How did this Universe come into being?
“Life is but a momentary glimpse of the wonder of this astonishing universe, and it is sad to see so many dreaming it away on spiritual fantasy.”- Carl Sagan
Religion is a bottleneck for Universal Knowledge
The universe itself, our existence in it, and our ability to comprehend it, are far greater and more powerful wonders than any religion can concoct.
To offer religious (i.e., supernatural) explanations to these wonders is to belittle and diminish these breathtaking phenomena.
Religion (the superstitious element of it in particular) is dangerous, since it requires uncritical acceptance of spurious beliefs without any evidence or compelling logical reasoning, or, indeed, in the face of evidence to the contrary. Religions are not open to challenge the same way science is -- religion is, indeed, anathema to scientific inquiry. To name something as religion of the universe would thus mean rejection of the study of it.
What major religions say about the universe?
1. Hinduism
Bhagavad-Gita Quote: (Sanskrit) sutah uvaca -- Suta said; jagrihe -- accepted; paurusham -- plenary portion as the purusha incarnation; rupam -- form; bhagavan -- the Personality of Godhead; mahat-adibhih -- with the ingredients of the material world; sambhutam -- thus there was the creation of; shodasa-kalam -- sixteen primary principles; adau -- in the beginning; loka -- the universes; sisrikshaya -- on the intention of creating.
a. Translation
Suta said: In the beginning of the creation, the Lord first expanded Himself in the universal form of the purusha incarnation and manifested all the ingredients for the material creation. And thus at first there was the creation of the sixteen principles of material action. This was for the purpose of creating the material universe.
2. Christianity
Bible (Exodus 20:11): Scripture also addresses the age of the universe. The Bible teaches that the entire universe was created in six days. We know from the genealogies and other events recorded in Scripture that this creation happened about 6,000 years ago.
3. Islam
[Quran 7.54] And your Lord, Allah, who created the Heavens and the Earth in six days and then settled on the Throne...
Rational & Scientific view:
Funniest of all most of the religions completely negate scientific fossil based carbon dating and say that the universe is only 5,000 to 6,000 years old! ,where as latest fossil dating on the oldest fossils and astronomical dating by NASA has revealed that universe may be 13.75 ± 0.11 billion years.
Read more about fossil based dating here: http://www.actionbioscience.org/evolution/benton.html here: http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/resources.htm and here: http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_age.html
Imagine now where do we fit the dinosaur age in this, there is no place for dinosaurs in this religious context now!, they cannot simply exist!, its too short time span! :)
So what’s my point?
My point is all religions are baseless! they stem out of one or the other holy book and the doctrine of religions or religious beliefs which were necessary few thousand years back --> to answer questions from people; for ex: how old is the universe, then you say oh I know that its 6,000 years old!, or may be or may be not! Okay... There you go your answer! and please record that in this (holy) book so that the next generation will know that!
Wait a second, there was no science of fossil based dating then, Hmm…
Science and its discoveries have already made way too many advances to understand things around us, and unfortunately, the lies in those books are wide open and are up for scrutiny suddenly, and worst part of it major religious faith’s around the world are based on those books. I don't have problems with Morales in them my problems lie with preachings!
Now how would you handle this question?
Now what will you answer your kid if he/she asks you if the universe is 6000 years old according to the holy book or 13.75 ± 0.11 billion years old according to geological/astronomy records, as they progress towards higher education?
If you are a believer in a religion can you really answer?, or will you maintain a different stance saying I must tell partial truth?
Wait, I don’t want to shake the foundation, may be that religious faith is needed until we are really sure that every one of those believers can sustain collapse of the religious faith foundation, largely with their self-beliefs in themselves, and automatic compassion, concern towards their fellow human beings and other creatures on this planet.