Thankful Thursday - Reasons to Believe

18(!) years ago right before Thanksgiving my senior year in high school, my physics teacher Mr. Norrick passed out little slips of paper.  He said that when the topic around the Thanksgiving table turned to things to be thankful for, we could contribute what was on our little slip of paper. Different students had different reasons, and we read some aloud in class. Here's an example:

I'm thankful for the size of the galaxy. If it had been too large, the infusion of gas and stars would disturb sun’s orbit and ignite too many galactic eruptions. If it had been too small, there would be insufficient infusion of gas to sustain star formation for long enough time.

It was a very science-y thing to be thankful for!

Mr. Norrick is a Christian, and this was a subtle way for him to demonstrate that a thinking, intelligent, physics-minded person could believe in a Creator.  How could our world or our lives be accidental? 

I kept that slip of paper on my bulletin board for years.  I didn't realize until I reached out to Mr. Norrick on Facebook around Thanksgiving this year that there are 154 such reasons to believe.

I decided in my gratitude journal today to write some of them (but an abbreviated form. It's easier on this blog to copy and paste than in my journal). 

Almighty God, I am in awe of the world You spoke into existence. Thank you for:

42,624. galaxy type

• if too elliptical: star formation would cease before sufficient heavy element build-up for life chemistry
• if too irregular: radiation exposure on occasion would be too severe and heavy elements for life chemistry would not be available

42,625. supernovae eruptions

• if too close: life on the planet would be exterminated by radiation
• if too far: not enough heavy element ashes would exist for the formation of rocky planets
• if too infrequent: not enough heavy element ashes present for the formation of rocky planets
• if too frequent: life on the planet would be exterminated
• if too soon: heavy element ashes would be too dispersed for the formation of rocky planets at an early enough time in cosmic history
• if too late: life on the planet would be exterminated by radiation

42,626. z-axis heights of star’s orbit

• if more than one: tidal interactions would disrupt planetary orbit of life support planet
• if less than one: heat produced would be insufficient for life

42,627. parent star color

• if redder: photosynthetic response would be insufficient
• if bluer: photosynthetic response would be insufficient

42,628. distance from parent star

• if farther: planet would be too cool for a stable water cycle
• if closer: planet would be too warm for a stable water cycle

42,629. rotation period

• if longer: diurnal temperature differences would be too great
• if shorter: atmospheric wind velocities would be too great

42,630. ratio of 40K, 235,238U, 232Th to iron for the planet

• if too low: inadequate levels of plate tectonic and volcanic activity
• if too high: radiation, earthquakes, and volcanoes at levels too high for advanced life

I'll be the first to admit that these are way over my head. I've never had much of an aptitude for science, but I appreciate the work of intellectual scientists who have seen enough evidence to choose to be Christians. As I learn more, my sense of wonder increases.

(Photo by Alex Andrews from Pexels)