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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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And what about the thereom????
I believe in heaven and hell. I have never seen either. I believe in Jesus Christ and I have never seen Him. I believe he died on the cross and saved me from my sins, but I didn't see it Him die. Because I believe that, I am promised eternal life in heaven. Faith is unexplainable. Mine has been made stronger through my prayer life. I believe that we will all have perfect bodies in heaven, although not the same bodies we have on earth. None of this is science–it's simply faith. My faith. I believe that God is all knowing and he knows what everyone believes–even Mr. Hawking who I respect for what he has made of his life. I'm not sure I'll see him in heaven, though. Only God–and Mr. Hawking–know that.
why isn't there a "like" button on here. excellent words !
almost poetic. I disagree with with the theistic component (strongly), but I like that you express your true feelings, yet kept you post clean. =)
kept your*
i'm happy for you that it helps you to get through life, feeling that there is something at the end. That is what religion is all about right, comforting you with the thought of death.
Isn't it lovely, living in a world of fantasy?
So it's much more believeable that a tiny supercompressed chunk of matter spontaneously exploded and created the universe, than it is that a supreme being who always existed intelligently created it? The human mind can't comprehend either, but I choose to believe in God.
WHY IS THIS A NEWS STORY?? An eminent scientist doesn't believe in God. That's news? Almost no eminent scientists believe in God. Why should Steven Hawking be any different? Again, I lament the tripe that passes for news these days, and I think CNN should clean house. It's editors are the most egregious when it comes to sensationalizing non-news...
you are right sir, and it is prob for attention, 22 pages long, is a lot of people clicking & commenting. lol
Evolve People!
I grew up Catholic and went to church every sunday until I was 30. Then I started thinking for myself. While religion can offer comfort and hope to people in tough times, it is nothing more than a fairy tale that we have invented to make ourselves feel better. If we believe in "God," we might as well believe in magical unicorns, leprechauns and vampires, because there is just as much evidence that they exist as there is for the existence of God. Also- I have found that atheism is very comforting; because I don't believe in heaven or hell, I am living my life to the fullest while I am on the planet!
I am right there with you, could have been me posting.
Nice one, I'm with you.
Hawking's theories are 'fairy tales'. Signed: God
It is such thinking as yours that drives people to fly airplanes into buildings. Just saying...
How very sad ... 1 second after death, Stephen Hawking will know the real answers to '4 Big Questions' that have eluded his hard, unrepentant, and thus, unbelieving heart. (1) Heaven and Hell are very real; (2) God does exist; (3) God created not only the whole Universe, but Stephen Hawking too; and (4) That he wasted an exceptional 'God-Given' brain on things that will in time, will mean nothing in the great scheme of things. But, unlike his science experiments that he was able to do over and over again, in order to get them right ... 1 second after death, Stephen Hawking, like many of his ilk, will find out that there will be no do-overs. An old Chinese proverb says: “Change direction (soon) or you will end up where you were going!” “There is still time right now Stephen Hawking, but My love for you will not be mocked for much longer: Love, God!”
It makes me sad that your god is apparently so very conditional in his love and forgiveness.
Wow, Rob. So you've died before and have all the answers huh? Oh wait. That would be ridiculous. Just like your post. By the way, your description of God could also pass for the description of a mass murdering serial killer.
i find it ironic that you quote a proverb from a country that doesn't believe in your GOD
Again, I ask why a supposed 'LOVING' God would be so cold as to give us so very little to go on (countless interpretations of things that supposedly occured thousands of years ago, ALL given to us by other PEOPLE), but then condemn us to an ETERNITY in such a place as hell for not buying into any of it. I agree with you on one point...your God is certainly something that is to be feared. But that is as far as I will go.
Can someone please tell me where god came from. Magic?
God is created by an idiot. LOL
God is alive and well. You will all find out.
why do we have to wait? Show yourself, God!! And please, no silly responses about "look at the trees, the seas, the children, God is all around us."
Stephen hawking is a brilliant physicyst and is a true genius, however, his intellect is not what will impress his creator. If he ever has the opportunity to share his notions about the universe around us with the creator, I think the creator will find his hypothases about creation just as amusing as the rest of our opinions. 🙂
why would he need to share, doesn't "your" creator already know his thoughts. can't have it both ways.
sometimes the smartest people say the dumbest things. His statement that the brain is just a computer is quite frankly, a great leap of faith in which there is absolutely no evidence. Scientists have not created consiousness, good, or evil in a computer, nor have they explained how life might have begun (believe me, they haven't, and I have a degree in Biochemistry), nor can they explain near-death experiences or reported miracles. To say there is no heaven or afterlife takes a lot more blind faith than any religious person can muster.
There is no proof to prove there is no existence of a God, as much there is Proof that God does not exist. I am sorry Mr.Hawking, I believe that even with your vast intelligence, you are angry for what life has given upon to you. How do you create from nothing, and nothing can create something, or someone. God is whomever choose to believe.
Is there proof in our own history books?
Wow Mr. Hawkins! I can wait to see you bow your knees before the most high God. Hopefully you'll wise up before you then and finally realize how much of an fool you are. Praise the Lord for ever and ever! Amen.
amen !
What God?
Amen Jerry.
Has Dr. Hawking read the book of Job?
