God particle discovery inspires church of the future

Aug. 3, 2012 - PRLog -- The recent 'discovery' of the “God Particle” — believed by scientists to bind the universe together — has given rise to what could be Britain's newest religion.

Plans for the foundation of a “universal church” come just weeks after physicists announced that they had finally 'found' the elusive particle, which gives atoms their mass, after a 45-year search.

According to The Universal Church of Almighty God, the finding of a Higgs-like particle at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland represents a “turning point for humanity” and a “wake-up call” for spiritual unity.

The church’s founder, author and philosopher Steven Colborne, says that he was inspired to found a new “all-embracing” religion because of the impact that the Higgs discovery is likely to have on the world.

Colborne, who has spent most of his life exploring different Eastern and Western spiritual traditions, said: “The focus of the church will be to celebrate the things that define and unite humanity.

“The discovery of the Higgs opens the door to a new world of science and a revolution in technology that has the potential to usher in a new era of travel into deep space.

“I believe it is highly likely that the future of God's plan for humanity will not confine us to Earth, but will involve settling on other planets and interacting with alien races.

“Only by creating a united humanity will we be ready for the challenge of encountering other races in the universe and only by working together can we hope to achieve humanity's highest potential.”

The Higgs boson — a theoretical elementary particle named after Professor Peter Higgs, one of a group of scientists who first proposed its existence back in 1964 — has been dubbed the “God particle” because of its central role in our understanding of the universe.

According to physicists, the Higgs is the missing link in the Standard Model — the theory that describes the basic building blocks of everything.

Its existence explains why particles such as protons, electrons and neutrons have mass. Without the boson to clump particles together, scientists believe there would be no physical matter, just energy.

Though more research is needed to confirm if the new particle announced at CERN last month is indeed the 'Standard Model Higgs' or something more exotic, news of the find has once again ignited the fierce debate between science and religion over the existence of God.

American theoretical physicist Lawrence M. Krauss argues that the discovery of the Higgs boson is a “giant step toward replacing metaphysical speculation with empirically verifiable knowledge” and “posits a new story of our creation” without the need for God.

On the other side of the fence are those such as Vatican astronomer Guy Consolmagno, who says that the fundamental laws of the universe express “the personality” of God and “are a constant reminder that reality is bigger than our day-to-day lives”.

Oxfordshire-based Colborne, author of new autobiographical spirituality book The Philosophy of a Mad Man, believes that the Higgs discovery will contribute to technological advancement but “does nothing” to make the case for the existence of God “any less credible”.

The writer, who says that in recent years he has developed a “clear and simple philosophy” that “unveils the true nature of God”, said: “Wherever there is activity in the universe there is always the question of why?

“Why is my heart beating, why are my thoughts arising, why does matter exist, why does anything exist at all and so on. God is the answer to these questions.

“Scientific discoveries are part of a cosmic unfolding that represents God’s will being expressed through creation.  It is obvious to me that nothing at all would happen if God wasn’t actively doing it — God is alive right now and in control of everything that happens.”

Colborne, 30, believes this outlook is ideal for the new church he envisions.

He added: “The fact that there is one God in control of the cosmos gives us a guiding principle that has the potential to unite not only the people of Earth, but all beings in the universe.

“Now is the time for a forward-thinking church that helps us set aside religious differences and focus on the future and the truth — an enlightened church for the 21st century.”

Colborne is currently seeking volunteers to have a role in the development of The Universal Church of Almighty God. He can be contacted via his website at www.perfectchaos.org.

The Philosophy of a Mad Man (SilverWood Books) is available now in print, priced £8.99, and as an eBook, priced £3.99.
ENDS