Of Hubble and the Death of Religions

The Hubble telescope peers into the birth and death of stars — and perhaps, of gods.

For as celestial bodies collapse into light, so too do belief systems crumble before Truth —

the merciless, patient collector of all things once held sacred.

Read on

The Hubble Telescope has given mankind great insight into how stars and galaxies are formed — and how they die. And if celestial bodies be born and then die, why cannot gods do the same?

Today, we are witnesses — witnesses to the demise of global belief systems.

It is doubtful if ever in recorded history mankind has had a front-row seat to watch religions locked in mortal combat — not with external forces, as the unwary might believe, but with the great and mighty spirit called Truth….

…That merciless examiner of all that we hold to be true.

….That patient collector who allows us the freedom to believe whatever we wish — but never the freedom to escape its consequences.

Which is why, when a religion tolerates no examination, neither from within nor without,when it labels all dissent as heresy, and imbues its clergy with powers both spiritual and temporal,

…it shall, in the end, have nothing unique to offer.

It shall become an irrelevance.

Its tenets become open to manipulation

and abuse….

….Because truth, or the determination of truth, is no longer rigorous….

Its movable beacons and skid-mounted precepts — once meant to mark the boundary between justice and injustice, truth and untruth — begin to drift.

And this leads to listlessness among its adherents. For they are burdened with the impossible task of defending a faith that is indefensible.

These adherents, weary and insecure, lash out. They will seek no force of argument — for they have none.

And their new converts?

These will be found among the most ignorant of men — those the faith would rather not have.

And its lack of appeal to those secure in their own deep romance with their gods, or their God, will rile them to no end.

They will lash out, hurt, destroy — because they cannot fathom how others live so marvelously well without the “sterling advice” of their great book.

But like Red Giants in the throes of death,

such religions will first be seen to expand —

consuming a large part of the celestial sky,

causing much destruction upon the earth.

Yet the laws of the universe are steadfast.

In the end,

it will shrink —

and become a dwarf.

A blackbody.

A net recipient of light —

of Truth.

✨ Reflection

The Hubble reveals what prophets once only dreamed:

that even stars die, and their death gives birth to new light.

Perhaps, then, it is not religion itself that must die —

but the lies it accepts…

Don Kenobi

0331 hrs. October 6 2010