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I expect He'd be proud.

This post is the healthiest religiously minded approach to science that I've read yet. It doesn't hurt that reading the last line made me giggle like a school girl. The thought of a deity proud of those that work their hardest to find as much as they can about the world, while that deity's followers attempt to persecute the seekers of knowledge is ironic and comical.

Actually, this reminds me of a Terry Pratchett novel from long ago entitled: Strata. (Not an Amazon.com link referral, I swear!)

If you haven't read it, I highly suggest it, particularly if you are a fan of Mr. Pratchett's books, as this is from long before he began writing discworld novels, but you see how he develops the ideas for his later books. Regardless, on to the point...

Minor spoiler warning:

In the book, the human race has advanced to the point where they can create planets using technology left around from the construction of earth by a race known as the Spindlers. They go through all of the effort of building planets and giving them a large fossil record so that people can explore for thousands of years after the founders have died and the societies that grow around them no longer believe (or even think) that they were brought there from earth.

(ROT13 encoded big spoiler follows):

Gur zbfg vagrerfgvat naq sha cneg bs gur fgbel pbzrf ng gur raq bs gur obbx, jura gur znva punenpgre qvfpbiref gung gur rnegu jnfa'g perngrq ol gur Fcvaqyref, naq abe jnf nalguvat ryfr va gurve havirefr. Fur qvfpbiref gung gurer jrer fbzr perngbef gung perngrq n zlgubybtl sbe na ragver havirefr, naq bayl nobhg 20,000 lrnef orsber guvf punenpgre yvirq.

So you never know, maybe it is all just planted evidence by someone/Someone. But, if it is, doesn't that just make it even more wonderful to uncover? You would think that this philosophy would be perfect for those with strong religious beliefs, as it lets them retain those beliefs, and still function/excel in the scientifically based world of today and the years Beyond 2000.

Okay, this is more general science than just physics, but for those who want to learn in the fun way, try The Science of Discworld, by Terry Pratchett. It sounds light, but the concepts, though skimmed over (appropriate for a book that tackles many branches of science), are well thought out.

More information about Terry Pratchett and his works can be found at

... terrypratchettbooks.com