What the God Particle Says About God

Yesterday scientists finally announced the discovery of a new particle with a mass near that predicted for the Higgs boson. Why has this been called the "God particle" and what does it say about God?

What is the "God particle"?

The Higgs field is a theoretical(not for long?) force which permeates all of the universe (much like the Force from Star Wars) and which gives certain particles that interact with it, such as protons and neutrons, mass. Other particles, which don't interact with it, such as photons and neutrinos, remain massless and move at light speed. The Higgs boson is the force carrying particle of the Higgs field, like how a photon carries the force of electromagnetic fields.

In effect this is what creates all matter in the universe by wrapping a bunch of energy (inertial and gravitational mass) into one point. It also has the effect of slowing down massive particles (like the proton and neutron) to everyday speeds (a particle with mass can never reach light speed). If the new particle discovered turns out to be the Higgs, boson this would indicate that empty space has a inherent energy in it. I suspect this will be a big step to understanding dark energy and a more coherent understanding of quantum gravity.

Here's a great cartoon about the Large Hadron Collider and what the Higgs boson below.* The audio sounds like it was mostly recorded at the LHC cafeteria (and the video starts off with cafeteria footage for the first 40 seconds so you might want to skip ahead a bit) but it is a really good explanation about why everyone is so excited about the Higgs boson.

What does this have to do with God?

Many scientists dislike the term "God particle" because they feel it has nothing to do with religion. Scientists in general like to stay away from religion so this is understandable, but because the particle is what creates all the mass, really the substance of matter, in the universe it has has a decent claim to the title the "God particle" and actually says a lot about theism.

First, it is further evidence that religions of the world had no more insight into the true working of nature than any illiterate caveman did. Although it was early science which developed many of the earth centered astronomic models, it was religion which froze them in mystical importance based on the "perfection" of the heavens. It is only when we can question old ideas that we are able to find more accurate and complete models for how our universe works.

Second, it indicates that important and consequential knowledge about how the universe works does not come from prayer or supplication to any deity. Perhaps God was not aware of this particle, but if so, that would hardly make him all knowing. Maybe he purposefully never mentioned it to and prophet or preacher he communed with. If he is trying to keep the knowledge from us, then why couldn't he stop the scientists at the LHC from discovering it?  In the end, God is either a fool or powerless, or both.

What does the God particle's discovery mean for reason, logic, and empirical evidence? That with a focused application of accumulated knowledge, engineering, and commitment humanity can peer farther into the mysteries of the universe without God than we ever could with him.



*One thing they didn't really go over in the cartoon above is the gauge bosons in the Standard Model particle "periodic table." Here is a more complete version with the force bosons - photon (electromagnetic force), gluon (strong force), and Z and W bosons (weak force).

image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boson

Why Choose Atheism?

There seems to be a lot of misconception about why people choose to be atheists. I worry some people may feel like it is an attempt to escape accountability for some sort of sinful act, or that its just a euphemism for a wanting a hedonistic lifestyle.

This has not been true in my experience. I chose atheism in order to resolve the internal conflict between the theistic philosophy I was raised in with the truths I have found for myself in life. The shadow theism has left on me from the first twenty years of my life is something I may always be saddled with. Atheism is a way to help make sense of the real world by contrasting theism with the pragmatic truths of modern science and philosophy.

Many people are raised in a secular household or a home or community where religion is not emphasized, but this is not the case for most in America. An overwhelming majority of people in The U?S. consider themselves to belong some sort of Christian religion - at around 78%.* - so leaving theism usually involves a choice, often a difficult choice that can feel like jumping off a cliff.

I only made the difficult decision to leave the Mormon church after the flaws in theism became so overwhelming that I could no longer deny them. This came after many years of prayerful and thoughtful study. Ultimately after weighing all the the evidence the "problem of evil" convinced me that all theist churches are seriously flawed and insufficient to provide a true picture of reality.

So what do we get in return for all our tears and being ostracized from our former social groups? Why are so many people willing to give up so much for their belief in atheism? After all, if it's all just a myth why not just go to church and not upset people?

Truth

A devotion to a sincere understanding of the truth was essential when I chose atheism. A frustrating thing about theism (or any other organizational structure based on absolute obedience) is that doubt and questioning are often met with admonition or ridicule. The problem with this is that truth can never come without questions. Often the key to understanding is knowing what question to ask. Being unafraid to ask questions about God and people who supposedly speak for God allow a greater understanding of human society and history.

When I chose atheism, my understanding and wonderment at the beauty and complexity of the universe increased immensely.

