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 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 »
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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.  |
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He speaks the truth......
......but for all of you who will have trouble sleeping at night: "Heaven exists" (feel better now?)
@Bob,
I appreciate your arrogance but what makes you think you know what your talking about. How could you possibly know with certainty that heaven doesnt exist and is some sort of folklore of fairytale. Christians have obviously died for their beliefs for many centuries under persecution by others. This should tell you that they have a certain amount of personal proof that such a thing does indeed exist. However for athiests, they CHOOSE to believe in nothing, even when things that cant be explained by science and miracles happen everyday in front of them. I guess my point is save your arrogant know it all comments for something that we can all acknowledge as fact, like death and taxes. Thanks
Morous,
That argument is weak. I could argue back that a similar number of people have died for their belief in Allah and that many have died for their beliefs in other deities. By your argument, that shows proof of the existence of these deities. The existence of these deities then disproves the notion that there is only one god.
Alternately, we could say that many many people have died for beliefs that have since been subsequently shown to be falsehoods, like the belief that the eart his flat or is the center of the universe, or that herbalists are witches, etc.
Mass belief does not make something true. Just as mass disbelief doesn't make it false.
Ha ha ha; he speaks the truth? Ha ha ha; that's so funny. It is so obvious that man is delutional. NOTHING can come from NOTHING, not even SOMETHING can come from NOTHING, by itself.<--- It's so obvious to *ALL* scientists (except Stephen H, I guess) that EVERYTHING has a cause an an explanation, even the beginning of the universe has an explanation: GOD. No questions asked.
I believe that in your mind, no questions were asked.
This is a non winnable debate. I don't believe in god, but if people want to, thats up to them. Neither side should try to force it down one another throat.
Amen brother
and how about we dont use religion to make government policy either? Fortunately we HAVE to use science...
Who made this dipwad God. I hope he continues to die a slow agonizing death.
Are you calling god a "dipwad"?
No, I think he was asking God who created Hawking?
God IS a dipwad. and a fink, and a ninny. So there...
Not very Christian of you, is that Ken? Keep it up and you'd better hope Hawking is right.
I second that. If I was folded up like a pretzel, I probably wouldn't believe in God either. For him, I believe that is the only way he would give God a chance- that God would restore his body to its normal capacity.
Don't worry, you don't need to believe in God. If you choose not to believe him, then, that's very fine with everybody. As a matter of fact, when it comes to eternity, YOUR CHOICE will be RESPECTED, and you will "exist" in eternity AWAY FROM GOD. Your wishes will be served. Thank you.
Hawking is speaking beyond his competence here. If God has created both time and space, the playground of physicists, His existance cannot be proven nor disproven through physics.
Yes, because he doesn't exisit!
Oh he's going to H`ell for that!!
True, but it doesn't take a genius to figure that out.
Why is it the default position of the believers that atheists are "bitter"? Is it that they are so weak on the merits that they have to attack the speaker?
Colin, I have seen attacks from both sides against the other. Dr Hawking can not disprove God or Heaven anymore than I can prove God or Heaven. I am comfortable in myself and accept somethings on faith. Unlike some, I do not need the concrete fact in front of me...oh, and yes, Dr. Hawking, since no one can tell me exactly how the Big Bang theory happened, I have faith that God did in fact light the torch paper (fuse).
I don't think that all Atheists are bitter. I have some Atheists friends and I get along with them. There are just some subjects we avoid. This guy, Hawkins, however is a bitter man. Not because he's atheist...just look at the picture man. A picture speaks a thousand words.
Mike, the difference is that you are asking Hawking to prove a negative, which is not possible. I could similarly argue that you cannot disprove Zeus or Odin or Vegoia or Allah or Eos exist. Since you feel that someone should be able to prove the non-existence of a god that is not real, you should be able to prove this. Your inability to disprove these gods therefore means that they do exist. If that is true, what does it ay about the tenent of Christianity that there is only one god.
Or more simply, I could ask you to prove you don't abuse children. The best you could do is argue the absence of evidence.
Note that I am not taking a side in this argument, but merely pointing out that what you are asking of Hawking is an impossible request, regardless of whether or not there is a god.
Southerner – He is stating as fact that there is no Heaven. How does he know? I can't prove there is one any more than he can prove there isn't one. As to Zeus, Odin, Jupiter, etc. No, I can't disprove their existance and if people choose to believe in them, so be it. I do have an opinion about all of the major religions pretty much being the same, of course, I base that on what I have read in the Bible so by telling it the non-believers still won't believe and the believers get ticked off at me since I use it as a metaphor and many use it as fact.
