How Religion Misinterprets Natural Wonder

How Religion Misinterprets Natural Wonder

Religious believers often look at nature with awe and think that it is God’s work.
They think this is a proof of God.

I think that what they are seeing, is not God, but their OWN connection to the natural world, they are seeing a reflection of themselves… Not God

I am talking about those times when you see something in nature and you are left almost breathless… when you are stunned by the amazing beauty of an animal or part of nature.

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When you see a bird, or an animal… or an insect, a flower or plant… or any part of nature that hits you hard with a speechless feeling of amazement.

For me, when I’m astounded by the beauty and wondrous features of life, I have had the thought that I am deeply affected because of my own deep connection to nature – because the essence of what I am looking at is in my own nature, at the center of my own being.

Stepping back a moment from that experience, I realize that my existence has grown out of the same process and the same set of forces that created the thing I am looking at and experiencing.

When I am struck by the beauty of a bird or flower for example, I am seeing a reflection of the whole process of nature – a process that I am part of as well.

However, a religious believer looks at this as God. They see it as God’s creation, God’s genius, or God’s love and creation.

What religious people are responding to, at least the way I see it, is the deep feeling of connection… This feeling of connection can go to our very core, because it comes from our very core.

However, this is a feeling. This is a feeling that can be explained in other logical ways without having to resort to an illogical God.

That is the leap that the faithful make – they see God in nature, versus atheists and agnostics like myself who still feel the reverence and beauty of nature, without a need for God to explain it.

Natural laws describe nature perfectly well without resorting supernatural forces – and evolution is so profound because it shows this connection between ourselves and the natural world in a logical and rational way.

It provides an explanation of how we are all part of the same fabric of nature… how we all developed from the same source.

We are not alien from nature or separated from it… we are all evolved from it and carry the whole history of nature within us.

The idea of God doesn’t explain anything about nature… but evolution explains nearly everything.

Deep feelings that surge up inside call to us for answers – and the answers that believers in religion come up with are motivated by those deep feelings.

However those feelings can be explained much better by evolution, than by the idea of God.

If you don’t understand or know about evolution, it is understandable that you would accept religious ideas, because religion pretends to answer those questions. However, it does not.

What confuses many people about evolution is that they have the wrong idea that evolution means chance.

What they also misunderstand is that one of the key elements in evolution is time… vast periods of time. They think of chance, and leaps of sudden changes… and this is a misunderstanding.

The idea that evolution is chance and that our connection to nature is because of God, I think is a misunderstanding.

Once you understand evolution, you understand nature. God explains nothing about nature, but gives a superficial answer to the emotions we sometimes feel when experiencing nature.

Even though we may rationally understand nature through evolution… we still can experience that feeling of awe and wonder as we get a glimpse into our deep connection with it.

So, to summarize – when we look at nature and feel that profound sense of beauty and connection… I believe we are resonating with our own deep source in common with nature.

Religion misinterprets this feeling as seeing God’s work… but I think we are feeling our own roots from millions of years of evolution.

Thanks for listening!

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I hope you come back and watch more of my videos, and open up your mind…
Till next time… this is Alex Aldrin – The Thinker
keep learning and thinking! and stay out of trouble!