Spotlight on South

Micheal Zimmermann, guest columnist

In mainstream society, we often approach science and religion through separate ways of thinking. If we attempt to solve the mystery of the creation of our origin through both lenses of religion and science, we will find parallels between the two. In order to solve the mystery, we must use our imagination in order for the universe to provide us an explanation.

The belief in science and the belief in religion are not two separate doctrines. They are both brainchildren of generations of followers who all wanted to answer the same essential question of our existence. How did we get here? Religion can explain our origins with the simple creation of a supreme being that rules over all. We use our imagination to allow for a convenient miracle to explain the chain of events that follow.

Science can explain our evolution in accordance with the basic laws of the universe. We can retroactively trace our steps from today all the way back to the beginning. However, commonly known scientific narratives do not explain what came before the Big Bang. The common narrative cannot explain how that matter got there.

Before the formation of the singularity, what was all of the matter in the universe doing? Who put the matter there? How was matter created from nothing? What created the singularity? Religion is not exempt from these vagaries either. How is God existent before anything else? How does a Being live for infinity?

These are all questions that science and religion do not answer, and yet, many cultures are willing to use their imagination to provide themselves with answers that haven’t been confirmed. Science and religion are not as far apart as many societies think. Whether we approach how our creation occurred from a scientific or religious view, there is a moment that we all must gloss over. No matter which angle we approach, the answer as to where our origins came about always seem to require a small moment where all must take a leap.