 |
|
|
|
 Stephen Hawking at the World Science Festival in New York in 2010.
May 17th, 2011
01:44 PM ET
Heaven is 'a fairy story,' scientist Stephen Hawking saysBy Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor The concept of heaven or any kind of afterlife is a "fairy story," famed British scientist Stephen Hawking said in a newspaper interview this week. "I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail," the physicist said in an interview published Sunday in Britain's Guardian newspaper. "There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark." Hawking, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - a terminal and debilitating illness that causes loss of mobility and impairs speech - at age 21 and was not expected to live long after, also talked with The Guardian about his own mortality. "I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years," said Hawking, 69. "I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first." In a book published last year, Hawking wrote that God did not create the universe, in what he said was an attempt to banish a divine creator from physics. Hawking says in the book "The Grand Design" that given the existence of gravity, "the universe can and will create itself from nothing." "Spontaneous creation is the reason why there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist," he wrote in the introduction of the book, which was published in September. "It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper (fuse) and set the universe going," Hawking wrote. CNN's Richard Greene contributed to this report. soundoff (4,469 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 Next »
« Previous entryMy Take: Franklin Graham is embarrassing his father
|
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
|
|
|
We will see what he thinks about that on his death day, His last words will likely be oh god!
I have to wonder though. He could be right, or he could be wrong. If you at least consider the possibility that maybe there is a God, then if there isn't, no harm done, right? But if it turns out that there is a God, and you spend your whole life saying there isn't one, I wonder how well that would go over with God when you die.
Just a thought.
Lets examine the facts. Steven Hawking likens the brain to a computer, which in the strictest sense of the word is true, because like a computer it runs on electrical impulses and makes calculations 24/7. Remove the electrical impulses which power the brain and deliver the instructions to your organs/limbs and those charges do not gather up into a ball/shadow/spirit to exit the body, rather they slowly disipate; as do the electrical charges in your computer's volitile memory. The human brain does not have RAM with stored memory/programs on it, so once the charge has been removed for several minutes, the damage is irreversible all and all memories are lost forever. The mechanism that is your brain will no longer function, even if the charge is re-applied, and the 'soul' did not escape death. The danger of believing that there is something more after death, an after-life for the soul, is that you will put off being the best that you can be now in hopes of avoiding expending considerable effort and sliding in under the wire into a Heaven; which no one can either prove exists or does not exist. What Steven Hawkin wants is for us to drop that pretense of having a fall back position and do the best that we can today and everyday going forward from this point. Are there any takers?
Stephen, I'm not a computer. Computers use programs, we have the ability (well some do) to have free thought and make their own decisions. I guess someone needs to tell him, we do not get plugged into a wall to be turned on or charged. He can think what he wants but he should not tell people they are computers. Computers are in animate objects. ohh.. that just irks me. I think he should take a look at why he feels there is no afterlife. If there is an afterlife might there by a "higher power" if there is a "higher power" why did he have to suffer like he did. It is easier to say you are a computer.. your circuits will fry- you die – off to the scrap yard. (This is all said in a voice of empathy towards Stephen) I feel bad for him.
To be so smart, this guy sure is stupid.. you think its just chance the planet is the way it is.. everything is so balanced it couldn't be just luck.
Anyone who says that Hawking is wrong is doing exactly what Hawking is doing. You are an official hypocrite. No one knows the truth, and no one will until they are dead. Once we can dig up a grave and ask the corpse for answers, no one will ever know.
The major difference between scientific theory and faith is scientific theories are usually backed up by verifialble data, observation and facts while faith has apparently nothing to back it. It is true that many scientific theories have proven to be wrong but many have also been proven to be fact including many that religion had deemed as blasphemy such as the world is round and the sun is the center of our solar system.
Poor Mr. Hawking!! Hope he realizes the truth before it's too late.
Hawking knows no more about the subject than anyone else. And the comment about gravity? I've got news for Hawking: there IS a Heaven and he'll be crippled in it as well.
He is and will always be a cripple...God never wanted to cure a blasphemous Non-Christian that curses the heavens and the creator. Christians are very strong in their faith, and a story like this just amuses us that a man that is supposed to be so intelligent is so blind. The Devil comes on Horseback, or does he ride on a wheelchair with an electric voice.
Shouldn't God love him anyway? And what about all the believers who have debilitating diseases? Why didn't God want to cure them?
