The Eye of God

By Aeternus Costin

Aeternus Costin, a self-taught philosopher, finds enlightenment at the crossroads of science, technology, and deep metaphysical inquiries. Beginning with an epiphany during a casual summer day in 2019, Aeternus' intellectual voyage spans across centuries of philos

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aeternus Costin Publications, LLC
• Release date: Apr 30, 2024
• ISBN: 9798989136018

Book preview

Preface

---

As an autodidact, I have always been fascinated by the intersection of science, technology, and philosophy. Over the years, my interest in the nature of reality and the fundamental questions of existence has grown from my multidisciplinary approach to gaining knowledge. Inspired in my late forties by my newfound passion for philosophy, I embarked on a journey that led me to write this book, which delves into the realm of metaphysics.

My quest began in 2017 or 2018, when I stumbled on a podcast called Philosophize This! by Stephen West, which introduced me to the world of philosophy. From there, I immersed myself in other podcasts, such as The Partially Examined Life and History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps, and absorbed the wisdom and insights of renowned philosophers. The more I looked into the subject, the more captivated I became. I began to research schools of thought, and read the great works from Plato to Simone de Beauvoir.

During a sunny summer day in 2019, while enjoying a salad from Wendy’s, I had an epiphany. The podcast I was listening to discussing God’s transcendence sparked a realization within me. In an instant I was transformed by a moment of clarity. This realization became the catalyst for my deep dive into metaphysics.

Over the past four years, I have paged through the annals of human history, exploring the origins of religion, studying various conceptions of God, and deeply considering profound philosophical thoughts. Along the way, I unraveled the intertwined relationship between science, mathematics, and philosophy by studying the teachings of luminaries from Aristotle to Einstein.

This book serves as a witness to my intellectual journey and the timeless truths about God that I believe lay hidden in plain sight for centuries. I am committed to presenting a sound logical argument supported by scientific evidence that unequivocally proves the existence of God. By doing so, I hope to liberate humanity from the shackles of superstitions and religious dogma that have plagued our world for far too long. I also hope to reconcile logic, reason, and science with the human conception of God, an endeavor that humans began in the Axial Age and then elaborated on during the Enlightenment.

Religion, throughout history, has been responsible for numerous conflicts, oppression, and the hindrance of progress. Extremists and fundamentalists have exploited religious beliefs to exert control and perpetuate harm against marginalized groups. Countless lives have been lost due to clashes fueled by irrational religious beliefs. Furthermore, religious doctrines have often contradicted scientific advancements, impeding technological progress and the advancement of humanity.

In writing this book, my purpose is twofold. Firstly, I aim to present a logical and evidence-based argument for the existence of God, liberating individuals from the confines of outdated religious ideologies. Secondly, I hope to bridge the gap between science and spirituality, fostering a harmonious coexistence that embraces both rationality and transcendence.

By exploring metaphysics and unveiling the universal truth about God, I aspire to contribute to a more enlightened and progressive society. It is my sincerest hope that this book will challenge conventional beliefs, ignite intellectual discourse, and inspire readers to question the nature of reality and their place within it.

In summarizing my journey and sharing these insights, I offer this book as a testament to the power of knowledge, reason, and the enduring pursuit of truth. May it serve as an invitation to readers to embark on their own quest for understanding and to contribute to the collective wisdom of humanity.

Chapter 1

---

I grew up and have lived my entire life in the southeastern United States, a region American journalist H. L. Mencken referred to as the Bible Belt in the 1920s.[1] The states that make up the region have less religious diversity than the rest of the nation, with Protestant Christianity being the majority faith by far. Only about half as many people in these states identify as nonreligious compared to the national average. And people in these states attend church more often than those who live in most other states.

My own family were Southern Baptists, although I occasionally attended Methodist churches with friends. My grandmother, who lived in the house next door, attended the First Baptist Church, which you could see one block from our home. She also taught Sunday school, played piano, and sang in church. My mother’s oldest sister was just as devout as my grandmother was. I remember my aunt singing the hymn, I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy to me when I was a child. My father’s parents traveled to churches as part of a gospel singing group, which is how my mother and father first met. Growing up, I wasn’t aware of anyone not believing in God.

At some point in junior high school, when I was between the ages of eleven and thirteen, I began to worry about the fate of the souls who had not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I was a boy scout, and my scout master was also a Christian minister. I trusted him enough to share my doubts and concerns. I remember asking him what he believed happened to the souls of the Native Americans who had died before Christians colonized the country.

My trust in him was not misplaced. He agreed with me that it did not seem right for their souls to be damned and burn in hell for all eternity simply because they were not aware of Jesus Christ. He also agreed, though, that scripture implied that anyone who did not accept Jesus would suffer this horrible fate. He also acknowledged that I’d probably heard something during church service that implied this as well. But then he said it was his personal belief that even though that was what the Bible said, and what some preachers said as well, he did not believe God would do that. He believed instead that many Native Americans were as good as any Christian and had their own beliefs in their own way. He said he felt God would know and understand this and not punish them unjustly.

At the time I can remember feeling relieved. It made sense to me that God would know this. Also, it seemed possible to me that some people, like the Baptist preacher I had heard preaching hellfire and damnation for any nonbelievers, just simply had that wrong about God. But it wasn’t long before new doubts and concerns arose in my mind. I remember sitting alone in the woods while deer hunting as a young teenager wondering about God knowing all my thoughts. This was a strange feeling. Did I truly believe in God? Had I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior? I felt like an imposter. I felt there was a God, and I felt he knew I was a fake Christian because I was having doubts. I felt God knew that I was saying I believed, while not truly allowing Jesus into my heart properly and walking the path of the righteous as I should.

I made up my mind to turn to the source of truth itself: I would read the Bible. I remember this felt like an incredibly important task. I told a religious friend I was going to read both the Old and New Testaments, cover to cover. I was surprised when she got angry and said that it could not be done. This seemed absurd to me. Of course it could be done. My aunt had read both several times. All one had to do was to start and read a little each night, not give up, and eventually the task would be complete. She then countered that even were I to do this, I would not understand what it said. Having not read both books before, I found the idea of understanding the scripture completely a task that I was less certain I could do, but I still believed in myself. In hindsight, I am amazed now by how many people who profess to be believers of any given religion have not actually ever read their religion’s doctrine.

But I believe that I know why, because I did not have to read far before I thought to myself, most of this is completely ridiculous! I can remember telling another friend, It all just seems like the stories of the people at that time in those places. He was confused by this, and he asked me, Do you mean like stories that someone just made up? At the time, I could not quite articulate what I meant, so I told him, They seem like the stories people around here tell others about events. The people who are telling the stories seem to believe them, and they say that the stories are true, but you know that when you hear some of these stories that they are far-fetched. He couldn’t accept this. Later when the topic of God came up in our friend group, he announced that I’d said that I believed the stories in the Bible were just that, only stories told by people long ago and not the word of God. Suddenly I felt as if it had been announced that I did not believe that Coach Paul Bear Bryant was a good football coach. Everyone laughed and turned to me smiling as if I were the most foolish person on earth. One exclaimed while laughing, What?!

I tried to explain myself. I asked the group, "What if, for instance, when Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, they came to a part of the Red Sea that usually had water, but for some reason like drought or something, it did not. They