I guess I get confused too easily, but I’m sure I’m not alone. It’s not a rare condition among we the people. I take my consolation in the idea that we all have our areas of confusion.

I was watching a TV show titled “How the Universe Works.” They expounded many intelligent theories on a variety of things, but let’s remember that much of it is conjecture, or perhaps at best an educated opinion. We feel better about anything if we can give it a reason. That makes us feel less confused. Sometimes scientists get so high on the ladder of research that they reach clouds of confusion where they can no longer see the solid earth below them. Example: Some are talking about multiverses, inferring that there are several universes which make up the cosmos.

The word universe is defined by Webster as “The totality of everything that exists.” That means everything that exists is a part of the universe, no matter where, or how far away it is. The word “multiverses” is unscientific gobble-de-gook. While it may sound like they are onto something new, those using it are misusing logic, which is a tenet of science, and the vocabulary.

In the early days of man’s trek into scientific theory, it was proposed that the elements that made up everything were earth, air, fire and water. We have since eliminated those, but have now named somewhere around 110 actual elements. But it takes more than just the elements that make up the universe. These more things are generally seen as “Just the way things are,” but without them all would be mayhem. They are energies, and laws of nature.

What we refer to as elements and materials are matter or substance. These are mindless, motiveless things such as earth, minerals and various substances, anything that you can see or touch. Left to themselves they just sit there.

But there are also energies, and the laws of nature. They are the cause of cause and effect. They control unthinking matter. The laws that govern electrical energy cause a lightning bolt to fall a tree. Mankind’s progress in controlling his environment is the result of his understanding these laws, thus allowing him a degree of control of his environment. These laws may be manipulated, (lightning rods, electric motors) but never changed or modified. They actually control the universe and it would be mayhem without them. Where do they come from?

My Webster’s defines the word Cosmos as “The universe considered as a harmonious and orderly system.” My, this brings into the story a concept of harmony and order. Harmony and order cannot come to be without a purposeful intelligence. Intelligence is the organizer, or modifier of purposeless disarray. If the body of any animal, including you and me, isn’t an awe inspiring organization, I don’t know what else could be. I wonder where intelligence comes from.

Materials or matter have no purpose. If you throw a stone it will fly in the air until gravity returns it to earth. Nature’s laws are unthinking, and have no purpose of their own. They act unfailingly in enforcing the acts of energy (wind, electricity, chemistry, heat etc.) in the only way they can. Amazingly, these laws of nature generally work in concert, like a huge symphony orchestra to produce an orderly, harmonious world. The primary, continuous, source of disharmony in the world is from our ravenous egos, our ignorance regarding one another, and our disregarding the laws of nature that govern ourselves. Too often we behave like self-interested two year olds in trying to get our own way regardless of the facts at hand.

My basic question to the scientific community is: How can anyone who studies the order of the universe, and all of its controlling, cooperating laws, truly believe that this obviously harmonious and orderly system could possibly be the result of accident or happenstance, which by definition defy continuity, or organization.

Where do these controlling laws of nature come from that work in harmony to achieve such a productive, intelligent, result? May God bless America.

Richard Westlund is a Collins resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com