"God never wanted to cure a blasphemous Non-Christian "
Just think if a god had cured him, it would have proven their existence and the theory of heaven. Sadly you have to come up with this lame line to defend something that isn't there.
MILLERRRRR YOU IDIOT!! If God never wanted to heal a non christian then why did he GO AROUND ISRAEL HEALING CRIPPLED JEWS. Did you forget about the love of God, or did judgement become the NEW GOSPEL after you got saved.
So I guess all he has to do is prove it. Until then let's take the scientific approach and consider the mathematical proofs cited in Calculating God by Robert J. Sawyer. There is proof there is at the very least intelligent design, and again, the Bible is a spiritual book not to be cited literally by those who do not understand it. Especially those outside of Christianity who believe every Christian holds to heart the mythology in it. Stephen Hawking is not an expert on spirituality, therefore – I would not let him tell me heaven's a lie. 🙂 God Be With You! And we shall sink the false prophets! 😀
Thank you Stephen. As a life long atheist,I could not agree more. The make believe world of religion is a sad reflection of the lower life forms. I do NOT worship money and no I am not a capitlist. I hold a degree in the sciences, and also do a lot of volunteer work. I have a large capacity of compassion,and will try and help anyone that may ask for assistance. It is my 52 years of experience that has shown that the so called deeply religious individuals cause the most problems , have no tolerance, and hate more then any non believer ever could! This world would be a much nicer place if we could eradicate religion.
I grew up in a church that kind of brainwashed you Flafree so i know exactly what you mean about the hideous character of people who claim to follow jesus. Any how i laughed at the terms lower life forms. This is such a values statement. Could they be on the same level as you, but just mistaken. Do you think that if you had a hundred million years to evolve that the muslim enclaves and the christian enclaves and the atheist enclaves all have different result. I'm not sure the atheists would ascend to have bigger brains pulsating with higher thoughts and tele. As much as you might resent the willingness of the religious to exert control over you in the name of God, as i do, I think the statement dismisses the fact that those believe in control are under control and need some form of help. Ironically from God.
The opinion of one doesn't out weigh the belief of BILLIONS! Yes, Mr. Hawkings you have the right to "believe" what you want. It just seems so odd to me, that a man of your intelligence doesn't acknowledge an after life. Have you not payed attention to what's happing around you. There is good and evil, there are super natural events happening every day. Miracles happen every day. I respect your genious mind, but I'm sad for your soul!
I'll pray for you!
Nancy M
Chico, Ca
The number of people who believe something doesn't prove any belief...
The number of people who believe something doesn't prove any belief... unless you're referring to sheep...
Scientists appear to have supreme confidence in their own capacity to understand all things. They depose God, and place themselves on the throne. Yet science has discovered nothing more magnificant that the human brain. If scientists discover something greater than the brain, they might be tempted to worship it – if they understood it. Maybe they'd just have to deny its existence.
yeah. check out his awesome throne.
Yes scientists are an arrogant bunch aren't they, let's get rid of this science thing, what good has it actually done for us?
Are you talking about scientists from a particular story or book. like mad scientists or something? There are many scientists and half the guys with a science degree are nerdy christians who couldnt decide on a real career.
Romans 1:18-23 (NIV): "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles." May the Lord rebuke Mr. Hawkins
Except he doesn't believe in God, so I'm not sure the Bible passage is going to scare him much.
Ohh God! He is right...
All Hawking has proven is that he is arrogant. Even if he imagines he can prove when the universe began... what created the nothingness before that? Nothing is something. I am not defending belivers of invisible friends... just saying it's a little early in time, considering our limited knowledge, to claim that humans are omniscient. What an arrogant Brit.
He never claimed he was all knowing. He is just expressing a theory. One he believes in and will probably add to and revise given he lives long enough.
Amen. But most people are too fearful to even approach this truth. The neo-atheist movement needs to approach the whole matter from a emotional understanding and there needs to be established places and people who will comfort in the face of lost gods. People deep down really do doubt the existence of their god. I know. I was an evangelical christian for over 25 years and finally, suddenly lost my faith through reading and peeking outside the box.
I always thought this guy was arrogant as hell, but this takes the cake. No mere mortal can know the things this man is claiming here to know. That is the fairy tale, the notion that anyone, even Stephen Hawking, can possess such knowledge. And frankly, the fairy tale of "heaven" - if indeed it is a fairy tale - is a lot less dangerous than the fairy tale of omniscience that this man lives.
