Kutshanje, kuye kwapapashwa iincwadi ezininzi zabantu abathi abakholelwa ukuba uThixo ukho. Ezi ncwadi ziye zathandwa ngabantu abaninzi ibe ziye zabangela iingxoxo. Esinye isazi sebhayoloji uDavid Eagleman sathi, “Abanye abafundi baye bacinge . . . ukuba oososayensi bazi yonke into.” Songeza sithi, “Kodwa oososayensi abaziingqwayingqwayi bakulungele ukuphanda nokufunda izinto ezintsha.”

Kangangeminyaka, oompondo-zihlanjiwe boososayensi baye beza neempendulo kwimibuzo ebisoloko idida abantu ngendalo. Kodwa ke, abanye baye benza iimpazamo ezinkulu kwezo nzame. UIsaac Newton, ongomnye woososayensi abaphum’ izandla, wabonisa indlela amandla omxhuzulane amanyanisa ngayo indalo yonke equka iiplanethi, iinkwenkwezi neegalaksi. Waphinda wavelisa uhlobo lwezibalo olusetyenziswa kwiikhompyutha, ngabantu abahamba emajukujukwini nangoososayensi abasebenza ngenyukliya. Noko ke, lo kaNewton wakhe wazama ukuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi nomlingo ukuze ajike ilothe nezinye iintsimbi zibe yigolide.

Kwiminyaka eyi-1 500 ngaphambi kwexesha likaNewton, isazi ngeenkwenkwezi esingumGrike, uPtolemy, sasidla ngokupopola isibhakabhaka ngamehlo nje aso. Sasikwazi ukubona iiplanethi esibhakabhakeni ebusuku ibe silichule nasekuzobeni iimaphu. Nangona kunjalo, sasikholelwa ukuba umhlaba usembindini wendalo yonke. Isazi ngeenkwenkwezi uCarl Sagan sathi ngoPtolemy: “Ingcamango yakhe yokuba umhlaba usembindini wendalo yonke eyakholelwa kangangeminyaka eyi-1 500, ingqina ukuba enoba umntu angakrelekrele kangakanani na, oko akuthethi kuthi soze aphazame.”

Le iseyimiqobo ekusafuneka bajongane nayo oososayensi kwiinzame zabo. Ngaba bangaze bakwazi ukuyichaza kakuhle indalo? Nangona simele sibancome ngezinto ezintle abazenzileyo, kubalulekile nokukhumbula ukuba isayensi ineentsilelo. Usosayensi uPaul Davies uthi: “Akunakuze kubekho indlela elula necacileyo yokuchaza indalo yonke.” Loo mazwi angqina le nyani ingenakuphikwa: Abantu abanakukwazi ukuyiqonda ngokupheleleyo indalo. Ngoko, ngaba kububulumko ukukholelwa yonke into ethethwa ngoososayensi?

Xa iBhayibhile ithetha ngokumangalisa kwendalo ithi: “Khangela! Ezi zinto yimiphetho yeendlela zakhe [uThixo], yaye kukusebeza kuphela okuviweyo kuvela kuye!” (Yobhi 26:14) Kukho izinto ezininzi abantu abangazaziyo nabangenakuziqonda. La mazwi kampostile uPawulos awabhalwa kwiminyaka ephantse ibeyi-2 000 eyadlulayo aseyinyani kunangoku: “Hayi ubunzulu bobutyebi nobobulumko nobolwazi lukaThixo! Hayi indlela engaphengululeki ngayo imigwebo yakhe nendlela ezingalandeki ngayo iindlela zakhe!”—Roma 11:33.