Why do you stereotype religious people as rejecting science?

Question

I am religious and I do not at all reject science.

Phyre - I believe in evolution. This does not contradict my religion. Why do you assume it does?

DeadPrez - my religious beliefs do not conflict with science. Do you assume you know what I believe?

ninja - I am not lying. I believe that science can only tell us about what is observable. Scientists themselves will tell you that there are some things science can't test. There are historical events we can never prove for sure, but we can be reasonable to believe they happened.

I can be reasonable to believe that "God" is the best description of what I personally have experienced. I do not claim to know what I do not. But I use the language of religion to describe what I have personally felt firsthand, because it describes it well. I do not claim that the descriptions I use are absolute truth. They are metaphors that are effective.

Aurora Dawn - because people have been accusing me all night of being ignorant, just because I'm a "believer." I'm human, and I'm sick of being accused. I didn't mean to be accusatory.

Answer 1

Because science and religion do not go together. Science disproves religion. You either believe creation or evolution. You can't believe both. Anyone with a good knowledge of science would not believe in any religion.
I assume it does because most religions have their own version of how humans came about. I have never heard of a religion that preached about evolution.
It might help if you told us what you believe. That seems to be an important part of this.

Answer 2

I'm with you 100% Heron by the sea. I know you're not ignorant at all... but have studied very widely. You always ask very objective questions. I agree with every comment you've said about science. I love science. Like you said, it explains the observable. Spirituality/religion explains the inner workings of man... not observable to others - except in the peacefulness of the expression and the peace and integrity of the actions.

It won't be long before Science will be measuring the energetic effects of spirituality. They have already made some leeway.

Outer Truth + Inner Truth = Whole Beautiful Truth!

Answer 3

Religion - supernatural beliefs based on faith
Science - natural beliefs based on evidence

The two are inherently contradictory, so you are either a very weak theist, a very superficial scientist, or you are lying.

EDIT:
"I use the language of religion to describe what I have personally felt firsthand, because it describes it well. I do not claim that the descriptions I use are absolute truth. They are metaphors that are effective."

This is called ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, and is baseless from a scientific point of view. From someone who claims to "not at all" reject science, this is a textbook example of rejection, and one of the classic misunderstandings theist harbor. For example, when a theist claims they KNOW god exists because of a personal experience or event, this is a subjective claim, which is meaningless in science. It completely undermines their credibility in the eyes of science.

Critical thinking isn't something you "sort of" indulge in. You either believe things because of evidence and facts, or you believe on faith.

Answer 4

I respect the advancement of science, which has done remarkable development to the mankind. If God were to incarnate today, He will fly also the same way as we do. Everything that can be done by us can also be done by God. And when He is in the midst of us He behaves socially as we do among ourselves. The divinity in Him is always there though. The deserving recognize the divinity factor and enjoy association with Him physically even more. Others look at him as just another person. But He remains with all His traits always.

Science is important for the physical living. Spiritual consciousness is always important for eternal living. There actually is no clash.

Answer 5

Even if it goes against what your book says. I think religious people don't do it because they are stupid, its more because they are scared that their god won't approve. Or that it goes against what their book says. Most people aren't really religious, in fact, when it comes down to it, they don't really know much about their own religion. Why, you ask? Because they are too lazy to really sit down and read their own book. Religion is obviously man made. It is used to control the masses. To keep you inside the box. If you step outside the box then you start to question authority. The government doesn't like that and they never have. Science will eventually destroy all religions, except for those who are so blinded by the fact that they think that their God made it all.

You think you are religious. You are not. If you were then you would follow all your little rules. And we all know that you don't do that.

Answer 6

People who are theists (unfortunately) are often lumped in with the reject science/reason/reality crowd all too often. I don't think ALL theists are crackpot anti-evolution creationist lunatics. However, the actual crackpot, anti-evolution, anti-science, creationist lunatics have a political agenda and are using anti-science as their 'wedge issue'. (Their words.) And they have VERY big mouths and are sadly, very easily winning over uneducated people.
If you are upset to be lumped in with this lunatic fringe. (And it really is a political movement and not so much an actual religious one) you might consider standing up to these loud mouths and pointing out how ridiculous they are making your belief system look.
Don't get me wrong, as an atheist I find all belief in the supernatural ridiculous, but I can handle people who love god and jesus and whatnot as long as they don't have a political agenda. (Or the ones trying to destroy the lives of other people to gain power.)
I'm just saying, maybe all of you reasonable people should speak up a bit more.

Answer 7

Look at how many people on here answer science type questions with "No, I'm Christian, therefore I believe what the Bible says blahblah blah" and you'll understand why.

Can I ask you a personal question? If you do not AT ALL reject science, how can you possibly maintain your 'religious integrity'. The two contradict each other.

Answer 8

Religious people don't reject science

Answer 9

I do not reject religious people (those who don't practice the Christian religion/myth/cult?) I believe in evolution/biology.

Answer 10

It's really more the other way around; rejecters of science are pretty uniformly religious.