Bwahahahahaha
Lets examine the facts. Steven Hawking likens the brain to computer, which in the strictest sense of the word is true, because like a computer it runs on electrical impulses. Remove the electrical impulses which deliver the instructions to your organs/limbs and those charges do not gather up into a ball/shadow/spirit to exit the body, rather they slowly disipate; as do the electrical charges in your computer's volitile memory. The human brain does not have RAM with stored memory/programs on it, so once the charge has been removed for several minutes, the damage is irreversible. The mechanism that is your brain will no longer function and the 'soul' did not escape death. The danger of believing that there is something more after death, an after-life for the soul is that you will put off being the best that you can be now in hopes of avoiding expending some effort and sliding in under the wire to a Heaven which no one can prove exists or does not exist. What Steven Hawkin wants is for us to drop that pretense of having a fall back position and do the best that we can today and everyday going forward from this point. Are there any takers?
Whether or not the brain "stops functioning" at any given point is not necessarily the same question as whether there exists any other reality besides the one "the brain" can observe.
Wow, I used to look up to Stephen Hawking, thinking that he was a smart man. I now regard him as the spittle running down the front of his shirt...
Amazing that so many people are afraid of hearing the truth. You believe in your god, but obviously not enough to abide by his wishes. Instead you call another human being "spittle." This is proof enough to me that your god has no power.
I suggest you reread your post over and over in a loud voice while covering your ears with your hands. Close your eyes, too. Then you can keep all the world's unpleasant truths well at bay! You'll feel much better.
just like a dumb, bitter, religious nut, to say something like that.
If not for Hawking and others like him in science, you would still be dragging your knuckles on the ground dying an early painful death. Left to you and those with like minds, you prefer Pat Robertson and Sarah Palin to 'lead you from the darkness'.
Thankfully (because of that human spark of curiosity Hawking discusses) you and the above will always be in the minority.
If you weren't aware of his stance before reading this, then you probably didn't really respect him to begin with.
Wouldn't it be better for the whole world if we knew that we could only be judged by those living on planet Earth now and that we will be judged by those living on planet Earth and migrating into deep space and other planets in the near future? Wake up Earthlings, be good to each other now, because that is all there is for you. No Heaven, no pergatory, no limbo, no hell...just each waking day on this planet that you should be greatful and helping your fellow man/woman survive and and improve their environment, while looking for a way off of this rock and to another habitable one; before planet Earth is hit by huge asteroids, swallowed by an expanding sun or rendered inhabitable by our own foolish actions.
And God said " Hawking sit in the wheelchair, take a load off.....forever",
WOWOWOW!!!!! You must be more awesomer than steven hawking!!!! Jesus suffered and died specifically to the end of gaining profound authentic relationship with Stephen Hawking! Do you have regard for Jesus' opinion on the matter or do you regard his opinion as the spittle on Stephen Hawkings shirt. What in blazes about Jesus spittle. Did they give you a diploma in demonic judgement when you got saved?
The place your choosing for yourself is to always be the son who hated the prodigal.
The one person you would think would believe in a fairy story , so he would have a chance to walk again .... does not. He is smart enough to not believe in all those stories in the bible. We are on our own. Ask the big question, where did god come from..... he has allways been..... imposible.
Yes, because the notion that the Universe created itself out of nothing is so much more credible. Keep in mind, science hasn't actually proved this. Science really can only look at what happened a tiny fraction of a second after the Universe was created. We ultimately are talking about the speculations of one man; he may be brilliant when it comes to cosmology, but that doesn't give him any credibility outside his field of expertise.
...or impossible to comprehend... I don't believe in invisible friends, but nobody can prove they don't exist by using science. Hawking is making an arrogant claim based on his own 'faith'. Face it, he's brilliant and remarkable and inspiring, but deep down inside, he's just another arrogant Brit.
Bumblebee flight is "impossible" and yet, it occurs. Matter can neither be created, nor destroyed. Everything which exists has ALWAYS existed, in some form? Is THAT "impossible?" Science says it is so. Mr. Hawking is a smart fellow. He is also a fool; along with anyone who follows him in his spiritual dis-belief...
@ Ehren, you might want to check up on your story in regards to bumblebee flight. It has been proven how it actually works. Care to move the goalposts some more?