Does God Really Exist?'

By Prafulla Kumar Majhi

The time dates back to almost thirty years.The year was 1995.All on a sudden there was a rumour in our locality that Ganesh statues in temples and other places of installation were drinking milk from the hands of devotees.The news spread like wildfire and people started rushing to temples with milk.Later it was learnt that the incident took place for the first time in a temple in Delhi and then spread to the rest of the country.I saw people mostly women going to temples in a hurry carrying milk in whatever container and amount they could to feed the Lord.India is a country of great religious faith and nothing could stop them from going ahead in the matter.Hours rolled on after the news spread and people had started returning from temples.Out of curiousity I went to a nearby temple to see what was happening and stood at a distance from the statue.A woman came with a full pot of milk,tried to feed the statue and poured the remaining milk on it and went away.I cannot say for certain whether the statue drank milk or not.But satisfaction was writ large on her face while leaving the place.I did not try it myself as I could not get milk that day.As a sensitive and educated human being I have never doubted the existence of God and people’s faith in Him.So I accepted the incident gracefully.But the very next day I could see reports having been published in newspapers and magazines  on the incident and it’s probable reasons.At a time when the constitution and judiciary of India feel diffident to interfere in the religious life of the people it would be quite unfair to comment on the religious aspect of the incident.But science will definitely come forward and present it’s own theory.Apart from the religious faith science made it clear that the statues did not drink milk but it was due to capillary action and surface tension.The incident was a physical process wherein milk entered pores and cracks in the statues.This was not the only incident of its kind.From time to time we hear of statues sweating,snakes coming to temples and drinking milk and trees pouring milk continuously.People would always believe in the incidents and science would refute it.This game of hide and seek between faith and science has been continuing since a long time  with science always having been vehement on the acceptance of God as a powerful entity or supreme being behind all creations.Science would always prefer man to be an evolution to a creation by God or the supreme being.In the context of the skirmish between faith and science and between theists and atheists the question often arises,”Does God really exist?” 

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  I have read many a book,magazine and article on the topic without having ever been able to get a concrete view from any.Writers having faith in God,religion and spiritualism                                                                      

will always speak positively about God and those having faith in science will speak against Him.But those striking a balance between the two will never come to any conclusion and try to give a tentative picture.There have been much studies,research and investigations on the topic around the globe.Of late well-researched reports and videos are also being uploaded in the social media which are able to present information and facts in a very nice manner but when it comes to proving God they remain tentative and often seek opinion from viewers on the matter.In the context of such a situation let us try to consider the following points and come to a conclusion;

1)Views of religion-Religions all over the world repose their faith in a supreme being who is central to all creations.The Vedas and other Hindu scriptures,the Quran,the Bible and other religious texts centre around God and their prophets call themselves the representatives or sons of God.Only Buddha has preferred to remain silent over the existence of God as he knew that it is more a matter of faith than anything else.Critics of this theory of faith argue that if God exists and is one,then why different names have been assigned to him and why does one religion teach people to fight against another!The criticism can be defended on the ground that the religious texts have only been written and compiled by human beings and they have also been subject to misinterpretation from time to time.Liberals in each religion claim that God is one and omnipotent and no religion ever preaches violence and peaceful co-existence is at the core of all religions.

2)Views of science-Science is often called the antithesis of religion and has rejected the very existence of God outright relegating the matter to one of faith.Though scientists like Newton and Einstein have expressed their faith in God yet they have not come out with any evidence in the matter as they have done it in the case of their theories.Science needs proof or evidence and it has not got any about God till date.The theory of the origin of the species as propounded by Charles Darwin has given a fatal blow to the very concept of God as it believes in an evolutionary process for all creations thereby rejecting the age-old faith that God is behind all creations.But science and its latest developments have never been able to shake the faith in most people that God exists.

3)Concept of a Creator-The concept of a creator is very important in the matter.There can be no denying the fact that creation is not possible without a creator.A porter creates an earthen pot,an engineer creates a television set,a cook prepares an item in the kitchen and so on and so forth.So also is the universe created by somebody.

