Should science now place religion under the microscope and examine it in unbiassed detail?

Question

Religion claims to benefit society but is this true?... shouldn't we do some large scale and detailed unbiassed scientific studies to see if religion really does benefit society or not?

maverick, I come from a christian background which I rejected, the breason I concern myself with religion is that it concerns me the way it is becoming so mobilised politically, I think we need to examine what the basis of religion is and whether or not it's effects on society benefit as many people as it disadvantages, only unbiassed research can do this, I am not claiming to be unbiassed myself.

Answer 1

Such a project would have a hard time getting funded, as the Christian right would do everything in their power to prevent it.

But yes, I'd love to see it happen.

Answer 2

The problems with any scientific study is the bias and percieved bias of researchers. Any result is likely to be tainted with the personal perspective of the researcher, when dealing with an intimate subject like faith. Even if done perfectly, however, no one else would have a reason to believe that the research was done perfectly.

Faith continues to be one that should be studied "scientifically" by each person as that person lives their own life. See what prayers and beliefs work in your own life and produce results for you. That shall be the "truth" as far as you are concerned. Let the good ideas produce good fruit.

Answer 3

What scientific studies should those be? Remember, inherent in your statement is that science has the benefit of the doubt. Why is this so? Is it because of observability? If this is true, then why wouldn't you automatically accept religion in some form as true--after all, you can observe the universe's complexity all around you. So why would science get an extra benefit of the doubt?

Answer 4

A study on the benefits of religion would indeed be a fascinating one. Extremely controversial, of course because it is a man-made entity in which people have a vested interest.

I'd also like to see a study on the benefits of faith. I think that would be much better and less controversial, since it is purely spiritual and there is no vested interest in it - either you have it or you don't.

Answer 5

You seem to think that science is the only perfect way to attain knowledge. But I don't think that even science makes that claim.

You also seem to imply that science, and not religion, always benefits society. But there have been scientific developments that have harmed, and not helped, society.

For instance, cocaine was undoubtedly developed using scientific approaches and means. But no one can argue with a straight face that cocaine benefits people -- it has destroyed more lives than we'd care to imagine.

Answer 6

there ya go again...the benefits of religion that could be measured by man are of no everlasting consequence...any works that a Christian preforms cannot be measure accurately until after death because there reward is based on what happens in the afterlife...can science reach into the next world and determine how many souls are saved by religion or faith or Christ ....if science can measure the things of this world they are perishable and while that may have temporary value the value is nothing if it ends here.

Answer 7

Does one honestly think science could explain religion? Heck science can't even prove the age of the earth! There is a great book out there called Science and the Bible, its written at about a 8th grade level, so pretty fast reading, but tests on touchable and seeable things can't be proven so how could science prove a spiritual/mental exsistance!

Answer 8

Science is based on fact and religion is based on faith so I think science would not help in a study. Socialogy maybe. But it is a fact that some of the most evil things in human history were done in part for religious reasons. It is really sad.

Answer 9

I think religion has been under microscope for centuries whether you admit it or not. Religion doesn't claim anything but the person who has been changed by his/her belief has been...claiming is not the right word but testimony. If you don't see the benifits of it its because you don't allow yourself or open your mind to it. I'm sure you have friends or acquintances that believes in God, why don't you ask them what God has done in their lives...but then again I have my doubts...now we know that a good judge listens to both sides and doesn't show partiallity.

Answer 10

there are things that science can't explain. faith is one of those things that has no scientific theory or explaination. belief in something, faith, benefits people on a personal level which is something that can't be evaluated or studied by scientists.