Parallel universes, the soul and God

**Kevin T Brown** · 12-20-2012, 05:29 PM

In reading this thread, I reminded once again about how much I miss SLIDERS.

**michealdark** · 12-20-2012, 05:35 PM

Or Stargate!

**Patrick Gerard** · 12-20-2012, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by michealdark

Or Stargate!

It's the Fargate. F! It's different from that movie which I have never seen!

**Spiffy** · 12-20-2012, 07:47 PM

I don't think parallel universes exist in the way that people would like them to. They exist kind of as a math/logic problem. For all these new theories in the past few years, ultimately its like Schrödinger's cat. That cat isn't ACTUALLY both alive and dead at the same time. Its a thought experiment--a way to explain a basic idea in terms people will understand. This current talk of parallel universes is like that. People want to take quantum mechanics literally, and that's understandable given the allure of good science fiction. But it probably shouldn't be taken that way.

**Patrick Gerard** · 12-20-2012, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Spiffy

I don't think parallel universes exist in the way that people would like them to. They exist kind of as a math/logic problem. For all these new theories in the past few years, ultimately its like Schrödinger's cat. That cat isn't ACTUALLY both alive and dead at the same time. Its a thought experiment--a way to explain a basic idea in terms people will understand. This current talk of parallel universes is like that. People want to take quantum mechanics literally, and that's understandable given the allure of good science fiction. But it probably shouldn't be taken that way.

Hrm. I think it may be a mistake not to view the physical universe as a mathematical abstraction so, from my vantage, they're equally real. Or rather, abstraction is closer to reality than our artificial notion of reality.

**DungeonMasterJim** · 12-21-2012, 02:48 AM

BTW - a link tothe show I watched about parallel universes:
http://documentarystorm.com/living-parallel-universe/

**ShaunN** · 12-21-2012, 03:02 AM

One comment: your conception of God is very "Christian" (for lack of a better term). I suspect that whatever God is, it's far beyond our ability to conceptualize and it certainly doesn't care whether or not its worshiped. I see God more as a kind of force - I suspect it sets up the rules and then lets things play out as they will.

**Patrick Gerard** · 12-21-2012, 05:15 AM

Originally Posted by ShaunN

One comment: your conception of God is very "Christian" (for lack of a better term). I suspect that whatever God is, it's far beyond our ability to conceptualize and it certainly doesn't care whether or not its worshiped. I see God more as a kind of force - I suspect it sets up the rules and then lets things play out as they will.

That may be but I'm not sure it matches up with the Judeo-Christian God, who is not really capable of sudden surprise.

Psalm 139:13-18
13For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Ephesians 1:3-4
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

Parallel universes actually solve several theological problems.

Including why or how God would need to have a redemption strategy in play before the creation of the earth and original sin (rather than halting original sin), why suffering is allowed to happen (simple: everything is allowed to happen in tandem), and ultimately how free will and determinism can coexist, both of which I think are essential to any attempt at an honest reading of Jewish or Christian doctrine.

Effectively, God would be playing all the possible chess games at once. You're only responsible for the one you actually, personally play. And you are not your other self in terms of accountability.

**ChastMastr** · 12-21-2012, 08:24 AM

I think Boethius (summarized by C.S. Lewis in, I believe, Miracles) did one of the best explanations of how God, time, and free will can interact. (Disclaimer: I am a Christian myself, specifically more of the C.S. Lewis variety, rather than a fundamentalist.) God would most definitely, in my theology, be the creator of all universes/multiverses/etc., and if there are parallel (or alternate) universes, I imagine we'll find out when the time comes.

**restlessnative** · 12-21-2012, 08:37 AM

I think God, and the human soul are both infinite. Trying to measure them in such a way can be problematic as a result.

Lets say you go to the ocean, and fill one hundred glasses then pour about half of the water in each glass into another hundred glasses, and then half of each glass into another two hundred. I think it's something like that. The ocean (God) remains as vast as ever, but the contents of the glasses (the human soul) are no less a part of the ocean by the division. the only difference is our perception of things, and ability to try and measure.