Does the church acknowledge the higgs boson?

Leinsterr

A few people have told me that the church doesn't acknowledge the Higgs boson particle. The Higgs boson particle gives matter mass and basically makes up life (very interesting. I recommend researching it). If the church doesn't "believe", if you will, in the Higgs boson then does that just proves that they are an illogical organisation and their whole belief system is incorrect?

TheChizler

Not sure about that but there's a multitude of other examples that would prove that point.

Leinsterr

TheChizler wrote: »

Not sure about that but there's a multitude of other examples that would prove that point.

I'm just wondering in general.

donegal_man

A Higgs Boson particle walks into a catholic churchA priest walks over to it and says "Hey, you're not allowed in here!" to which the particle replies, "BUT WITHOUT ME, HOW CAN YOU HAVE MASS!"

Thank you and good night

Hotblack Desiato

As a physics graduate who was raised catholic...

*coughs*

I've no f*kin idea why they or any church should acknowledge the existence of any sub-atomic particle. They're not too keen to acknowledge the existence of anything visible through a microscope (or telescope). Not really surprising when their how-to manual was written by shepherds thousands of years ago. If they'd chosen the leading thinkers of their time to contribute, we'd have had something more useful.

Kidchameleon

Why dont you go to your local church and ask?

Procrastastudy

ninja900 wrote: »

As a physics graduate who was raised catholic...

Wasn't there another guy who wasn't bad at the old physics lark and had some interesting views on religion. Oh yeah now I remember.

Undergod

I don't know; seems a rather odd question though. I don't know if they acknowledge the existence of the electron, or the tau neturino, and I don't see why it would come up.

My understanding of the RCC's view on science is "Yeah, that's all grand, keep up the good work; it doesn't actually disprove anything we believe."

magicbastarder

i don't know if the church really keep an official running total of the particles they do acknowledge and those they don't.
but i strongly suspect not. why would they deny its existence?

Benny_Cake

ninja900 wrote: »

As a physics graduate who was raised catholic...

*coughs*

I've no f*kin idea why they or any church should acknowledge the existence of any sub-atomic particle. They're not too keen to acknowledge the existence of anything visible through a microscope (or telescope). Not really surprising when their how-to manual was written by shepherds thousands of years ago. If they'd chosen the leading thinkers of their time to contribute, we'd have had something more useful.

These guys might disagree. An article about the Higgs boson with the views of someone who works there is here. It's a strange question - why wouldn't they acknowledge it?

Leinsterr

Benny_Cake wrote: »

why wouldn't they acknowledge it?

My assumption is based on past teachings of the church. For example, they said that god was in the clouds, but it was discovered that there was things beyond the clouds, then they said he was at the edge of the solar system, but it was discovered that there was a universe, then they said god was at the edge of the universe. It's like as science progresses their belief of what and where is god also changes to suit the time period.

robindch

Benny_Cake wrote: »

It's a strange question - why wouldn't they acknowledge it?

Well, as Leinsterr points out, the church asserts the existence of a wide range of non-existent things -- its own infallibility, its own perfection, its own usefulness etc -- and refuses to acknowledge a bunch of stuff that does -- the worth of alternate points of view, the normality of gay men, its own complicity in the world-wide child abuse scandal and so on.

The church's ongoing problem is its strong and persistent disconnection from reality.

riffmongous

Leinsterr wrote: »

My assumption is based on past teachings of the church. For example, they said that god was in the clouds, but it was discovered that there was things beyond the clouds, then they said he was at the edge of the solar system, but it was discovered that there was a universe, then they said god was at the edge of the universe. It's like as science progresses their belief of what and where is god also changes to suit the time period.

But doesn't that make them more likely to acknowledge it?

Dades

Procrastastudy wrote: »

Wasn't there another guy who wasn't bad at the old physics lark and had some interesting views on religion. Oh yeah now I remember.

This post confuses me. Do you mind me asking your point?

Geomy

robindch wrote: »

Well, as Leinsterr points out, the church asserts the existence of a wide range of non-existent things -- its own infallibility, its own perfection, its own usefulness etc -- and refuses to acknowledge a bunch of stuff that does -- the worth of alternate points of view, the normality of gay men, its own complicity in the world-wide child abuse scandal and so on.

The church's ongoing problem is its strong and persistent disconnection from reality.

Which church are you referring to ?
The Caths,Lutherans,Independent Christian Groups....

Can you elaborate more ?

