What are the answers to the questions, “Is the universe unlimited?” or, “Does God exist”?
Depending on which camp you belong to or what side you have chosen, you may answer these questions swiftly with a simple “yes” or “no.” Doctrine leaders from one side or the other will try to convince you of “correct” answer to these questions based on their individual beliefs. And, if you believe differently from someone else, there is chance that you will try to change their minds in the same manner that they may use while trying to sway you into their own way of thinking.
But there is only one answer to both of these questions:
“We do not know.”
And ... we will never know. This is the only answer we can give to these questions and there will be no other.
In order to properly and completely examine is our universe infinite in its size, we would somehow need to explore all unlimited points of its space, the points after, beyond and within those points, and any other angle we could consider, and beyond those angles.
This is a simple and logical statement that equates to — “We cannot know."
Finite minds cannot comprehend infinity except trough an abstraction, and abstraction is just a construct that does not tell us anything about true nature of the reality.
On the subject of God, there is no way that we can do an experiment which will show us whether God exists or not. By “God” in this case I mean some almighty intelligence that oversees everything.
Let me explain this a bit more.
Imagine that our world is a computer program or a video game (similar to The Matrix). There is no need to go into the hardware and software specs of such a simulation, just imagine. Now imagine that you are character in that game. The game has an internal logic, space, time, the laws of physics, and everything else that our world possesses. When viewed from the inside of the game, everything looks real, but from the outside, these characters are just bits and bytes (zeros and ones) of the computer application. From the outside, it is just a computer running a simulation, controlled with maybe some kind of overseer. If the game pauses from the outside, you will not fill anything, since the internal clock of the game and everything in it will also freeze. If game resumes, again no one in the game will have any knowledge that any break ever happened. Even if “programmer” rearranges entire world no one will notice as he also has ability to rearrange their memories as well. Even if our world suddenly ceased to exist, no one would be aware. There would be no pain or suffering; there would be nothing but a sudden void (“void” is not even a clear enough term to describe the state of nothingness that would exist). In the same way as a video game, the characters are aware only of other characters and objects in the game; they do not have (and there is no possible way that they can have) any awareness of the circuitry of their “computer”, or the user or world beyond the simulation inside of that computer, unless there is something deliberately programmed into the game — to make the perception or communication between those two worlds possible. Even if the God would reveled himself, the character would never be sure are they really communicating with the creator, or perhaps being worked over by some super intelligent aliens, or even some fellow game characters who were playing an elaborate prank.
Naturally, if you were a character in the game just described, you would think that there was some possible way to create an experiment that would tell you definitively whether you were part of a simulation. Everything would depend upon how sloppy the developers of that simulation were, and whether they were willing to show you a structure of the world they had created. You would always have to consider, however, that they could endlessly fool with you. For instance, at the same time that you invent the electron microscope, they could pause the world (game) and build in an additional procedure which would obfuscate what you would see every time you look into microscopes lens.
Now, is this logical proof that God exists? No, it is not.
Even while reading these lines your brain still wants to fill void with a definitive answer. It just wants to end the discussion, and conclude that the answer is either “yes” or “no.” One thing that is scarier for our brains than the vast amount of knowledge we are forced to learn is a void. Our brains simply do not like unanswerable questions, or the unknown. Every time the mind does not know something, it will reach for one of two strategies: either it will try to search for knowledge, or it will invent one by combining available existing data inside of the brain.
Both Deepak Chopra and Richard Dawkins know that there is no answer on those questions, and they are using it to their own advantage; they are, quite simply, very skilled at separating you from your money and your time. They both have a large public following from both sides (those who are either for or against their point of view). Video clips, movies, stories, books, and/or posts… an immense number of discussions which only exists to entertain you, and make a huge pile of money for them. But, you will never find the answer, at least not the truthful answer; even with technological progress, you will not get smarter in your ability to answer those two questions.
Wait, wait, wait a minute, you’re thinking ... this has to be wrong!
New technology brings more answers, not less, doesn’t it?!
The issue is that with technological progress, it will become increasingly difficult to distinguish the truth from lies. Video and photo editing is already so advanced that manipulation is used on a daily bases, and it is very hard to determine what is real or fake.*1 If we continue going in the same direction, we could one day have flying angel holograms, or other similar thing that will only exist in order to manipulate and numb the masses of unsatisfied, poor and unprivileged people. These are nothing but technologically supported “magic tricks” and “miracles” in order to fool the masses so that the top 1% will stay in power; it is an ultimate tool of a corrupt establishment.
A few thousand years ago, people were prone to believe in talking burning bushes. Ask yourself what would happen if they could see the hologram projection of a 20-meter man in the air?
I am not saying we should forget about these types of universal questions; these questions are, in fact, immensely important from another perspective, namely, they make us wonder and explore. They make us strive towards infinity. They are like the carrot on the stick for us.
Also, if you believe that there is an overseer in our universe, you should continue; just remember that the only point of believing in this type of deity is to be good and kind toward other beings.
Universe's infinity represents the infinity of the space and time. Following the same principle, God is our representation of infinity, infinity of wisdom and kindness.
You can get closer to this infinity only by learning more, and expressing your kindness more frequently and freely. This is similar as in sports; if you want to prove that you are skilled athlete, you have to practice and then demonstrate those skills. The point is not to compete against or be better than someone else, but to become a better version of yourself — every day a bit better than the person you were a day before.
If there is any verse or teaching which says you should do harm to other living beings, you should consider that you have been manipulated by a malicious people for their own benefit or profit. It is easy to find many excuses for violence, but sooner or later you will find out you are moving in the wrong direction.
The same principle applies to science or beliefs. To be more knowledgeable, it is not enough to say, “I am an atheist,” or, “I believe in science.” These statements alone do not mean anything. You have to do it, you have to learn and practice. Declaring yourself to be an atheist will not suddenly give you extra brain mass, or a higher IQ, or additional knowledge. To gain knowledge you have to work for it, and until we invent that skill-uploading device from The Matrix, and you will need to work hard in the old fashioned way.
The same principle also applies to spirituality. It is not enough to say, “I am a Christian,” (or Muslim, or Buddhist, or something else), attend religious services, bow a few times, and think that will be enough. If you are already into this type of practice, you are there because your inner self thinks that you can be a better person. In order to become better person, there is only one way; you have to practice being a better person. You have to express it by good deeds, and not by empty words. You have to help those in need, regardless of them being humans, animals, insects, plants or some other beings.
Regarding the two questions from the beginning of this article, I have proposition. Why not stop wasting our time by watching, preaching, commenting, reading, and/or buying books on these subjects and wondering whether infinity exists, and actually do something more useful, something that will help all the characters with whom you are stuck inside of the same game?
“Choose your type of infinity and start going toward it.”
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