Perhaps if we can persuade a few cannibals to join us, they may be able to chime in on whether atheists are bitter...
According to you Dr. Hawking, everyone has an opinion, you have yours, I have mine. One day, we will find out who's was right.
And will you be writing the apology to him or what?
Why should I apologise to him? Are we all not allowed our own opinions, or do the athiest out there demand (as some religious individuals do) that we have to believe in nothing like you. I prefer to believe, it hurts me naught, neither does my faith or your lack of faith make anything worse for each of us. Beleive, don't believe, your choice and as I said in the end, one will be right.
Just that the way your original post is written it sounds like more smug holier-than-thou I'm right and he's wrong religious make believe.
Athiestsis – Sorry you read it that way. It was not intended to sound smug in any way. This is Dr Hawking's opinion. It is not a fact, he can not more disprove the existance of God or Heaven any more than I can prove it. It comes on faith. That was all I intended to show. We all have our opinions, thoughts, beliefs, faith, etc. In the end I could be wrong, but if I am, what harm have I done to myself? None in the least. In the end you & I both could be wrong and the Flying Spagetti Monster could send us into a boiling pan of pasta water...I am comfortable in my beliefs and faith.
I wish christians would hurry up to that day so the rest of us can enjoy a civil life.
So, NavyDiver, you are implying that Christians as a whole are not civil? Blanket statements are rarely true. Are come Christians not civil? Absolutely. Are some Athiests equally uncivil? Yes indeed, just read the comments here.
Thanks Mike in SA for adding the part about the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or else I'd yet again have to explain the numerous fatal flaws of Pascal's Wager.
Atheists do not "believe in nothing" as you say. Atheists beleive in everything that exists! We believe in the Earth, Sun, Moon, Solar system, people, animals, physics, the entire universe! We just choose NOT to believe in imaginary fairies and beings with imaginary super powers! It is YOU who believes in "nothing", for that is what YOUR imaginary god consists of... nothing.
I can see why this guy is so bitter by the hand that life dealt him confining him to a wheelchair and needing someone to change his diaper. Nothing but rubbish comes out of his mouth...or whatever it is that voices his thoughts. If this guy is so educated about the cosmos and whether or not there is a heaven, how come he doesn't mention anything about Nibiru?
Because like your invisible non-existant god, Nibiru has not been proven.
@AtheistIsTheOnlyWay
Oh ye of little faith.
I have common sense... Why should I have any faith in a book written by men that was meant to control the masses and make money?
Ye of little common sense.
Good come back....yawn. I guess we could do this all day, hell, we could go back and forth into the after life. Keep trolling.
So then if you post your opinion, it's right, but if I do it I'm trolling? Typical narrow minded christian.
Oh ye of retarded faith. I would like to compare your brain capacity to Mr. Hawkings you small minded, always on the inside looking out, fool.
It is really amazing to honsetly think that anyone would believe in science and not believe in the One true Living God. The one who made stephen and everyone else. It is sad to think that everyone who belittles God with their insults and attributes on His non-existence will one day soon stand face to face with Him. He is also the only one who can Heal his body(stephen). I pray that all God will continue to reveal Himself to you & all which he is and has in spritual truth. In Jesus Name To God Be the Glory!!!
How do you know there's only one?
Did that one create Adam and Eve? Where they cro-magnon or neonderthal man or the other humanoids that competed for this earth? Also smart man, since dinasaurs have been on this earth way longer then man did they have a God?
NavyDiver wrote: "Also smart man, since dinasaurs have been on this earth way longer then man did they have a God?"
I know just how you can find out. If you look at your calendar, and then start counting time backwards, day by day, month by month, year by year, until you get to the year that dinosaurs existed, you can then determine if that year existed before or after Jesus. Or maybe you go by a different calendar than the rest of us use? What time is it? We say, "In the good year of our Lord" for a reason.
Haven't we heard this before?! Both Hawking and Dawkins have this habit of making philosophical comments about matters they cannot possibly know anything about. It is their way of staying in the public memory.
Heaven and After-life are matters that philosophers and scientists have been debating for centuries.....with no clear answers. One cannot possibly understand such abstract matters by looking into the skies with a telescope or peering into the brain with a microscope.
Science has its value and also its boundaries. It is therefore best that scientists.....even eminent ones.....recognise these boundaries and stop making controversial statements just to stay in the limelight.
Heaven's yes!
Too bad religion doesnt have value since its not based off of fact or reality....No value = No worth.
