God is NOT the Higgs Boson “God Particle”

By John Graham

July 7th, 2012

As depicted in the Horsey-LA TImes’ cartoon on the left (see also enlargement below), there has justly been great excitment among Physicists over the discovery of the Higgs boson — a subatomic particle so important to our understanding of space, time and matter that the physicist Leon Lederman nicknamed it “the God particle.”  It was so named because the Higgs boson is the subparticle which holds other particles of the universe together, and gives atomic structure size and shape. It could even be said that the Higgs’ boson “makes all things possible” because without it, matter as we know it could not exist.  

Like the woman depicted on the left, some believers may even want to say this proves the existence of God.  Sorry, I don’t agree.  Although I am not like the non-chalant guy depicted in the cartoon, I do say we need to practice a little discernment.   It is not time to begin worshipping the newly discovered Higgs boson, though some outdoubtedly will do so.

You can learn more about this important discovery at this site and see the excitement it has generated among scientists in the videos:  http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/higgs-boson-evidence-god-particle-reported-fermilab-physicists/story?id=16695742

Although this is a historic and truly great finding, the Higgs boson is not God.  Paraphrasing Martin Luther, God may be “in, around, upon, above and below” a subatomic particle (Luther was speaking of consecrated Bread at Holy Communion trying to refute the mystery of trans-substantiation), but we cannot reduce God to a part of atomic structure. 

God is not matter; God is Spirit — another dimension altogether.  At least, that is what I believe and what I and countless other humans have experienced over the centuries.   

Luke 4:18 says Jesus stood in the synagogue in Nazareth and began his ministry by quoting Isaiah 61:1 saying, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me.” When he did this Jesus didn’t mean “a Higgs boson is upon me.”  No, he was saying the Holy Spirit of the living God was upon him.

I celebrate the discovery in CERN.  It is another great step in understanding our physical universe and the God who created it.  But, the Higgs Boson is not God. Instead of looking inside atoms for God, I’d suggest looking in your heart.  You may just find the creator of the Universe there.