet Venus for example – not only is its atmosphere so clouded with poisonous gas that life is unsustainable, but it also does not allow for a clear night’s sky in which to ponder the stars and galaxies beyond. Or take our position in the Milky Way – our solar system is located right in between two arms of the spiraling Milky Way Galaxy, allowing us not only the relative safety from galactic dust (harmful asteroids, etc) but it gives us a picture perfect setting for looking out of our own galaxy and over at distant galaxies (like Andromeda, etc).

Is there a potential correlation between our fragile survival situation in the universe, and our ability to learn and discover our surroundings? Is it merely coincidence? I don’t think so -

A Divine Creator – a thoughtful God – created a safe place for us not only to live and survive, but also to enjoy and discover. Earth is far more than a the product of time, chance and circumstance. The dynamic relationship between survival and our capacity to observe in wonder points to a God who wants to share in his created beauty. Not only does such a finely-tuned planet point to a Designer, but the opportunity to revel in a beautiful creation points to a God that desires relationship; in wonder, worship, love.

If physics, metaphysics, faith, space, and nerdery are your cup of tea – check out this sweet documentary. You won’t be disappointed.
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Richard Kent Matthews, and Mark are discussing. Toggle Comments
- http://www.spiritfeast.blogspot.com Richard Kent Matthews
  
  The inner workings of our planet i.e. the molten rock and poisonous gases remind me of the Old Testament God: appearing to be supportive and nurturing on the surface but boiling and smoldering underneath, just waiting for the opportunity to pour out his wrath. Coincidence? Naw….
- http://godgrown.net Mark
  
  Also insightful to the character of God is that the earth’s molten rock (a ever shifting sea of iron) creates a magnet field that blocks most of the radioactive blasts from the violent sun. Without that boiling and smoldering magma, we’d be over-cooked ducks.
  
  But what’s your point?
- http://www.spiritfeast.blogspot.com Richard Kent Matthews
  
  Yes, it would appear that all is well. But as early church fathers pointed out, God is always holding us by the scrap of the neck over the fire. It is only by his good grace (read mood) that he doesn’t let go.
  
  Point? The universe is continually in a state of chaos. Even the order that comes out of the chaos must return to chaos again. There is always the chance that a large object from outer space can knock Earth out of her orbit. Or major plate shifts. Or something.
  
  There is only the appearance of peace and tranquility. Whatever brought this universe into existence was not really thinking of our comfort. Just ask the dinosaurs.
- http://godgrown.net/blog Mark G Willis
  
  I don’t know about you – but it sure seems like our ability to have this conversation and breathe air and all that is proof enough that the Divine God was thinking about our relative comfort when finely tuning our universe. Besides – in Christ we are anticipating a new earth, with new bodies – the ultimate creation and the ultimate rest – this current world is in the midst of battle – between chaos and order (read Gen 1 – where God takes things that are chaotic and shapes them into order). Then look at where things are headed (Revelation describes a city, well planned and ordered, with God giving light at the very center.) I see this “city” as part of the new earth – and while we live in the current universe, we are experiencing the grace (read – deep, unchanging character of God) and provision of God.
- http://www.spiritfeast.blogspot.com Richard Kent Matthews
  
  I suppose when one takes those writings, particularly Revelation, literally, then what you say appears to have validity. It’s also important to constantly remind oneself of the rest of the antics of the OT god. He was almost never benevolent. Even toward his so-called Chosen People. Some would call it discipline; I would call it torture and harassment. Then, suddenly, as if by magic, he becomes a rather different being in the NT. What gives here? Can we read between the lines? Of course. Different writers, different context, different time frame. And especially, different agendas. Control, mostly.
  
  But get this, and it’s crucial: At least when the OT god smote you, you were forever dead. The NT god claims to love, but allows eternal punishment. And not because we’re “bad people.” Mainly, it’s because we do not believe a certain way. I can be the best Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, or, like me, New Thought minister, and still end up in perdition because I didn’t believe a certain way.
  
  Now, that’s monstrous.