The Giving Universe?

“You can’t out give the universe” –business writer posting on the internet

  A man said to the universe:

“Sir, I exist!"

“However,” replied the universe,

“The fact has not created in me

“A sense of obligation.”

--Stephen Crane

I’m not sure where the first writer gets her ideas about the universe giving anything.  When I think of the universe, or even a bit closer, nature, I picture an indifferent void.

Does the universe give anything?  Sure, it gives energy, or rather dissipates energy leftover from its creation.  But it is “giving” only because it is radiating ontologically, it can’t do anything else until all that energy is gone.

But there is no motive there; no good will, altruism, generosity.  That’s like thanking a rock one slipped into one’s pocket for good companionship.  Sure, the rock accompanied that person, but only because the rock was kidnapped grabbed. 

Neither does the universe possess malevolence.  It may seem cruel, hurtling life-extinguishing rocks from space, churning up waves from the ocean that fill the lungs of a quarter-of-a-million people and empty the life from them. 

Photo credit: Gisela Giardino (creative commons)

It just is.  Though I would argue it is a creature—one way beyond our comprehension, but still…a creature.

If there is any generosity, any gift-bestowing happening it is coming from the creator of the universe.  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

Neither does wickedness originate with this transcendent author as the Psalmist declares: “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You.”

I suppose the “spiritual, not religious” crowd like to credit the universe for good and bad (though they mostly talk about all the good the universe is doing, not the rising toll of deer-motorist crashes.) 

I don’t know about you, but I like to give credit to people responsible for whatever praise or blameworthy actions they perform.  It’s tough to do that with an airless, soundless void.

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