The Handiwork-What Is Behind It?

Are you aware that such belief in an impersonal cause parallels much of the Easter religious thinking?  Many Orientals believe that nature came into existence on its own.  This idea is even expressed in the Chinese character for nature, which literally mean "becomes by itself" or "self-existing." Einstein believed that his cosmic religious feeling was well expressed in Buddhism.  Buddha held that it was not important whether a Creator had a hand in bringing forth the universe and humans. Similarly, Shinto provides not explanation of how nature came to be, and Shintoists believe that the gods are spirits of the dead that may assimilate with nature.

Interestingly, such thinking is not far removed from views that were popular in ancient Greece.  The philosopher Epicurus (341-270 B.C.E.) is said to have believe  that 'gods are too remote to do you any more harm than good."  He held that man is a product of nature, probably through spontaneous generation and the natural selection of the fittest. You may sense from this that similar ideas today are my no  means modern. 

Alongside the Epicureans were the Greek Stoics, who gave nature the position of God.  They supposed that when humans die, impersonal energy from them is reabsorbed  into the ocean of energy making up God.  They felt that cooperating with natural laws was the supreme good. Have you heard similar views in our day?

Next time: The Handiwork -What Is Behind It? -Contest Over a Personal God

From the book Is There a Creator That Cares About You?