Why can't Science and Religion be friends?

Question

Isn't it fine to say that God created atoms, that created everything else? Because as we learn more science I think for the believers we can learn even more about where we came from and God. This is my opinion anyway, does anyone feel the same? Can Religion be Logical and Logic be Spiritual?

I guess I'm talking about most religions..
Because there is no way we possibly know everything there is to know. It's a sweet mystery.

Answer 1

Yes absolutely religion can be logical and logic can be spiritual. But you also have to remember one major detail. God MADE science. He gave us the signs of the moons and the stars as a proof that we are truly unique. He gave us minds to find reason and a voice in our hearts to tell us right from wrong. Science of proof of this or that is not in itself the center of our worship. God gave us these signs as a proof of His power.

Answer 2

Because science has the capabilities to disprove religion. Science is fact and nothing can disprove fact. For the people that don't believe in science, just take a look around you and notice everything that is today. Do you think the world today would have been possible without science? Oh, and don't give credit to something where credit is not due. How many times do you here someone say, "God did it" even to something just recently discovered. For example, if a new breakthrough in science occur, well then we just might know who did it, right? Notice the sarcasm. If you really follow science, then you would have known that it has already disproved some of the things that are said in the Bible. Read "A Dialogue With Pope John Paul II" and learn what science has disproved.

Answer 3

When the Christians talk of making good with science they are ignoring the threat to their religion science poses.
If the Evolutionists are correct (and they seem to be) then Adam and Eve were not real.
If the garden and Adam and Eve were not real then there was no Original sin. ( the acquisition of knowledge/free will by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge)
If there was no original sin then there was no need for expulsion from Eden, no fall from grace and thus no need for Salvation.
If there was no need for salvation then what is God doing sending a saviour, it no longer makes sense.
So no Jesus on a cross.
This event, acceptance of science, would collapse religion. Religion is a multi billion dollar a year business.
I don't think the priests are going to give up all that wealth and power easily.
this is also why the fight at this time is evolution verses creation instead of the quantum fields of atoms.

the fight is strongest in the States because religion was sheltered here from the theological battles that were fought in Europe during and after the 1700's. The Puritans escaped that all by fleeing to America but they Isolated themselves from the war between science and theology. Time has caught up to them now.

Answer 4

G'day Don't gow the flow,

Thanks for your question.

They can be and in the past were. It requires mutual respect for each.

The relationship between religion and science takes many forms as the two subjects are both extremely broad. Categorically, the difference between the two subjects is entirely methodological. The scientific method relies on an objective approach to measure, calculate, and describe the natural/physical/material universe. Religious methods are typically more subjective (or intersubjective in community), relying on varying notions of authority, through revelation, intuition, belief in the supernatural, individual experience, or a combination of these to understand the universe. Science attempts to answer the "how" and "what" questions of observable and verifiable phenomena; religion attempts to answer the "why" questions of value and morals. However, some science also attempts to explain such "why" questions, and some religious authority also extends to "how" and "what" questions regarding the natural world, creating the potential for conflict.

Historically, science has had a complex relationship with religion; religious doctrines and motivations have sometimes influenced scientific development, while scientific knowledge has had effects on religious beliefs. A common modern view, described by Stephen Jay Gould as "non-overlapping magisteria" (NOMA), is that science and religion deal with fundamentally separate aspects of human experience and so, when each stays within its own domain, they co-exist peacefully. Another view known as the conflict thesis, which has fallen from favor amongst historians but retains popular appeal, holds that science and religion inevitably compete for authority over the nature of reality, so that religion has been gradually losing a war with science as scientific explanations become more powerful and widespread. This view was popularized in the 19th century by John William Draper and Andrew Dickson White. However, neither of these views adequately accounts for the variety of interactions between science and religion (both historically and today), ranging from antagonism to separation to close collaboration.

I have attached sources for your reference.

Regards

Answer 5

no its not fine to say that. If God created atoms, what created God? For that matter atoms are created form sub-atomic particles called quarks. They come in "flavors" Top, bottom, up, down, strange and charmed"
There are also numerous other sub-atomic particles, some of which always travel faster than light. Did God just "Poof" make all these interesting particles to keep physicist busy?
The physics up to time=0 are pretty well understood, and eventually science will be able to explain the how and why.

Answer 6

No I don't belive that it can. First of all you if you going to go down the road of a logical discussion of religion versus science, firstly you have to be non opinionated and base you argument on fact. If you opinionated towards a certain belief your deduction will be biased toward that belief.
In line with your question... which god are you refering to?
- Christianity - The Holy Trinity
- Buddhism - Budda
- Muslim - Allah
- Jehovah - Yahweh
- Rastafari movement - Jah
- Sikhs - Waheguru
- Hindus - Ishvarna
It is understandable if I have missed one or two.
I think that I may be wandering from my point slightly. With this many "beliefs" and interpretation to choose from and the hard cold fact of science I would tend to go with the laws of science than religion.

Answer 7

Yes, it's fine, but it's also naive. It is possible to use logic to find a way to justify scientific proofs to biblical stories, but it creates a new problem. For example, when science obtained evidence to support the Big Bang, the more forward thinking christians said "Oh, that's what we really meant by the creation story. You didn't think that was literal, did you?" Doing something like this is the same thing as a little kid sticking his fingers in his ears and singing "LALALA" in response to hearing things he doesn't like.

Seriously, the bible itself tells you to ignore logic and operate on faith alone...Proverbs 3:5.

EDIT: For the record, god didn't make science...a lack of science created gods.

Answer 8

For me there are no issues intermingling the two. I don't buy the whole "God made science' scenario. I believe God is energy. And there's a whole whack of scientific explainations for energy. And I do believe in evolution. When I look at Owl eyes on a butterfly's wings (not trying to sound all 'James' about it) I can see it as a precoess of evolution with a very intended purpose. But even evolution can't happen without energy. When I consider this energy God, my eyes open up to the absolute beauty wrapped up in something with such a divine purpose.

Answer 9

Surely they go hand in hand and don't need to conflict. Both can't give us all the answers to all questions.

I would think God is the greatest scientist of all! Just look at the human body, what a wonderful scientific creation, when we break a bone, our body heals itself, imagine making a chair than can heal itself whenever it is broken.

I think religion gives us meaning and purpose in our lives and science can help explain the greatness of God's creations and add to our belief in God.

Problems arise when science and religion are taken to be the absolute truth and there is nothing more to add. Both are incomplete!

Answer 10

No it's not...because if we say that we came from atoms, how can you justify that God has created us uniquely and made us like His image if we all came from atoms? If it is said that God created atoms that created everything else, then we could be no less than plants and animals, and everything else. There's nothing special about humans anymore.....