do science and religion REALLY conflict ?

Answer 1

The major difference between science and religion is this: Science is a quest for knowledge, whereas religion claims to already posess all the necessary answers.

Science knows that its knowledge and understanding are limited, and continually challenges itself to find errors in what it believes to be true, and thus to correct those errors. Religion does not allow for the possibility that it is in error, and refutes evidence to the contrary even when it is plainly obvious that it is wrong (eg, Galilleo vs. the Church, Darwin vs. the Church, plate tectonics and radiocarbon dating vs. Bishop Usher and his 6,000 year old Earth...).

Religion usually accepts the truth ultimately, however, and finds a way to rationalize its earlier belief when the truth becomes too obvious even for them to argue against it. For example, changing their belief in the literal interpretation of the earth being created in 7 calendar days (which was universally accepted as fact by believers) to now believing that the Bible spoke of 7 metaphorical days.

Science is open to new ideas. The religious mind, by doctrine and dogma, is closed to new ideas.

Science requires logic and physical proof to establish a belief. Religion needs only a persuasive teacher and willing students.

One similarity they do share, however, is that they both require faith. Science puts its faith in observation, logic, and experimentation. Religion puts its faith in unprovable mysticism and mythology, and in a supreme being who is undetectable by human senses or instrumentation.

Answer 2

Some science and some religion certainly conflict.

The question remains whether this is down to mis-understanding what both science and religion do actually say about the world, or whether there is a basic imcompatibility which remains even when all legitimate accommodations have been made.

Some try to put religion and science in different spheres, to prevent the one acting on the other. I think this is nonsense. IF religion is about real things, not just a cultural moral colouring, it impacts upon the nature of the universe. And the nature of the universe is very much the stuff of science. They do stand on the same ground.

(Science deals with the unseen by observing its effects on the seen. The discovery of the nucleus of the atom will suffice as an example)

Edit: Darktania's Einstein quote is misapplied in this setting: you need to understand what, for Einstein, religion consisted of. It was nothing like the Christian usage of the term.

Answer 3

Science tries to explain why things are as they are. They make hypothesis, which when they are proved, become Theories. (It is important to remember the scientific definition of Theory is different to the non-scientific or Religious definition of Theory)

Religion tries to explain everything by faith and books written by people hundreds of years ago, when they used the concepts of gods, devils, demons, spirits, ghosts and angels to explain everything.

For instance:

Why does the sun rise... Religion says it is on the back of a big bug, or in a chariot pulled by horses or God made it so because he created it.

But science measures, evaluates and shows that the sun doesn't rise, but instead the earth turns.

Religion says the Earth is the center of the universe, that the sun and everything else revolves around the Earth. This belief was only recently rescinded in the Catholic Church and is still believed by some Christians.

Science measures, evaluates and shows that the Earth circles the Sun, the Sun circles in the Milky Way Galaxy and the Milky Way Galaxy moves.

Religion says, faith makes everything true.

Science says prove it.

So sadly, they do conflict.

Religion is about believing everything unknown can never be known, explaining that everything was created by a an unknowable intelligence.

Science is about finding out, measuring and working out what the unknowable is.

Answer 4

I think the answer is both yes and no. First of all which religion. I have to assume you are referring to Christianity. And especially Catholicism. Religions are an attempt t explain the cosmos and life that inhabits it. Catholicism made some unfortunate choices in it's insistence on various false scientific evidence. They went for the geocentric explanation and fought tooth and nail for their interpretation of the state of affairs. It took them almost 400 years to "forgive" Galileo. Having god create the universe just by uttering the word is one thing. Explaining how it works is totally different. Feeling threatened the Catholics over reacted and suppressed everything that contradicted their DOGMA and of course ended up with a lot of pie in their face. There is very little to doubt about the scientific proposal of creation. Interestingly enough this does not negate creation by some entity. But the entity is closer to a scientist than an all powerful eternal god thing. The whole big bang thing could be a lab experiment by some super intelligence.

Answer 5

If you take a litteral interpretation of the Bible or other religous texts, then yes. For example, the earth is over 4 billion years old, and it was not formed in a matter of days. If you are willing to interpret the Bible metephorically, however, then you can reconscille science and religion. There are yet many unexplained things in the relm of science (such as what caused the Big Bang) and it would not be wrong to say that God has something to do with it.

Answer 6

It depends on the religion, some religions don't conflict because they don't try to shun science... but for the most part, yes most religions do conflict with science because they go so far as to call it evil and attack it as a rival.

Answer 7

Yes. Religious people believe in belief, or have faith in something that cannot be empirically investigated and described scientifically i.e. the existence of God.
Science is a way down the road of proving that there is no God (evolution versus complex design etc), or at least no scientific pretext for such a supernatural being. Perhaps the questioner should read up some on, dare I say it, atheism and the historical 'religious delusion' of the masses.

Answer 8

For the Muslim there is no need for separation between religion and science. It is understood from the Quran, revealed over 1,400 years ago, that there is both; "Creation" and "Evolution." And in both instances, it is only Allah who is "Able to do all things." In fact, it was the Muslim scientists, more than 1,000 years ago, who set the stage for the adancement of learning, technology and disciplines in science that we know today.

Allah has explained how He created everythng in the universe and brought all life out of water. He created humans from earth (not monkeys) and there is no need to attempt fabrications of "links" to the animal world in Islam.

Answer 9

Not a conflict in Islam

Answer 10

No, in a sense they're both in agreement because of the carnal nature of man which conflicts with the truth, no matter if they are scientists or religious people.