Peace of Mind

The ideas of an afterlife or a watchful God seem to provide a peace of mind to theistic people. This can be true to many, but often that peace is actually willful ignorance reality. A true understanding of positive situations allows greater joy, and a more honest understanding of negative situations allows the discovery of better solutions. An ability to understand and rely on concrete things allows a greater sense of well being and peace. No longer are you afraid of monsters, devils, or ghosts when you understand how human expectations, dreams, and fears can alter our perceptions.

When I chose atheism, I was no longer afraid of the dark.

Appreciation of Life

The hope for a life after death is shared by almost everyone, but unfortunately there is no compelling evidence that this is true. Theism unfortunately uses promises of riches and/or rewards in the afterlife to pay for actual work and riches of it's members in this life. Without reliance on the promise of an afterlife, the true value of our lives becomes much more clear. No longer can wars and murder be justified by a "kill them all and let God sort them out" philosophy. With an increased value on life, death becomes a much more devastating loss, as it should be. The uniqueness and beauty of a human personality is the most valuable thing we have ever discovered in the universe.

When I chose atheism I gained a greater appreciation of life and the short time we all spend in this world.


Regardless that atheism is a doctrine of belief that there is no god, it still represents a positive change for those who have discovered that theism is an unsatisfactory theory of reality which simply does not account for much of the knowledge and discovery humanity has accumulated over the last two millennia.

Despite it's relatively recent schism with religion, science represents the best and most solid knowledge about life, humanity, and the universe. There is no ancient knowledge that religion possesses that is not also included in science. Religion has forfeited the ability to tell humanity about our origin, our character, or our path to happiness. I look forward to the day where people do not rely on ancient stories or simple "God did it" explanations for how the world works.

Science, knowledge, and the freedom to choose our own pursuit of happiness is important for the our selves, our loved ones, and the continued advancement of humanity.



*Atheists make up less than 2% of Americans (similar in number to Mormons and Jews). 12% of "unaffiliated" people chose "nothing in particular" - although I would argue that many of them (including many of the 2.5% of Agnostics) only avoid the term "atheist" because of the negative connotations, but could at least be considered "non-theist". (http://religions.pewforum.org/affiliations)

Euangelion

Welcome to The Gospel of Atheism!

This is a blog about the "good news" (gospel) about being an atheist - not adhering to theistic religious ideas, philosophies, and traditions. Here I will talk about why it's important to express atheistic viewpoints, what benefits come from such ideas, and how they apply to American society in the early 21st century.

I will be using the more common definition of "theism" as Christianity, Judaism, Islam  - technically "monotheism." This is basically the only form of theism widely practiced in the western world, and since my blog is written from an American perspective this fits my uses nicely.

I was raised in a Christian (Mormon) theistic household. My family have been Mormon since the days of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. I went on a Mormon mission to Alabama ("The Heart of Dixie") which gave me time and motivation to read and research the Bible, Book of Mormon, and other Mormon religious books. While I had always had doubts, I did not leave the Mormon church until I was sure Mormonism was false.

This blog is aimed at the non-believer - either in the "closet" or out of the "closet." Many people these days are raised without a religion, but there are also a lot of people who feel pressured by friends or family to stay in religion while not actually believing any longer. This is an understandable choice and a realistic one(and one I made myself for a few years after I stopped believing), but it causes people to remain trapped giving their time and money to churches that they don't believe in because they are threatened with the loss of all of their social support.

I hope that one day non-believers do not have to fear being discovered. That non-religious people could stand up and express how they feel and not be labeled "lazy," "apostate," or "infidel." (Or at least that these terms would lose their pejorative sense.) Many friends of mine who left their religion have also lost friends and family. The popular view of non-religious people as "bad" or "evil" needs to be as socially unacceptable as other foolish ideas such as the idea of certain ethnicities as being less human and homosexuality as being deviant.

I would like this blog to provide comfort and validation for those who want to justify their choice to not believe in theism any longer. There are many good reasons to choose secularism over religion. Leaving theism makes it easier to embrace modern ethics and scientific understanding of life, our world, and the origin of the universe. Modern scientific knowledge give us a much richer, complex, and beautiful picture of the world around us.

Another positive thing about leaving behind religion is letting go of the idea of an afterlife. This helps to develop a deeper appreciation of the short time we have in this world and elevates the value placed on the lives and happiness of our fellow humans and animals. 

As an atheist I believe it is important to stand up against religious organizations and out-dated idiologies which try to force their beliefs others in our society. Religious freedom is as important for non-believers as it is for the believers. Religion belongs in churches or private homes, not in schools or legislation. As more and more scientific knowledge disproves religious ideas about the world there is a backlash against science, but this cannot be respected, let alone tolerated. 

When I left religion behind I said one final prayer saying I would always be open to any evidence or signs that God is real, and I still stand by that. I welcome comments about gaps in logic or errors in facts presented, but I hope that any feedback will be respectful.