What boundaries should scientists accept? The ones of today? The ones of yesterday? The ones of 100 or 1,000 years ago? Should we have accepted the one that said the earth was flat? Or that the earth was the center of the universe? Or the one that said that gods lived in trees?
And why on earth would you want to argue that, because we don't know something today, we can *never* know it? After all, that argument has been disproved countless times. What are you afraid of learning?
There is a God. God is not supernatural, but rather natural. God exists in what ever our own universe exists inside of.
Theres an easter bunny too and thats natural not supernatural; unless you add cool wings then it would be supernatural but an awesome supernatural.
Some of the smartest folks are also the dumbest. God put you here..U betta recognize.
Pray for proper grammer.
Yeah, because there couldn't possibly be an alternate explaination. Sounds to me like you've swallowed what you've been told since you were very small and now it's all you "know". Critical thinking has gone right out the door with you.
Oh you surely turned me into a believer, I sure would like to follow a religion that was created centuries ago by ignorant supersticiuos humans that would cut off your head for believing the world was round. You may want to read about the history of your religion and see how it stole alot of its traditions from the Pagan, Mithras, Egyptian, and other earlier religions. Future humans will look back and think that the religious fanatics of this period were idiots the same way we look at Greek and Norse religions.
I love how when people believe in something, they are sheep. The comment that started w/"Baaaaa!" How people of faith are met with "do you believe everything people tell you/force upon you/feed you?". Why is it exactly that someone who believes in life after physical death has a dependency problem? He or she is defective so they need "God" to feel better. That somehow those who don't believe are smarter/have more common sense/more intelligence than those who do.
First and foremost, I have belief in a "God" because I have true faith...I WANT to believe! I want to believe in the "fiction" the "fairy tale"! I haven't been duped or misled. I want it to be true. And I know full well that it could as well be possible as impossible! I am not weak or lacking. I am at the very least as powerful, talented, and intelligent as any of you...did i mention humble and funny!!! 😉 Nor is it because I fear the dark or what's in it.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to see people once more who have loved us and since died by entering into "heaven" or what ever you want to call the space we may or may not reside in post physical death. It isn't weakness to believe in "God" because you know LOVE isn't of this physical world and upon that rationale more than just the physical world exists.
Yet, we are prosecuted for our beliefs, made fun of, looked down upon, regarded as inferior because we believe in that which is not visible. It is not weak mindedness to believe in something that has not proved to us its' existence as some would say. But I say this: I believe a "creator" exists...because love exists. Love serves no physical purpose or has a function in this spontaneous creation...so why is there love? For me God is love and loves us ALL
is stephen aware of what he is saying. I want him to understand this planet was created by someone. Spontaneous creation cannot bring out this beautiful things. God realy exist and wil exist forever and ever.
So, by that logic, what created your god?
Baaaaa! I'm a sheep and believe whatever I'm told.
Isaac – don't waste your time with these atheists. They think that science is everything. For example, These guys will have you believe that science cures disease. But prayer cures disease. Don't you waver my friend. Next time you have that strep throat, reach for your Bible not the antibioitic. Of course, there is no question that the prayer would work better. Prayer can move mountains. Whats a little bug that you cant even see.
You know, I keep seeing people who do not believe in God call people that do sheep an awful lot of these boards. The funny thing is, more and more "non-believers" posts comments. They are becoming the majority on these boards. Looks like they are fulfilling their own prophecies and becoming part of the flock of sheep that is now the non-believers. Just let people believe what they want without commenting. That will actually show that you are more of an individual believer than that of a sheep in different clothing.
The grand canyon is amazingly beautiful, but I know that was created by the colorado river and various forms of erosion. The world isn't any less beautiful without a god to create it.
Well - Hawking's has been a known atheist from the onset. He once tried to prove that God did not exist using the Omega point theorem, a theorem based on theology. As for Einstein, he was not an atheist, certainly not be admission. He also did not throw around the term God like Hawking's did, and Einstein, unlike Hawking's, admitted that physicals, in particular quantum physics, can not explain everything, and that once assumptions are made, as they are frequently by Hawking's and other physicist, that uncertainty and error grows. I respect Hawkings, but as for his assessment of a brain being like a computer that will fail once its parts are defective, that does not explain for the very inorganic sense we all possess, which makes us very unique, that of a personality, a unique sense of purpose, or dare I say our souls. Otherwise, we would all act the same way, have the same reactions, and be robots, very much like computers, for which we are not.
