Of Bibles and Telescopes!

Outside Bear Valley-Overlook

Faith is such an interesting thing. I've watched two programs recently on Nova. The first was about the Bible-its stories and whether or not there is historical evidence to back up the events and people in those stories. The second program dealt with the Hubble telescope-its beginnings (way back in the 40's), how it was built, launched, and corrected, and its current status. Both programs made me realize that a person's faith in nearly anything could very well be based on belief alone. No concrete evidence but just a firm and unwavering trust in something greater. 

Take the telescope for example. The people who ran the program and got the telescope built had no idea that it would actually work. They believed that it was possible based on their calculations and all of their collective experience with science to that point. But honestly, they didn't know. And at first, when it was launched into space, it didn't work. It took several years to come up with a fix and to implement that solution. 

People who have religious faith have a similar issue I think. They know it's there. They believe in it. But honestly, for some, there is very little proof. (Evidence can be looked at as something on a sliding scale-I am not suggesting that anyone has it wrong.) They just have to believe.

Both programs really made me stop and think. Belief in something greater (and something unseen) is at the heart of both examples above. I don't have any conclusions but the questions that the programs raised feel important (and as of yet not fully formed!). 

Libby