Recently I read an article written by Dr. Melvin Vopson who is a professor of physics at the University of Portsmouth. In the article he confesses that “physicists have long struggled to explain why the universe started out with conditions for life.”

All modern scientists agree that the universe seems to be fine-tuned for life. There are so many features in our universe that without which, or if they were slightly different, life could not exist. The universe in which we live gives the appearance of having been designed with incredible precision.

Many scientists are beginning to realize the seriousness of the fine-tuning argument. Particularly those who do not believe in God.

Astronomer Fred Hoyle was an atheist and a bit of a maverick in the world of science. He was quite shaken when he first examined the evidence of a delicately fine-tuned universe. He concluded there must be some kind of intelligence behind it all. He uttered these famous words:

“A common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super intellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as with chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature.”

How does an atheist explain this super intellect? Vopson concludes, as do many other scientists, that our universe is a computer simulation where in all likelihood, an advanced alien species created these fine-tuning conditions.

Physicist Seth Lloyd from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US took the simulation hypothesis to the next level by suggesting that the entire universe could be a giant quantum computer.

Richard Dawkins was asked in an interview, “What do you think is the possibility that intelligent design might turn out to be the answer to some issues in genetics or in evolution?”

And Dawkins responded:

“Well, it could come about in the following way. It could be that at some earlier time, somewhere in the universe, a civili­zation evolved…to a very, very high level of technology, and designed a form of life that they seeded onto—perhaps, this planet. Now that is a possibility, and an intriguing possibil­ity. And I suppose it’s possible that you might find evidence for that if you look at the details of biochemistry and mo­lecular biology; you might find a signature of some sort of designer.”

This seems to be the most popular response to the fine-tuning arguments among skeptics. Stanford University physicist Andrei Linde raises the possibility of our universe being a product of design by some super-technological alien culture. Likewise, as­trophysicist John Gribbin says:

“Serious consideration [should be given to the hypothesis that] our universe is an artificial construct, manufactured de­liberately by intelligent beings in another universe.”

I find this to be shocking. In one sense, all of these men acknowledge some form of intelligent design from super-intelligent aliens from a far-off universe. However, you have to wonder what type of alien being could fulfill the role of fine-tuner of the universe, and bring the universe into existence.

It seems they do not have a problem believing in some form of intelligent design and designer; they just refuse to believe in God, as the divine intelligent designer.

I sometimes wonder if the problem of the modern skeptic is not that he does not believe in God, but that in his heart of hearts does not want there to be a God. As noted, philosopher Thomas Nagel of New York University put it:

“I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isn’t just that I don’t believe in God and naturally hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that.”37

Think about what he said.

“I want atheism to be true. I don’t want there to be a God. I don’t want the universe to be like that.”

This is a picture of willful blindness, outright unbelief. This is why you have to wonder how much of atheistic belief is in fact a matter of the heart and will, and not of the intellect. I find it interesting what philosopher and scholar Dr. Vince Vitale had to say about those who attribute the possibility of some alien culture for being responsible for the origin of life and the fine-tuning of the universe. He says these types of explanations are cropping up in scholarly literature as an effort to avoid having to admit the existence of God.

Richard E Simmons III is the founder and Executive Director of The Center for Executive Leadership and a best-selling author.