In his early work Hawking spoke of God in a metaphorical sense, such as in A Brief History of Time "If we discover a complete theory, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason, for then we should know the mind of God."In the same book he suggested the existence of God was unnecessary to explain the origin of the universe.
His ex-wife, Jane, has described him as an atheist. Hawking has stated that he is "not religious in the normal sense" and he believes that "the universe is governed by the laws of science. The laws may have been decreed by God, but God does not intervene to break the laws."In an interview published in The Guardian newspaper, Hawking regarded the concept of Heaven as a myth, believing that there is "no heaven or afterlife" and that such a notion was a "fairy story for people afraid of the dark."
His ex-wife, Jane, has described him as an atheist. Hawking has stated that he is "not religious in the normal sense" and he believes that "the universe is governed by the laws of science. The laws may have been decreed by God, but God does not intervene to break the laws."In an interview published in The Guardian newspaper, Hawking regarded the concept of Heaven as a myth, believing that there is "no heaven or afterlife" and that such a notion was a "fairy story for people afraid of the dark."