The more I read, the more I became amazed by the order of the universe and the disorder of the human mind, by the scientists who disagreed about the how, when or why of creation.
One day this student brought me Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. When I read Kant, I began to suspect everything I was being taught. I no longer believed in the known God of the Bible, but rather in the mysterious God manifested in nature.
The basic laws of the universe are simple, but because our senses are limited, we cannot comprehend them. There is a pattern in creation.
When we look at this tree outside whose roots search for water beneath the sidewalk, or at a flower that sends its sweet scent to the pollinating bees, or even to ourselves and the inner forces that move us to action, we can see that we all dance to a mysterious tune, and the piper who plays this melody from an unfathomable distance – whatever name we give him – Creative Power or God – escapes all book knowledge.
Science is never finished, because the human mind uses only a small part of its capacity, and man’s exploration of the world is also limited.
Creation may be of spiritual origin, but that does not mean that everything created is spiritual. How can I explain such things to you? Let’s accept that the world is a mystery. Nature is neither exclusively material nor entirely spiritual.
Man is also more than flesh and blood; otherwise no religions would have been possible. Behind every cause there is another cause; the end or beginning of all causes has yet to be found.
Yet only one thing must be kept in mind: there is no effect without a cause, and there is no lawlessness in creation.
If I did not have absolute faith in the harmony of creation, I would not have attempted to express it in a mathematical formula for thirty years. Only man’s consciousness of what he does with his mind raises him above the animals and enables him to become aware of himself and his relationship to the universe.
Man has infinite dimensions and finds God in his conscience. [A cosmic religion] has no other dogma than to teach man that the universe is rational and that his highest destiny is to think about it and co-create with its laws.
I like to experience the universe as one harmonious whole. Every cell has life. Matter also has life; it is energy solidified. Our bodies are like prisons and I look forward to being free, but I don’t speculate about what will happen to me.
I live here now and my responsibility now lies in this world. I am concerned with the laws of nature. This is my work here on earth.
The world needs new moral impulses which, I fear, will not come from the churches, which are deeply compromised as they have been throughout the centuries.
Perhaps those impulses should come from scientists in the tradition of Galileo, Kepler and Newton. Despite failure and persecution, these men dedicated their lives to proving that the universe is a single entity in which, in my opinion, a humanized God has no place.
The true scientist is not moved by praise or blame, nor does he preach. He reveals the universe and the people come eagerly, without being pushed, to behold a new revelation: the order, the harmony, the greatness of creation!
And as man becomes aware of the amazing laws that govern the universe in perfect harmony, he begins to realize how small he is. He sees the pettiness of human existence, with its ambitions and intrigues, its credo of ‘I am better than you’.
This is the beginning of the cosmic religion in him; community and human service become his moral code. Without such moral foundations we are hopelessly doomed.
If we want to improve the world, we cannot do so with scientific knowledge, but with ideals. Confucius, Buddha, Jesus and Gandhi have done more for humanity than science.
We must start with the heart of man – with his conscience – and the values of conscience can only be expressed through selfless service to humanity.
Religion and science go together. As I have said before, science without religion is weak and religion without science is blind. They are interdependent and have a common goal: the search for the truth.
Therefore, it is absurd for religion to ban Galileo, Darwin or other scientists. And it is just as absurd for scientists to say that there is no God. The true scientist has faith, which does not mean subscribing to a creed.
Without religion there is no charity. The soul given to each of us is moved by the same living spirit that moves the universe.
I am not a mystic. Trying to figure out the laws of nature has nothing to do with mysticism, although I feel very humbled towards creation. It is as if a mind is infinitely superior to the mind of man. Through my research in science I have known cosmic religious feelings. But I don’t mind being called a mystic.
I believe that we don’t have to worry about what happens after this life, as long as we do our duty here: to love and serve.
I have faith in the universe because it is rational. Law underlies every event. And I have faith in my purpose here on earth. I have faith in my intuition, the language of my conscience, but I have no faith in speculation about heaven and hell. I am concerned about this time, here and now.
Many people think that the progress of the human race is based on experiences of an empirical, critical nature, but I say that true knowledge can only be obtained through a philosophy of deduction. Because it is intuition that improves the world, and not just following a well-trodden path of thought.
Intuition causes us to look at unrelated facts and then think about them until they can all be brought under one law. Looking for related facts means sticking with what you have, rather than looking for new facts.
Intuition is the father of new knowledge, while empiricism is nothing but an accumulation of old knowledge. Intuition, not intellect, is the ‘open sesame’ of yourself.
Indeed, it is not the intellect, but intuition that moves humanity forward. Intuition tells man his purpose in this life.
I don’t need any promise of eternity to be happy. My eternity is now. I have only one interest: to fulfill my purpose here where I am.
This goal was not given to me by my parents or those around me. It is caused by some unknown factors. These factors make me part of eternity.”