Einstein was a Pantheist – he believed that there was a mathamatical order / elegance to nature that he respected as holy. His God was the god of Spinoza – a non-sentient non-invloved order to reality.
Quantum Mechanics went against his god ("God does not play dice) – only becasue he believed at the base, everything has a liniar logical formula driving its behavior.... he didnt believe in a Judeo-Christian God
"that does not explain for the very inorganic sense we all possess, which makes us very unique, that of a personality, a unique sense of purpose, or dare I say our souls. Otherwise, we would all act the same way, have the same reactions, and be robots, very much like computers, for which we are not"
Yes Richard. It does. There is a clear neuroscietific basis for everything that you do or think. To say that we would all act the same way is a wrong conclusion reached by oversimplification.
"Atheist" is, at best a limited label, and not one non-believers should be compelled to apply to them self. A person's lack of use of it to describe them self is not a reason to assume the person was the opposite (ie – believer/follower of any particular religion) Secondly, Einstein was NOT a believer in the existence of, or follower of any version of the Abrahamic god (Jew, Christian, Muslim) during, at least, his adult life (nor any other deity figure). He used "God" as a metaphor for his personal appreciation and fascination for scientific knowledge and study, and the cosmos. Lots of people use the term "God" to talk about things, but that doesn't mean they are specifically invoking a deity that they believe exists or that they should follow.
@Richard
Quotes from Einstein:
"The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can change this."
"I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own – a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotisms."
He was most assuredly an atheist.
Whether you believe in a divine creator or not, it is hard to argue that our bodies are anything more than meat machines.
This doesn't mean that we are automatons, however.
Identical computers given different programming will behave differently.
And besides, there is endless variation between human individuals inherent in our genetic structure.
As for your as.sertion of inorganic senses, I would appreciate a quantifiable example of such. Preferably one that isn't "I feel God in my heart and all around". Were that true, everybody would experience it and there would be no doubt as to the existence of a "soul".
If it is any consolation, we do have immortality of sorts in that our bodies' consti.tuent atoms will persist, though our consciousness (and therefore sense of self) will not.
well said. Computers dont get teary-eyed over a sunset.
Since Hawking know all, maybe he could furnish me with tomorrow nights Powerball numbers.
or you could pray for them and prove in one stroke that prayers are answered.
how does he know what is after death? he hasn't been there. although, I have immense respect for Hawking, I do not agree with him that there is not something after you die. I am not religious, but I am spiritual. I don't think there is heaven, but I think we do have souls and souls go somewhere, maybe in another body? there must be some sort of energy that drives us besides our physical bodies. just like Hinduism says, we can live without arms, legs, even some organs, and we can definitely live a long time in a coma. so if our body shuts down and we still live, what is holding us still alive?? must be something... that prana.
Hey Anne, to turn your question around how do you know there must be something after death? Like Hawking, you have not been there either so you have not more facts than he does.
"and we can definitely live a long time in a coma. so if our body shuts down and we still live"
If our body shuts down – we die. We don't "still live". A coma is a state of abnormal brain function. It can be sustained for a long time as long as the other organ systems are working in a manner that would sustain life. The premise of your argument is wrong.
If religious people believe so strongly about a better existance after life then why are you all so scared to die? After all its the religions that say heaven is better then earth. Maybe you all can quicken the time to get to your heaven and let other straight thinking humans enjoy a peaceful life without the religious wars.
NavyDiver – We cannot hasten our demise in order to get to heaven, by doing so we would be going against all we believe. Perhaps you were not aware of that fact. Also, I don't know any Christian who has been afraid of dying. I can speak for myself and tell you I am not. There are ways I would prefer NOT to die, but I have no fear of death itself. Why should I?
So you deny Hawking the right to state his view based on the fact that he hasn't been there, yet you go on and make the same kind of statement: I believe our souls go somewhere.
The same question applies to you: exactly how do you know ?
I agree with you that Hawking conjectures.
I disagree with you when you start conjecturing.
RS – No conjecture on my part. Do I know for a fact that God exists, that His Son Jesus was the Messiah, that Heaven does exist? Not in the least, no way in this world I can prove that to anyone...I do take it on faith. When I die, I could be totally wrong, and if I am, no harm, no foul.
Oh, Anne, daughter of Abraham, Daughter of Sarah...
Your comment moved me, as you describe hell. Do you not know that a price was paid for your soul, if you accept Jesus. How can you just give it away like that. It is written, He restoreth my soul. That means i get my own soul. If you loose your savior, how will you be salted? You seem different than the others. You have worth. If some Hindu wants your soul, and you declare Jesus' blood, don't you know God will give His Angels command concerning you?