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Religion has already ascribed it to God whereas science is reluctant to accept it confirming that it is an automatic process coming into existence and ending up on its own.                                                          

Nonbelievers argue that if God has created everything then who has created Him !This way the list of creators will be endless.Religion has a clear cut answer for this.Hinduism says that God is created by none.He comes into being on his own and has no end.Lord Siva is ‘Swayambhu’ and the ‘Adi Devata’.Science says almost a similar thing without accepting the existence of God or a supreme being.The universe has come out of nothing with the Bing Bang and has always been expanding.The Bible says,”Let there be light and there was light”denoting the starting of creation by God from darkness.The Hiranyagarbha theory of Hinduism is not diametrically different from the Big Bang theory.The difference is only between a philosophical or spiritual theory and a scientific theory.Both religion and science try to fathom the mystery of the universe and God.Though religion has completed the same in its own way science is still on the lookout for that unknown force behind all creations sometimes finding it in God Particle while at others finding it in black hole,power of gravitation,dark energy or dark matter.

4)Perfect design-The sun rising in the east and setting in the west,the earth and other planets moving round the sun along with their satellites,the earth having been placed at a perfect distance from the sun so as to maintain a congenial atmosphere for life and all other things that we see around seem to be part of a perfect and grand design which can only be the handiwork of God or a supreme being.But science never considers such a perfect design to be the creation of God or any supernatural force.The scientific theory that everything has come out of nothing and has reached its present form through the process of evolution is really difficult to digest.

5)Visibility-It is often argued that if God really exists then why He is not visible to the naked eye.In answer it can be said that air in the atmosphere,ghee in milk and the gravitational force do exist but are not visible and can only be felt or experienced.Furthermore,God is formless and omnipresent and the manifestations of God whom we have visualised do not live on earth.The evil force of Kali has also made them invisible.At the end of the Dwapara era when Veer Hanuman went to Kailash to meet Lord Siva but did not find him in his seat.When Hanuman waited for him he was asked to leave and come for a darshan only when the Kalyug expired.It is often said that Lord Vishnu visits the four Dhams daily and Lord Siva lives in Kailash and often visits Varanasi,his favourite city.But nobody can see them because of the effect of Kali.We can see only incarnations like Ram and Krishna who have descended on earth in human form.Prophet Mohammad and Jesus have also appeared on earth as representatives of God and could therefore be seen.

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We often hear of aliens moving in flying saucers and visiting our earth on occasion.Though their existence has not yet been scientifically proved who knows they are not Gods 

themselves or representatives of God.When most religions consider God to be one,supreme and formless his visibility can hardly be demanded.The recent theory of Ishwariya Kanika or God Particle is not different from the Hindu theory of ‘Kan kan men Bhagwan’.                                   

6)Management-When we look around and see things in perfect order it becomes difficult on our part to believe that all creations are not only automatic but there is also nobody above to control or manage them.When there is a director or Head of Office to run an office and a President or Prime Minister to run a state,it becomes all the more surprising to take it for granted that the universe or multi-verse being infinite is running or being managed automatically.When we sit in meditation or look up high into the sky we feel like being watched by somebody.Recently I came across a video in social media which scientifically made it clear that in all our activities we are being watched by aliens.These aliens may be higher beings from another world or the representatives of God or an unknown force which is operating things from behind the curtain.Scientists may not accept the authority of God but they can hardly disagree with the fact that be it God particle,black hole,dark energy,dark matter or gravitational power without it the universe will be out of tempo and in disorder without it.The process of creation,continuation and destruction in the universe is always going on which can hardly be automatic and devoid of a managing or controlling power.It is really difficult to rule out the presence of a power behind the scheme of things.