He doesn't believe in Heaven because his life is hell, being trapped in a dying body.
he cant bend his knees you bible jerking tool
Yo Faithful,
Everyone of us is dying, hence we are all in dying bodies. And once you're dead, well, you'll be dead.
Why would a supposed loving God demand one to cower in fear in front of it. That sounds a lot more like something a sadist would do. In fact, the Old Testament (a part of the Bible eveyone usually wants to ignore) if FULL of examples of such dastardly acts. Simply put, the God you speak of is a monster.
Sorry folks but your justification for some sort of father figure and heaven in the Sky is from a book written almost 2000 years ago....I would rather trust someone who has far exceeded the intelligence of everyone who is posting comments on this board...
Bassman, then you have no clue on what IQ or Intelligence Quotient Means? It does not have to do without how intelligent a person is, but their memory’s capacity to retain information. Albert Einstein had an average IQ and many people, including Hawking would agree was perhaps the most brilliant physicist of any generation.
Why is it that the so called atheists always attack the Bible? why not take a break and go after Vishnu or Mohammed for a while? Argue against them.
Ok, Johnny Mo, I will...they ALL have the same problem–that is, none of them have any supporting evidence and the claims of each lack empirical falsafiability. They ALL lead to exploitation of their followers. They ALL stymie real progress in lieu of magical answers. They are ALL equally destructive. They are ALL equally dangerous. That includes the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), Hinduism, Budhism, Wickanism, etc...basically, if it involves a divine being and has an 'ism' in its name, it is on the list of things that should NOT be....period.
DC-JD
So, your claim that there is no life after death is "empirically falsifiable?"
And, christianity doesn't have an ism. So... its OK?
I interpret your question to mean that Hawking's statement that there is no aferlife is empirically falsifiable...my answer...absolutely. If you can provide direct supporting evidence, then you have supported the case for an afterlife. On the other hand, ALL religions simply reposition themselves after a particular item in their faith is disproved. Look at the Catholic Church vis-a-vis the Geocentric theory–it took them 400 years to officially confirm that the earth was not the center of the universe. And there were whole bodies of literature written to explain it away. Science never explains things away
Jesus rose from the dead. It is an historically verifiable event. Do some research.
"Jesus rose from the dead"
Share your evidence by proving it.
See, Johnny, that's exactly my point; I present people like you with well-developed arguments and, when you have run out logical avenues by which to respond, you turn immediately to the mantras of your faith–'jesus rose from the dead'. This is the "I know you are, but what am I..." method for conducting yourself in an argument that most of us shed long before puberty.
Gotta love George Carlin............
Overnight I became a sun-worshipper. Well, not overnight, you can't see the sun at night. But first thing the next morning, I became a sun-worshipper. Several reasons. First of all, I can see the sun, okay? Unlike some other gods I could mention, I can actually see the sun. I'm big on that. If I can see something, I don't know, it kind of helps the credibility along, you know? So everyday I can see the sun, as it gives me everything I need; heat, light, food, flowers in the park, reflections on the lake, an occasional skin cancer, but hey. At least there are no crucifixions, and we're not setting people on fire simply because they don't agree with us.
That is the bestever! Love it ! George Carlin is my God!
Actually, sun worshippers have engaged in an occasional human sacrifice.
Concur!
I guess Hell has a handicap entrance.
I hope a mentally-handicapped entrance for your sake.
And hopefully an elevator!
No God that I would ever follow would give us so little to go on and then banish us to an eternity in a place such as hell if we faulter in our 'faith'. That is an action you would expect out of a comic book villain...not a loving creator.
"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.
------
What???? What a crazy circular argument. I think Hawking is an intellegent man. How can he fall prey to such fiddle-faddle?
So you think the more reasonable argument is that an omniscient mystery man in the sky created our world in a way unknown to us and has the power to govern what happens in our lives, and leaves absolutely no trace of his purpose or existence for us? Now thats fiddle faddle.
look, he says there is no afterlife. i used to think things like ghosts, spirits were very stupid. until i saw a "ghost" of a family member that had passed away. i think its a bit taboo to believe in these things, and you will never truly believe in it 100% until you experience it yourself. hawking is stuck in that chair. he can't experience the world. this is just 1 person's opinion.
I think a reasonable argument for first cause is nessessary. Something cannot cause itself. Either the universe had no beginning or something caused it to exist. Philosophically, the other alternatives are too flimsy.
I do think that to be comfident that there is no afterlife is silly. To make any conclusive argument for the nonexistence of anything requires near omniscience. I do think Hawking is a smart guy... just not that smart.
Do I think green big eyed aliens exist? No. Can I know that they do not exist? No.
I do think God exists and an afterlife. I have good reasons for thinking so.
Of COURSE he doesn't believe in heaven. The man is 1/2 robot as it is.
Relevance?
Biotist bigot!
Got something against the nonliving?
: )
Mr. Hawking lives his life from the vantage point of scientific facts not absurd blind faith.
1) I am NOT religious
2) I do NOT believe in "heaven"
3) It was a joke. Albiet, a tasteless one. My favourite kind.
Only a 100% robot can believe in heaven.
Both Hawking and Hitchens deserve a momentous amount of respect. Even in the grasp of death, they are not taken hostage by the false hope of religion.
Agreed.
Well said !
Who is too say it's false?
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" – Proverbs 3:5
You want to bet your eternity future on that man? No thanks!