Sweety, I may not know you, but Father Abraham knows his children.
As for me, I'm Mary's son. Whose daughter are you?
He said Heaven is nowhere.... so Heaven is NOW HERE.
Kind of ironic... God does exist, but is most likely a master (and or mad) scientist.... God probably has more in common with scientists, rather than priests.
Why can't people be content to let others believe what they wish to believe, regardless of why they want to believe it? Jeez! Live and let live.
Not a bad notion but its the people who have beliefs that try to shove it down your throat. Religion is fiction, if thats the life style you choose then do it with others that have the same beliefs dont bash other beliefs or non believers and start wars over false gods.
NavyDiver – I don't beleive that all Christians try and force religion down people's throats any more than I believe all Athiests are trying to force their non-blief down people's throats. Some do on both sides. I am very willing to listen to an athiests views as long as he or she is willing to listen to mine without calling me ignorant, stupid, a bliever in fairy tales, etc. I have seen more anger and hate directed towards people of faith from non-believers than the other way around. That being said, any side that attempts to force feed their belief system to others is already behind the eight ball.
Mike In SA – very well said – as an ATHEIST – nothing gets me madder than another Atheist calling religion a "fairy tale"
Both sides need to chill – us atheists cannot make it our life's mission to get people to stop believing in God.
I think the difference with this article (less so the comments) is that Hawking's claims are based on science.... not about the lack of an after-life.... but his beleif that the universe can start from nothing (which I feel is a sticking point of belief for many Theist on why they feel there *must* be a God)
If someone says that they believe that aliens created the earth by bending over and lighting their farts and made people by burping them up, is it fair to be content by letting people believe what they think and just say live and let live?
The answer is no, especially when they go around trying to convince everyone around them that aliens really did create the earth by lighting their farts and burped humankind out because of indigestion, let alone going around the world offering poor, hungry people food with the specific purpose of converting them to their alien flatulence and belching beliefs.
You can laugh at the alien flatulence and belching religion, but is it really any more far-fetched than burning bushes that speak, parting the ocean with a wave of your hand, or a supreme being with no form that controls everything and had a son implanted in a virgin and whose son died and came back to life so we all can feel better about being imperfect as long as we donate money to help perpetuate the idea?
Let's find our grace in the beauty and complexity of nature because it really is enough, and leave the hocus-pocus act to Vegas.
NavyDiver, I am a Christian. I never have and never will try to shove my beliefs down anyone's throat. People have the right to their own beliefs. I am not speaking for all Christians (I know some do get forceful), I am only speaking for myself.
Rooster – Personally, I have never tired to force anyone to believe. I usually keep my comments to myself, but when asked I give my personal belief. I can't tell you how many times I have been ridiculed for them. I have never once told anyone they would burn in Hell as some do...not my place to judge. I tell them my experiences and my belief, yet I am told "Prove to me there is a God and I'll believe!" to which I reply "I can't prove that to you; prove to me there isn't one and I'll believe your side." Of course, neither side can prove it, just as Dr Hawking can't prove there isn't a Heaven. To me the funniest thing is many take his statement as fact when in truth...they are taking it on faith.
@Mike in SA:
Are you disregarding the Christian missionaries who for centuries have travelled the globe trying to convert the "heathens and pagans" to their ways? Even today you see many people in these forums and out on street corners saying "Repent! Believe in Jesus! The End is coming on May 21st!!"
Funny, I've never seen or heard of an Atheist missionary.
If you are one of those people who have their beliefs and keep it to themselves, then great, I respect you, but I don't believe your statement that in general Christians do not try to push their beliefs on other people, they have been doing it since the time of Paul and Peter.
As usual, Dr. Hawking is right.
Just like he was on black holes.
So Stephen Hawkins imagines himself a greater mind on thie matter than Einstein?
"God does not care about our mathematical difficulties. He integrates empirically." – Albert Einstein
Grr82cu2 – enough with the Einstein stuff. Christians have been misunderstanding (or, more likely, misprepresenting) him for years. Einstein used the word God. It is clear that that he used the term to refer to the universe generally, and not to a personal god who would have a heaven or a hell. In fact, he is on record unequivocally as stating that belief in the sort of personal god that Christians believe in is nonsense. And he was right.
Yeah, Einstein was an deist by the end of his life. Not sure why Christians use him as a mind for their arguments when he's one of the individuals that has made Genesis null and void. Wrong again.