Why did the Big Bang Theory Irritate Einstein?

I friend of mine recently let me borrow a book that is now out of print: “God And The Astronomers” by Robert Jastrow, an agnostic astronomer (someone who believes that there may be a God but can never know that for sure, and if said God does exist, you can never know him), who came to realize his own dilemma as a result of science proving that the universe had a beginning and is expanding. Listen to how Dr. Jastrow put it himself:

In his book (first edition, 1978), he cites why Einstein was troubled by the discovery that the universe had a beginning and was expanding (pgs. 23-29). In a letter to a fellow scientist, Willem de Sitter, Einstein said, “This circumstance [of an expanding universe] irritates me . . . to admit such possibilities seems senseless.” For some time Einstein resisted the discoveries. Here’s why:

  1. Einstein’s “static universe” theory was now inconsistent with science.
  2. An expanding universe implies a beginning.
  3. A universe that had a beginning implies some other force outside of it.
  4. If not God, then what? If the “What?”, then the evidence blew up in the Big Bang.
  5. If all we now have is the result of the Big Bang, then that’s all we have – residual, left-over evidence.
  6. If what we have is better explained by an intelligent designer, than random collision, then . . .
  7. And there you have it.

In another clip, Dr. Jastrow said this:

 

I just had a thought: the means of posting this, writing these words, thinking, reading, using my HP laptop with WiFi connection, pulling these video clips from YouTube, all of this and more, was not by chance. It would take more faith to believe in chance than to believe that intelligent, intentional, purposeful persons created all the hardware to produce this post (leave me out of that equation:). There is not a chance in 100 million trillion years that I could be writing these words in a digital format and sent to you through digital coding apart from Intelligent People who created the mapping of digital communication and images. Therefore, I don’t just choose to believe in a Creator by default, rather, there is a necessity upon my conscience that is irresistibly true:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made . . . and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” – John 1:1-3, 14.

 

“All At Once”

 

From one of my most favorite musicians of the Christian Faith, Phil Keaggy does his album cover song, All At Once. 

Here are the lyrics with my explanation in italics. May this song cause you to either turn to Christ for salvation, or if you already have, let these words remind you of the great hope that you already have.

when you took away the burden (of sin and its horrible consequences)

to a place that we could never go (the cross)

and when you see the pain and hurting (in the body of Jesus that was absorbed for you)

that we will never have to know (Christ has become my substitute)

how do you look at that (what will you do with the crucified Son of God?)

chorus 

all at once it breaks the heart (The Spirit opens the eyes of the heart to see your need of the Savior)

puts in back together stronger than it was (raised to walk a new life in Christ)

yea it does what it does (the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes)

all at once (to be made right with God is instant life from the dead)

 

it interrupts our situation (the gospel is a great truth to be reckoned with)

invades your point of view (the gospel crushes your hope and pride in good works)

what to do with the information (how will you respond to the gospel that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures)

oh what is happening to you (it’s the Spirit of Christ raising you up from being dead in sin)

how do you deal with that (what will you do with the Crucified Son of God?)     

chorus

 

look upon the body broken (look at your Salvation hanging on the cross)

see the healing in yourself (Christ was broken so that your soul could find rest)

when at once the words are spoken (by faith in the finished work of Christ, “you’re forgiven of all your sins”)

you know you’ve been made well (like the leper, the prostitute, and the beggar)

what do you take from that (what will you do with the Crucified Son of God?)       

chorus