Verses Forced into Physics Equations: A Critique of Spiritual Pseudoscience in an Age Obsessed with Scientific Validation

This series of essays, Verses Forced into Physics Equations, was not born out of hatred toward religion, nor out of skepticism toward spirituality. On the contrary — it emerged from a deep affection for inner stillness, which has long been quietly pushed aside by new layers of presentation, sophistication, and the obsession to prove rather than to simply be.

In an era where everything must be packaged, marketed, filtered, and shared to appear relevant, spirituality, too, has been dragged into the grand arena of branding. It no longer arrives as a silence that gently touches the soul, but as a visual narrative that must be postable as a carousel, promotable via affiliate programs, or repurposed into motivational content with cinematic background music.

Amid this madness, a new phenomenon has emerged — one that is strikingly obvious yet strangely accepted: spiritual pseudoscience — the compulsive habit of matching sacred texts with contemporary scientific theories. Verses once rich with symbolic and existential depth are now being forced into the framework of quantum mechanics, astrophysics, molecular biology, and other complex terms that most readers don’t even fully grasp. As long as it sounds “modern,” “scientific,” or “cool,” that seems to be enough.

And that’s where this critique begins.

I didn’t write these essays from a place of superiority — not because I know better or feel holier — but because I’m disturbed. Disturbed by how the stillness that once allowed space for divine presence is now replaced with ambient sound effects. Disturbed by how verses that once guided the heart are now dressed up as Instagram-friendly layouts. Disturbed by how God’s name is now packaged in digital aesthetics and sold alongside “premium edition” spiritual merchandise.

Today, spirituality must look stylish to be considered important, sound scientific to be deemed credible, and be well-formatted to be shareable. As if inner depth must always pass through a visual filter, as if dhikr must sound like a motivational jingle, as if faith is only valid when translated into quantum theory.

No, I’m not mocking faith. On the contrary, because I cherish it deeply, I feel the need to cleanse it from the cosmetic layers that blur its essence.

Because I believe — God doesn’t need filters. Consciousness doesn’t need to go viral. And true spirituality can never be framed in ultra-HD video formats.

This book is a collection of provocations. Sometimes sarcastic, sometimes humorous, sometimes unsettling. But I wrote it so we can be honest again: behind all the religious veneers we build today, what often goes missing is the essence itself. And maybe the only way to return to it is not through heavy sermons — but through bitter laughter that brings clarity.

I believe not everything sacred must be spoken of with a serious face and a heavy tone. Sometimes, truth is better approached through honest parody, sharp satire, and reflections unafraid to poke at the absurdities of our time.

I don’t write to attack anyone — but to invite a return to inquiry:

·       Are we really seeking inner depth, or just its appearance?

·       Are we truly experiencing spirituality, or merely selling it in content format?

If a few of these essays make you frown, perhaps that’s a good sign. If they make you laugh, even better. But if they move you to ask deeper questions of yourself — perhaps that’s the true purpose of this writing.

Spirituality is not something that can be seen from the outside. It lives in places that cannot be photographed, cannot be edited, cannot be curated — it can only be realized.

And I hope, somewhere between the satire, laughter, and restlessness, you’ll find a small mirror — to glance again at the direction of your own soul.

Warm regards from a quiet space that never makes it to the trending topics.

Agung Webe