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Science vs Religion

Khale

Active Member
Deut. 32.8 said:
What "compromise" would you suggest?
Science will play nicely with Religion and share its toys. While Religion will stop pulling Science's hair.

Also, a penguin will be involved.
 

michel

Administrator Emeritus
Staff member
scitsofreaky said:
Just one question: why are science and religion opposing eachother?
I think it is simply because science will take nothing on trust, whereas Religion has to.:jam:
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
My believes don't oppose science that much. The only big things I really disagree with is the big bang theory, and evolution from a Darwinian point of view (slime to fish, fish to reptiles and mamals, monkeys to humans, etc.) I do believe things adapt to survive thier environment, such as having darker skin or a hairy body, but not becoming an entirely new species.
 

scitsofreaky

Active Member
Neither likes to compromise
I think it is simply because science will take nothing on trust, whereas Religion has to
I agree with the quoted answers as to why they don't get along. But, should they oppose eachother? I would say no. But I am not trying to argue for dis/proving religious beleifs with science. Science and religion deal with two completely different areas: science deals with the physical, while religion deals with the spiritual. While there are physical "facts" given in many religions, which science can prove or disprove, they have no bearing on the spiritual.
Another thing we must realize is that physics(the basis for virtually every science) does not show us reality, but a mere shadow of reality. Physics is just mathematical (therefore, logic based) symbols representing the effects of reality, but they cannot show us reality itself. So then, we are stuck trying to figure out what reality is using a non-logical method (aka spirituality).
[Note: here one can use religion and spirituality interchangably]
 

Scuba Pete

Le plongeur avec attitude...
Science and religion DO NOT oppose each other.

Man however, loves a "Jerry Springer" atmosphere and so we continually invent "discrepencies" between the two that just aren't there.
 

Scuba Pete

Le plongeur avec attitude...
Not really, Druidus.

Science deals with the physical. It makes not judgements about the spiritual.

Religion deals with the spiritual. It makes no judgements about the physical.
 

Druidus

Keeper of the Grove
Regardless of how you look at it, Jesus "rising" from the dead, or me "seeing" through a trees "eyes" are both physical events (and I believe, explainable by science). I believe that at the present, science cannot accept much of what religion is based on, and for some of it, is in direct opposition. I do agree that science and religion are focused on different things, but often, they can overlap, and when they do, they are most likely in opposition.

People who believe in literal creation as told in the Bible are following a religion. Science cannot, at present (and IMO, ever) accept this as factual, thus, science is in opposition to this aspect of a religion. While all religions cannot be reconciled with science, and all of science cannot be reconciled with all religions, some parts of all religions can be reconciled with science, and some parts of science can be reconciled with all religions. Neither are always in direct opposition with each other.
 

Scuba Pete

Le plongeur avec attitude...
Science endavors to describe God's tools and his creation. It never seeks to replace God.

Some would erroneously deprive God of some of his more subtle tools, such as evolution and plate tektonics. Usually, these are either misguided atheists, or misguided theists trying to prove what is spiritual using the physical. It's a fool's errand at best.
 

Finnyhaha

Member
Just one question: why are science and religion opposing eachother?
Imho, the only problem between science and religion is that people try to turn religion into a science (recent court decision in Kansas for instance) or science into religion.

People who want to put their trust in something that can not be explained, aka be religious, should admit to the fact that what they believe in is not scientific and stop trying to push their beliefs into the science classroom.

Likewise, people who disregard religion should recognize that not everyone is going to see things their way.

Science should be taught in the classroom, and religion in the churches, mosques, synagoges, temples, groves and homes. Then there would be no problem.
 

greatcalgarian

Well-Known Member
Perhaps we have to start looking at when, how, and why did science start to be considered to be opposing to religion. Religion has been used by the high priests in the olden days to fool the general population and to serve as a tool for the high priests and ruling class to enslave the general population and consolidate their supremacy and power. With the advancement of science, the general public started to learn that what the priests have been claiming may not be really that reliable and true, and hence started the questioning the authority of the high priests (or the bible). This may be considered to begin in the West from the era of Galileo and others. Over the long period of time since then, science has been used non-religious groups, and anti-establishment or revolutionary to oppose the religious and ruling class. On the other hand, religion also adapt itself to use science as a weapon as well, such as, scientology is a typical example, and creationism is another one, where science has been turned around to serve religious purpose. Science itself is non-religious. It is just a tool to observe how things happen, and is an attempt to establish a pattern and explanation (hypothesis to theory to law) so that the understanding can be utilized to improve the quality of life of human being. Unfortunately this usually will end up in conflicting with many of the religious teachings (bible), and hence religion will tend to view science as an enemy.
You may consider the analogy that when Adam and Eve ate the apple, their eyes were open, and they gain the knowledge of knowing evil and good.
The general population before the advent of science, may be considered as Adam and Eve before they tasted the forbidden fruit.
Hence when human being discovered science, it is just like Adam and Eve eating the apple, and started to know things that the high priests (Genesis 3:22 'Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil...")have been hiding from them: knowledge!!. Hence the high priests will attempt to suppress science by all means. However, the brute force of suppressing science which worked during Galileo's time is no longer working now. So religion mutated (evolved) to different form in order to survive. This then positioned science and religion at odd ends.
Does science consider religion as an enemy? I do not think so, if religion leaves science alone.
 

scitsofreaky

Active Member
Imho, the only problem between science and religion is that people try to turn religion into a science (recent court decision in Kansas for instance) or science into religion.
I think this hits right at the heart of the matter. It only makes sense that science and religion would clash when they start treading on eachother's terf, and rightly so.
greatcalgarian said:
...religion will tend to view science as an enemy
Does science consider religion as an enemy? I do not think so, if religion leaves science alone
I agree that it is pretty much is the fault of religion historically. But lately, especially with quantum mechanics, science has started to try to replace religion and spirituality. So, like I have just said above, the heart of the matter is science and religion keeping in their perspective realms.
 
Its not the science which is opposing religion. The religious scriptures you read today are adulterated. These aren't the words of God(Gospels) revealed to Jesus. They are a mere sayings of a few scholars and missionaries. Common give yourselves a break, soo many additions year by year in bibble, just to pacify a few people's feelings; these aren't GOD'S WORDS.
Forgoodness sake open your blinded hearts and eyes. Think for yourselves, God's words will never condtradict true facts of life(Science etc..). Please look for authentic information. I say, you won't find a single contradiction in The Holy Quran.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
samgeorge11 said:
I say, you won't find a single contradiction in The Holy Quran.
Much of it is vague babble that accepts the Torah as history. To the extent that it avoids contradiction, it does so solely by virtue of being vague.
 
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