Why do some christians seem to think that science is a threat to faith? (Please read details b4 commenting)?

Question

Let me first say that I don't think that ALL CHRISTIANS think this way. Obviously they don't.

But some do. Why? Isn't religion firstly about a personal philosophy by which one lives one's life? As in, "I won't do that, because I believe it is immoral. I don't think God would approve of this kind of behavior. God wants me to behave in this manner, instead, so I do."

If it is, what does it MATTER that the scientific picture of the universe's origin doesn't match the Bible? Why does everything in the Bible have to taken as LITERAL truth for any of it to be true? Isn't it at least POSSIBLE that God created the Big Bang, or evolution? If he did, isn't it also possible that he didn't mention these facts to Abraham or Moses because they didn't have the education to understand?

Please not that I have not even suggested that there is no God, or that science is wrong. I simply refuse to accept that they are apposing forces.

Answer 1

of course these are all valid possibilities...what you are talking about is something known as gnosticism...which identifies the existence of a god/creator and jesus as one of his prophets on earth but does not incorporate the magical mumbo jumbo of the miracles and such...it looks at christianity as a philosophy, there are a few good books by thich nat hahn that deal with the subject and paralell christianity to buddhism...the gnostics have always been quashed by "the church" because they deny the "miraculous" christ and embrace the "human" christ...

on a personal note...having had many experiences working with various sects of christians in schools their beliefs vary based not only on denomination but also on personal knowledge and intelligence...there are simply people who can not/will not accept that things are not in one person's control...the idea of cosmic physics is beyond their realm of understanding and it is easier to believe a simple explanation...some people need to cling to the tenets of the church because it is all they have, it is what keeps them going...some people replace addictions with religion, they often become firmly entrenched in the word of the bible...as long as religions tell their members that they must believe the words in the bible as the word of god and that is the only way into heaven you will have people who forego science, history and rationality...

Answer 2

First of all secular belief is implying people don't have take responsibility for their actions, practice being kind, honest, social, or respectable - seems to me it's a request to become codependent on various ties to the government.

Since God is all loving then taking advice from science will never coincide with truth. Including the truth that we are not to be all about ourselves nor should we be told that standing up for love and what is right is controlling by those who actually seek to control. I've heard the only thing that science and religion agree on is free will..I don't believe that they really do. After all, it's quite obvious that people can control their behavior but more often we will see people being told nasty behavior isn't their issue or problem. Science (including secular churches) has learned they can make money off of encouraging behavior that is exempt from anything that God stands for.

Science (government) should get out of the practice of relationships before it ruins it's own name. Science has obviously done well in the fact department and is very good at accomplishing cures and solutions. However, science goes straight down the tubes when it reaches out to greed using people's God given lives and their blood relations.

Answer 3

If you read the original manuscripts, you will find there is absolutely no controversy between Gods Word and true Science. None. This earth is told by God to be eons and eons old, in fact, it says there was an entire earth age before this one - you can read of all three earth ages in second peter -
Science does match the teachings of Scripture.
As far as the Bible being first about personal philosophy of how to live your life -
well, the Bible does teach us all things, those included; but learning about those things in Scripture - the ten commandments, baptism, salvation, be nice to your neighbor, etc - all beautiful things, and i don't want to sound as if I want to take from them, BUT; thats baby Christian stuff- hopefully, a christian will grow up and look at the deeper studies in the Word.
There's a whole lot more to whats written than what is being taught. If you owned a business, and after years and years this one employee still only knew the very basics of what there is to know of the business, how happy would you be with that guy? Not very happy, I suspect.
Well, same with God. To be in the Service of God, a Christian needs to know more of whats said, than John 3:16. As great as that is, you hear that and other basic things repeated over and over and over - its as if people don't even know theres more to it. Well, there is.
Theres alot more, and God says that not having the knowledge in those deeper things, is what will cause the great majority of good, well-meaning Christian people, to be deceived by Antichrist. Satan knows ALL of the Word, and a Christian should, too.
But you are right, there is no opposing forces between the Word and science - you're on the ball, dude.

Answer 4

I don't oppose Science. I oppose going against the Word of God and saying that man came from a monkey and showing a chart where a monkey turns into a man. This I oppose greatly!

If the Big Bang is when God created everything instantly, then I agree.

I will not go against God or the Holy Scripture to appease man's science. In the first place we cannot prove anything that happened over approx. 5500 years ago. Carbon dating is not accurate enough. I believe dinosaurs were destroyed by the flood
and a few exist even today in the whale and giant squid. The Book of Job has dinosaurs in it.

I get sick to my stomach when I hear millions and billions of years ago like it is fact or truth and no one can prove it. I'll go one step further-the Bible is TRUTH-Science has not caught up with it as yet.

Answer 5

I'm inclined to agree with you.
The reason that some Christians view science as a threat is because they don't understand it, plain and simple.
Science isn't really my forte, but I don't view it as a threat.
I believe that it's entirely possible that the words given to Moses and to Abraham were put in such a way so that people of that time could understand. Obviously, they wouldn't have understood matter, or atoms, or electrons, or protons, or neutrons, or quarks, or photosynthesis or ANY of that stuff.
Also, I don't believe they had the means to measure time. I don't think they would have been able to comprehend time beyond from one sunrise to another.

Answer 6

I don't think that science and christianity are mutually exclusive. But we do have to remember that the bible is infallible, science is not.

Scientists use to teach that geese came from rotting logs and that maggots cam from the morning dew.

There are many theories that have been proven wrong, we just never learn about them in science class. Nor do we learn about the difficulties with the theory of evolution.

Every class I have taken which taught evolution seemed to be a speech on why we should all believe it but never discussed the weak points (e.g. the Big Bang).

And truthfully, God did create apes before he created people.

Answer 7

It seems particularly ironic to me when people declare themselves not to believe in science (as one poster did here yesterday) -- all the while typing on a computer hooked to the internet.

I wonder what people who say evolution isn't true think about going to the doctor. Your doctor's medical practices are all biology, a large part of which is based on the idea of evolution. Think about when your doctor is concerned about that nasty antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection you picked up or when he asks you for your family history, because he knows that people can inherit genetic tendencies toward certain diseases.

Also, when you look around and see all the plant and animal breeds human beings have created through selective breeding (think how dogs range from the toy breeds to the Irish wolfhound), how can you not believe that animals and plants evolve?

In my opinion, science is the human race carefully learning about God's wonderful creation.

Answer 8

You said that "the scientific picture of the universe's origin doesn't match the Bible" you are correct because the scientific picture is a theory that is said to have happened eons ago. Matter coming from nothing and evolution is a theory. Their are no missing links of ANY species. II Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of GOD. For true Christians science is no threat !!!

Answer 9

As varied and diverse as humanity is, you're likely to find any kind of prejudice or presumption in any demographic you look at. Of course many scientists are Christians (Hugh Ross comes to mind).
Some Christians and other religions' followers take their texts more literally than others do. I believe that Genesis is not so much a detailed description of creation as it is a synoptic summary of God's initiation of His interaction with mankind in relation to His plan for our salvation. I wonder why it matters so much to you. There are dogmatic people in every segment of society who have never even taken a close look at what they believe or why. It's not limited to Christianity.



Mortisink: You demand we prove God to you. We can require you prove there is no God with equal validity.

Answer 10

Some Christian see science as threat because science tends to disprove the bible. Most Christians have invested too much of their life in the bible for it just to be a book of philosophy