Hotblack Desiato

Procrastastudy wrote: »

Wasn't there another guy who wasn't bad at the old physics lark and had some interesting views on religion. Oh yeah now I remember.

Cue out of context 'God does not play dice with the universe' quotes.

Einstein was not a theist in the sense that any christian or jew would recognise.

Peregrinus

Leinsterr wrote: »

A few people have told me that the church doesn't acknowledge the Higgs boson particle . . . .

Leinsterr wrote: »

My assumption is based on past teachings of the church. For example, they said that god was in the clouds, but it was discovered that there was things beyond the clouds, then they said he was at the edge of the solar system, but it was discovered that there was a universe, then they said god was at the edge of the universe . . .

The voices in your head are not your friends, Leinsterr. You should stop listening to what they say because what they say is not, in fact, true. What you describe as "past teachings of the church" are not things ever taught by the church, and what "a few people" have told you about the Church and the Higgs Boson particle is, to put it charitably, nonsense.

im invisible

^A voice of reason spoke from the clouds...

edit: 4000 posts, yeah!

Brian Shanahan

Leinsterr wrote: »

If the church doesn't "believe", if you will, in the Higgs boson then does that just proves that they are an illogical organisation and their whole belief system is incorrect?

I don't believe in the Higgs boson either, for what it's worth.

I know what you are trying to say here but believe is totally the wrong word. You see, you believe in god, you accept the observed and repeatable evidence for the Higg's boson.

Belief is only necessary when you hold a position that does not have sufficient evidence to assert its reality, therefore god is an idea needing belief, where things like Higg's boson, evolution and chairs are not.

aidan24326

Leinsterr wrote: »

A few people have told me that the church doesn't acknowledge the Higgs boson particle. The Higgs boson particle gives matter mass and basically makes up life (very interesting. I recommend researching it). If the church doesn't "believe", if you will, in the Higgs boson then does that just proves that they are an illogical organisation and their whole belief system is incorrect?

Really not sure where you're going with this. The Church don't, and could not, have anything useful to say about something that falls way outside their scope. They can say they don't 'believe' in it but really who cares. They haven't the vaguest notion of what they're talking about and their opinion on this is worth precisely the same as mine. Nothing. They should stick to what they're good at, which is, em, I'm not sure, I'll come back with a list......

granturismo

Is the higgs boson particle not a theory that explains how the universe was created. Creating the earth in 6 days was another theory used at one time.

Why should a church publicly acknowledge every scientific theory?

Dades

granturismo wrote: »

Is the higgs boson particle not a theory that explains how the universe was created.

It does nothing of the sort. The only reason people talk about it in reference to religion is because (or so I read somewhere) some book editor insisted it be called the "God Particle" for dramatic effect.

See here and here.

granturismo

If the higgs boson particle is a theory and the OP states it 'gives matter mass and basically makes up life'. Creating the earth in 6 days was another theory used at one time that kept most people happy for a few thousand years.

Why should a church publicly acknowledge every scientific theory?

oldrnwisr

granturismo wrote: »

Is the higgs boson particle not a theory that explains how the universe was created.

No, not at all.

The Higgs boson is an excitation in the Higgs field, just as an electron is an excitation in the electromagnetic field.

It is the last piece of the standard model to be experimentally verified.



AFAIK, it is not really the particle itself which is such an important discovery but rather that the particle confirms the existence of the Higgs field which is crucial to explaining certain aspects of the standard model such as the weak nuclear force (i.e. why it is so weak).

It has nothing to do with cosmogony as such other than furthering our understanding of the physics which underpin our universe.

If you want to learn more here's a nice summary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTNQOShuvoQ

P.S. Or you could ask Morbert. He could explain this far better than I could.

PopePalpatine

aidan24326 wrote: »

Really not sure where you're going with this. The Church don't, and could not, have anything useful to say about something that falls way outside their scope. [...] They haven't the vaguest notion of what they're talking about and their opinion on this is worth precisely the same as mine. Nothing. They should stick to what they're good at, which is, em, I'm not sure, I'll come back with a list......

That doesn't stop them from interfering in our sex lives. :rolleyes:

magicbastarder

i dunno about you, but i've never been interrupted mid-coitus by a priest.

Turtwig

The Higgs Boson was originally intended to be referred to as the 'Goddamn Particle' because it was so annoying and illusive but fearful of offending fundies in the U.S the publishers of the book changed the title to "God Particle" and that's how all the misunderstandings and misconceptions about it have emerged.