Can religion and science coexist?

Question

If yes, how can you still remain a believer? Are you selective in what you believe and learn?

If not, why religious people are using computers? If you are religious and answering this question, you contradicting yourself because computers wouldn’t exist if not for science!!!

I am not asking anyone to worship science

Answer 1

Religion and science coexist. It's not about 'picking and choosing' as you try to make it out. It's just that our understandings (of both science and religion) have gotten better with time.

We also understand better that religious texts such as the Bible were written by men, even if inspired by God, so everything is written from man's point of view in the times he was living. Man's understanding of science was nothing like what we know now, but religion still had to explain things about the world around humans. Just because these humans wrote about things without the knowledge of science doesn't change the fact that God created them. No matter what happens, that will never change.

Just like religion can't prove the existence of God, science cannot prove that God doesn't exist. That will never change no matter what technologicial advances come. Our religious ideas may change based on new scientific data (we now know the Earth revolves around the Sun), but science will never answer the fundamental question of creation. No matter how close to the Big Bang we come in our understanding, we'll never know what was there just before the Big Bang. Therefore religion and science will always coexist.

When a new concept comes up in science which contradicts our current understandings of nature, does that mean we should ignore all information we had prior to that? Of course not. While the Bohr model of the atom is no longer valid, it is still a useful tool for science, especially in understanding recent events and how we came to the understanding of the new concept. The same goes for creation stories that, while on the surface seem far fetched, still hold many universal truths about who we are. That will never change.

Answer 2

"It's easy to build a philosophy- it doesn't have to run."
-Charles "Boss" Kettering, electrical engineer with over 300 patents

Philosophy, and by extension religion, should answer questions man has about himself. Science should answer questions that man has about the world around him.

One requires inductive reasoning, one requires deductive reasoning. There are certainly situations where both should be, and are, applied.

The problem is, at one point in history, our religion, government, schools, and science were all the same thing. From that era, a lot of "requirements" were attached to religion, and sometimes those rules make it difficult to be completely objective and accept new evidence, especially when new findings contradict things that are "absolutely true". Sometimes, that kind of difficulty is good, as it gets us to critique the new evidence and make sure it's sound. And in a lot of parts of the world, that "all things to all people" attitude that orthodox religions have makes civilization possible where it otherwise wouldn't be. Often times, though, in the modern world this does make it difficult for people to use their rhyme and reason together, so to speak.

Ironically enough, the very thing keeping religion and science from functioning together now, is the fact that they used to be one and the same.

So, to answer your question, yes, they can coexist, and have in the past.

As to the believer question, I think many people have found creative solutions to this problem for themselves, and live rational lives while also subscribing to a religion just fine. A lot of them seem to be pretty happy, truth be told, and they'll usually have careful explanations as to how they're following the rules of their faith.

Answer 3

They can, because they obviously do right now. And both will continue to exist into (the at least immediate) future: science, due to its superior predictive value and explanation of the natural world; and religion, due to its value to humans as a source of comfort. They only clash when one assumes something in the other is a threat. As you can see from the other posts, it is primarily the religious that believe science is somehow a threat to them (they confuse science and technology; they don't understand the fact of and evidence for evolution, so have to make things up to discredit it or think it means some attempt to "get rid of God"; they don't understand how science works and how theories are not just some whimsical idea, but a huge collection of evidence from many different fields of study that have been collected for many years; etc.

I am becoming less and less of a believer, frankly because I'm tired of being called ignorant (or worse, evil) by uneducated people because of the things I know to be fact, and I'm sick of the tunnel vision that is implied in most religious beliefs.

Answer 4

Not only can they exist, it was Christian beliefs that "[t]he world is real; God is reasonable; [and] the order of the universe can be determined by reason" that largely led to the rise of science. Apparently, these creationists agree: http://answersingenesis.org/home/area/bios/default.asp

"If yes, how can you still remain a believer?"
Because there is no contradiction between operational science and the bible.

"Are you selective in what you believe and learn?"
No. Both evolution and creationism start with philosophical assumptions to interpret evidence- I simply believe that those of creationists are more credible than those of evolutionists.

"If not, why religious people are using computers?"
Because computers fall in the realm of operational science, rather than origins science. That is, they deal with processes that are observable, testable, and repeatable in the present.

Answer 5

That is silly. I appreciate science & technology but I don't worship it. It is not my God. I think science is a great thing but it doesn't wipe out God. God gave men the minds to figure out all of these things in the first place. I take medication which was developed by a scientist but I am still a believer. It is easy to believe in science because you can see it. On the other hand, God is not so easy to believe in because you cannot see him. Science is just science and has nothing to do with being a believer. Atheists and others cling onto science as their proof of no God. Believers cling onto God and appreciate science.

Answer 6

They can and they do. I'm a devout Christian and also a molecular biologist working in research.

I can remain a believer because God is real, and I believe in what has proven itself real in my own personal life. If you are asking how can you be about both science and religion, it's simple: you have to be about TRUTH. You cannot believe that you know everything, from either source. I know first-hand both the greatness and the limitations of both. As a Christian, you are always learning more and more about God and the world around you, it doesn't stop. The same with science.

Answer 7

Yes, they can coexist. If we understand the nature of religion and the nature of science, we should be able to reconcile both views in general. By nature, religion is top-down approach. This is particularly true for 3 big religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. I am not really sure about other religions, but I think Buddhism started from the time when Siddharta Gautama received enlightenment. That is what I know (please correct me if I am wrong). Then people started teaching and preaching values based on the revelation. Science, in the other hand, is bottom-up approach. People see things then try to conclude something: theory, formulas, etc. If you understand logic, there are 2 ways to draw conclusion: deductive and inductive. In deductive logic, you start with general statement then go to more specific statements. For example: All students have to go for exam Michael is a student Conclusion: Michael has to go for exam This logic is more suitable to religions beliefs and values. But you must ensure those statements are correct before you can draw correct conclusion. In inductive logic, you start with specific statement then go to more general statements. For example: Doves have beaks Canaries have beaks Eagles have beaks Conclusion: All birds have beaks This approach is more suitable to science and research. The problem is, although the statements are true you may end up in wrong conclusion. For example: Doves can fly Canaries can fly Eagles can fly Conclusion: All kinds of bird can fly This is not true because ostriches cannot fly although they are birds. Your data is incomplete so you end up in wrong conclusion. In fact, it is virtually impossible to collect all data and facts in the nature. So, when you find a scientific theory, you must realize that they are not necessarily 100% correct. That's why scientific theories need to be tested and challenged over time. Of course, if you find you can use a reasonably tested theories for the good of human being.

Answer 8

I can use technology and still believe, because as of yet, science has not proven that God doesn't exist. I know for a fact that scientist have discovered a molecule that they call the God Particle.

A computer is a tool, just as the internet is a tool. But I am not going to worship the computer, or the internet.

Science and religion co exist, and most of the science discoveries were made by people in the church.

Answer 9

Yes they can coexist and what is the problem in believing in God there is no Logic in asking how can you still remain believer.

There are religious books in Sanatana Dharma for example in Vedas there is a section for
Upved
1. Arthved (science of economics)
2. Dhanurved (Science of war)
3. Gandharved (science of music)
4. Ayurved (science of Medicine)


So science is still behind what the religious books showed the world. Need more research

The incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Hindu Books show the evolution of Humans which were written centuries back the theory.

Answer 10

Of course not; religion only hinders science. Every time that there is some breakthrough in science, religious people always have something to same about it. Many religious people still do not believe in evolution or the big bang. Some also doubt modern prescription medications (e.g. Tom Cruise and his "science" buddies).