WHAT ON EARTH FOR?

In various ways, science remind us of one of the biblical proverbs.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings." (Proverbs 25:2)

The ultimate research in physics, chemistry, biology and their sub-disciples, represent the spirit of this verse well. Each of these disciplines is an effort to explore the work of the Creator's hands in order to find the hidden facts under the surface. Perhaps the proverb helps to maintain how science has come to be treated like a religion today and scientists as priests. There is an aura about the work of science. It's findings are treated in a way that pronouncements about God's revelation and the Bible once were. To make matters worse, those who question the consensus of scientists are sometimes treated like secular heretics.

I am not saying that there isn't a noble pursuit in it as well as the 'glory' it brings. However, the fact remains that science is still a very human pursuit, subject to human fallibility.

The following question keeps hitting my brain cells in a constant manner:

Why are we in space?

We have so many problems at home, what are we hoping to achieve?

Are the rewards of space worth the risks? Are the large amounts of money spent worth it? Couldn't this money be used on earth' poverty?

I have no interest in discouraging man's quest for adventures and desire to explore the unknown. But again, the question must be asked: 'Go to the moon? - what on earth for?'

Our problems and our challenges are here on earth. Going elsewhere to start all over again will not solve more of our fundamental issues.