7)Inequality-It is argued that if God is there then why there is so much of inequality and disparity in the world!If God is so benevolent and merciful then why there are accidents and natural calamities taking a heavy toll of lives at regular intervals.If God is omnipotent then why there is poverty.Non-believers often pose these questions so that they can be at an upper end.There is answer to all this.The mundane world is governed by its own laws.Even the gods are not above it.We can take the examples of Ram and Krishna.Though they were incarnations of God yet they had to undergo all the trials and tribulations of life.They were not even spared from death.We will invent aircrafts,fly in it and then blame God for it.Similarly there were less accidents earlier in the absence of trains and vehicles.The way people are moving with speed it is only natural that they should meet with accidents.So man will  reap as he sows.The cycle of creation,continuation and destruction will continue and nobody can stop it.Natural calamities are laws of nature and can hardly be prevented.If everybody becomes rich then nobody will work and the society will come to a standstill.

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The farmer will stop farming,the businessman will stop being engaged in business and the government servant will stop going to the office for his day to day work.Can we imagine such a situation!God has given everybody a body and a brain by means of which he can                                                         

become rich.There are instances of an ordinary person becoming the president of the country and a middle-class man becoming the richest person of the country.So atleast on this ground the existence of God can hardly be challenged.

8)Deep-rooted faith-Whether God exists or not is a question that bothers people in the least as it is more a matter of  a deep-rooted faith than anything else.When Hiranyakashipu,the demon king asked his son Prahallad whether Hari was present in a pillar he answered yes.In anger Hiranyakashipu gave a blow to the pillar with his mace resulting in the appearance of Narasingha,the half man half lion incarnation of Vishnu and killing of the demon king.This also proves the theory that ‘Kan kan men Bhagwan’ or God is present everywhere.Religious texts and scriptures which have had indelible impressions on the minds of the people though they are more philosophical and spiritual than scientific.

9)Miracles-Though science may not accept miracles and rule out them to be based on superstitions yet they have been able to influence people for centuries thereby creating in their minds a sense of deep respect and faith for religion and deities.Throughout the length and breadth of the country there can hardly be a religious place or deity which is not associated with one miracle or the other.A huge stone appearing and protecting the Kedarnath temple from flood,flames burning for centuries without any fuel in the Jwaladevi Shakti Peetha in Himachal Pradesh,monkeys coming out in large numbers to protect a Hanuman temple from being demolished and statues in certain temples sweating in summer are only a few examples forcing science either to remain silent or come out with one explanation or the other.Even in interior and remote areas of the country such miracles have only emboldened people’s faith in God and religion.

10)Ancient sciences-The Vedas and other scriptures have also been analysed from a scientific angle proving the existence of God and unfolding the mystery of the universe.We must not forget that during that period whatever technology was available was deployed by the people.With limited resources the movement of the planets and stars could be studied and accurate astronomical and astrological calculations could be done.God in almost all religions is one,formless and supreme .How could science and its modern developments see and prove him.Even after the invention of the Hubble telescope Pluto is hovering between being a planet and a dwarf planet in the solar system.Knowhow in ancient India has always been an ideal source of inspiration for the Indian and western scholars.

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  Religion is often considered to be the antithesis of science.But this is only in methodology and approach towards things.The religious texts and  scriptures are no doubt spiritual and philosophical but the scientific temper in them when it is required can hardly be overlooked.It is seen that the distance between the sun and earth as mentioned in the                                                                                      

Hanuman Chalisha does not vary much from modern day calculations.It is really commendable keeping in view the technical knowhow available at the time.The Vedas,Upanishads and Puranas written much earlier have tried to probe the existence of God and the mystery of the universe.A quest for knowledge or things unknown can never be sidelined as unscientific.On the other hand the quest of science for the mystery of the universe of course without a God is still on with new theories coming out at regular intervals.The mystery behind the universe is nothing but a power which may be the God particle,gravitational power,dark energy,dark matter or a black hole in the universe or multiverse.Religion has done the job in its own way.Science is doing the same and will continue to do so for all times to come.Science may follow its own system,methodology and approach having been inspired by religion and without considering it it’s antithesis.So in answer to the question”Does God really exist”?it can be said that there is force or power behind everything in the universe without which things will halt within the twinkling of an eye and that force or power can very well be God.What is God for religion is force or power for science.

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By Prafulla Kumar Majhi