Science and Religion
Science and Religion. Religion and Science.
Can the two be Reconciled?
Are they compatible with one another?
Specifically, is theistic religion compatible with Science?
In my opinion, no.
They are two polar opposites when it comes to sourcing knowledge. Scientific knowledge is based on upon measurable evidence in the physical world. Religious knowledge is based on faith, which has no need of evidence.
Preaching to the converted, or the never indoctrinated, as it were. This is the most thorough analysis I've come across in jpg form:
Whoever said I was preaching?
Hahaha that image is fantastic!! Where did you find it?
Certainly the idea of an interventionist, miracle working, Crows/Power supporting deity runs against all the mountains of evidence suggesting that the Universe does not function that way. But what about the idea of a God that simply set the Universe in motion, and has had little to do with it since then?
It's not necessarily a useful or necessary construction, but it can be reconciled with science. Since what lies 'outside' of the Universe (in time and space) is, for all intents and purposes, irrelevant to what happens within, the notion of a non-interventionist, Universe-spawning God presents no barrier to scientific investigation. It may also suggest a higher purpose to the Universe, a concept which may be useful or inspiring for some people as they study reality.
As usual, the problems are caused by people abdicating their thinking and taking things way too far. Religious fundamentalists are not the only ones guilty of this sort of thing. --
Tristan Miller
I forget where I got the image. I've had it on the puter a while now, just sitting waiting for an opportunity.
I agree that Science is reconcilable with Religion, but the reconciliation involves whittling the claims of religion down until they're no longer incompatible with science. All of a sudden everything that was mystical about certain religions becomes allegorical and non-supernatural, and when you do that what is there left to worship? A god that just lit the fuse of the big bang after setting all physical laws and constants? What if we find more physical laws/theories that contradicts religion after that? Religion will either have to shrink again to fill the smaller gap, or else destroy science. Unfortunately human nature has a tendency towards the latter. Some people may take comfort in a god that spawned the universe and then took a few billion years off, but most people would be distraught that god wouldn't be swinging the outcome of the next showdown(tm). No miracles means no worship for most people. Hell most Christians can't even stand to be shown glaring self-contradictions and historical inaccuracy in the Bible, let alone be told that God never got it on with an earth woman to somehow save their souls from being damned through some twisted logic of having free will. To these people, saying God clicked the big bang button and dozed off is tantamount to there being no god.
It is true that religious people aren't the only ones who go too far, but Atheists don't take too well to the idea of suicide bombing, shooting doctors that give abortions or spreading disinformation about condoms in AIDS ridden Africa. Although I think atheists may well be in a four way tie for most self-righteous, along with Evangelical Christians, Wahabbite Muslims and Scientologists. --Dr Boy
