During EVA:
"Stars and Milky Way appeared to them like an epiphany, frosty, regal." (p. 316)
Ruszek has trouble believing that "'That monster...,'" the black hole, appears only "'...as a vague glimmer...'" (p. 316) but then comments that "'...God has a sense of humor.'" (ibid.)
When Dayan questions divine benevolence because:
"'Life, the universe, can be dreadful.'" (p. 317)
- Ruszek responds:
"'Practical jokes, maybe.'" (ibid.)
Surely not? If I believed that the universe had been designed, then I would not regard its dreadful aspect as any kind of joke.
Even the Buddhists that I know speak of reality as compassionate despite not being theists. But where is compassion except in some conscious beings? Nature is neutral, feeding and killing good and bad alike.
Kaor, Paul!
ReplyDeleteI agree, "nature" as such, is neutral, unaware. Only conscious beings can know good or evil.
And I recalled how, at the very end of OPERATION CHAOS, Steven Matuchek stated how he believed God likes to laugh!
Ad astra! Sean