Searching for God: Adults Only, Pg 16

By Bernie Keating

A SEARCH FOR GOD?
This is a comprehensive search for God by exploring throughout all of science and religion.
The author searches the discoveries of modern science including origins of the universe, physical laws that govern science, subatomic particles, and natural phenomena.
Then the author conducts a scrupulous examination of the many religious faiths such as Judaic, Christian, Islamic, Buddhism, Creationists, Pantheism, and others.
In a final chapter the author looks at religious culture vs -- religious faith, and offers suggestions for those who struggle with a religious faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491825723

Bernie Keating

Bernie Keating’s was raised in Buffalo Gap, South Dakota, served as a naval officer during the Korean War, completed graduate school at U.C. Berkeley, and then began a fifty-year career as executive, becoming Manager of Quality Assurance for the world’s largest packaging company. As an avocation during his long working career, he also wrote books and the current one is his twenty-second. He and his wife live on a ranch in the Sierra Mountains near Sonora, California.

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© 2013 Bernie Keating. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/29/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-2570-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-2568-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-2572-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013918197

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

1.   A SEARCH FOR GOD?

2.   ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE

2.1 The Bible Story of Creation

2.2 Creationism Theory of Origin

2.3 The Big Bang Theory of Origin

2.31 Dark Energy

2.32 Dark Matter

2.4 Steady State Theory of Origin

2.5 Chaotic Theory of Origin

2.6 Multiverse Theory of Origin

2.7 Pantheism Theory of Origin

2.8 Summary—Origin of the Universe

3.   PHYSICAL LAWS OF THE UNIVERSE

3.1 Gravitation

3.2 Electromagnetic Force

3.3 Strong Interaction Force

3.4 Weak Interaction Force

3.5 Higgs Field

3.6 Summary Physical Laws of the Universe

4.   SUBATOMIC PARTICLES

4.1 Atomic Theory of Matter

4.2 Modern Science

4.3 Discovery Apparatus for Subatomic Particles

4.4 Detection Devices for Subatomic Particles

4.41 A cloud chamber

4.42 A bubble chamber

4.43 A wire chamber

4.44 A spark chamber

4.45 A steamer chamber

4.46 The CERN detector

4.5 Quantum Mechanics

4.6 Standard Model of Modern Physics

4.7 Conclusion: the Search for God in Science

5.   SEARCHING RELIGIOUS FAITHS FOR GOD

5.1 Monotheistic, Personal God Religious Faiths

5.11 Judaism

5.12 The Christian Faith

5.13 Islam

5.2 Buddhism Religious Faith

5.3 Belief in a ubiquitous, supernatural God

5.4 A supernatural God with optional physical realities.

5.5 The religion of Pantheism

5.6 Agnosticism

5.7 Atheism

5.8 Major religions founded in the United States

5.9 Factual Evidence for a God

6.   CULTURE—VS.—FAITH

APPENDIX A WIKIPEDIA

APPENDIX B LIST OF SUBPARTICLES

ENDNOTES

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PREFACE

I rate this book PG16, which is a warning that some people should not read beyond the following paragraph; they include:

a.   Young people who have not yet experienced the Rite-of-Confirmation, or the Jewish Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, because they are ceremonies for mature statements of religious faith when one first becomes an adult.

b.   Adults who are already completely comfortable with their existing religious Faith.

c.   Other adults who have conducted their own investigation and are convinced a search for God needs no further inquiry.

Why this warning? A genuine belief in the existence of God is precious, and not something to meddle with by anyone other than a full-grown adult. Let’s begin with the conclusion you will find in a final chapter.

So, why read any further? Some of us are not all-knowing. We’d like to gain more knowledge so we can become personally convinced that we agree with our own conclusions.

1

A SEARCH FOR GOD?

This is a search for God. I did not intend to focus on the subject, but was led there by scientific discoveries of modern physics. I wondered what science is consistent with the existence of a God. In addition to looking at science, I also considered the subject of religious faith, inasmuch as religions are founded on the belief in a God.

As for me personally, I want to determine what is based on actual fact, and what else may be only Pie in the sky. ¹ This exploration is for my own benefit. I intend this to be more than a token search for God-like: oh, I looked again and he was still there; or I looked everywhere and couldn’t find him. So, this is intended to be serious, and also by a reasonably unbiased person (of which there are very few).

Some religions are based on the supernatural, which is an order beyond the observable scientific universe. I am not naïve and recognize that a search for God must involve more than the scientific method, because if there is a God, He (or It, or She) will not be subject to the usual rules-of-evidence. Others are invited to tag along, but should be forewarned to take caution if faint-of-heart.

I start with few credentials in either scientific or religious studies. I have a college degree in physics and claim, tongue-in-cheek, the identification as a scientist. I was elected to membership in the Scientific Research Society, Sigma Xi, by the University of California, Berkeley chapter that includes a half-dozen Nobel Laureates. While my subsequent career was in management rather than as a hands-on scientist, I utilized my scientific education extensively in a career that involved people more than things.

My credentials in religion are also meager, but I am author of a 2003 published book entitled RIDING THE FENCE LINES: Riding the Fences that define the Margins of Religious Tolerance. ² I am joined by five co-authors: a Jewish rabbi, Islamic scholar, Roman Catholic priest, Protestant minister, and Buddhist minister. I was raised by a Catholic father and Protestant mother, attended Mass every third Sunday when a missionary priest came to town, and went with my mother to the Methodist church on other weekends; thus, I inherited an ecumenical religious culture.

Why bother with a search for God? That’s a valid question. If a person is comfortable with whatever their current belief, then it may be a mistake to challenge those things. Most people inherit