Why so many christians?

Question

Why are there so many christians in the science section? It seems to me that few if any of them have anything productive to say! Just wanted to know your thoughts.

p.s. What I mean by this is those who simply answer 'god did it', or in some other manner do nothing else than promote their own beliefs.

Not sure what the ranting and insulting was for Ist Sarge, but I am in no way discriminating against any belief system, it is not my place to choose for you, I am simply saying that the 'god did it' comments should be left out of a scientific question. If you have something influential to add to the conversation than thatis fine with me, but things like that add nothing to a good question!

And I placed this here because it is in the astronomy (and biology) sections that most of the big bang and evolution questions come up, and that is where these kind of comments are common

I think many of you are misunderstanding me. Although I am an athiest myself, I welcome anyone of any religion to give their insights on scientific questions. My problem is with thos who, if I may quote 'silentprophecy', take the easy way out by simply putting forth the statement 'god did it'. I am not claiming that all christians, or any other religions, are like this, I am just saying that if you are not going to add anything worthwhile to the question to stay out of it.

Just to bring up another topic, I just read a question by someone who obviously knew nothing about the question he was asking , but yet was trying to poke holes in scientific logic. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070802105324AAfiRtW& r=w&pa=FZptHWf.BGRX3OFMiTJVV3lbFZ6CxCkmiKG_Sn0kChWOO0TeqQ--&paid=answered#HpFbKWzKInpOw6gT7Cop

I know many of you will think that I am accusing christians of not knowing anything about science, but that is not what I am saying (Religious satus of asker unknown), it is just that things like this get on my nerves.

I dont know what I have to do to make myself understood. Some of you have given wonderful answers with great insight, but others, 'john walkup' being a perfect example, seem to insist that I am ofended by or are dicriminating against christians! I realize that many scientists 'believe', as I have heard it put countless times before, and I actually encourage the intermingling of science and religion! In my opinion science and religion can only benifit from putting thier heads together. All the extra posting trying to get my point across is becoming tedious! Please understand that my problem is with the people that cant or dont add anything to the question. People like '1st Sarge'!

Answer 1

I'm not sure if my answer does the issue any justice, but I guess I'd have to say it's easy for people to tackle the areas of the unknown in a manner that's comfortable for them. As a "Christian", I'd have to say that those type of responses are lazy and devoid of any critical thought. For some people, speaking in terms of progressiveness, this is just a phase. I admit to having gone through this period of laziness in thinking myself. I'd have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with you on the issue, and I can only place my hope in the growth of every one as a thinker.

Answer 2

By survey, about 50% of scientists wouldwide believe. That incuded Einstein, Tycho, and others. I kind of agree about this may not be the most appropriate forum, but if that's the case, the stuff about SciFi, UFO's Aliens, Moon Landing Hoaxers and Bigfoot are much more out of place. My father pointed out case after case where something found in nature supports what is said in the Bible. Another Missourian, Walt Disney was a strong supporter of science, but always included the spiritual side of it. As an adult I've found that not only Christianity, but also the other major religions reflect and add new meaning to scientific findings. Robert Oppenheimer who when looking at the first nuclear detonation was moved to quote from the Bhagavad Gita:

"Lo I am become Death, the Shatterer of Worlds"

Can you do better?

It's probably best that we tolerate one another's way of looking at things. I certainly find a reference to God much less offensive than the gratuitous rudeness that some people often indulge in.

Answer 3

Most of modern astronomy, as practised by our so-called "western" civilizations, was developed by members of Judeo-Christian cultures (christians and muslims).

For example, what we now call the Big Bang theory (a derisive name that appeared while it was not yet the dominant theory) was originally proposed by a Christian priest. The man who was pushing the alternative theory (Steady State) was himself a confirmed atheist. The Steady State theory has since been dropped by almost all astronomers because it fails to explain many recent observations (and it can no longer be "corrected" to fit the observations). This does not mean that the Big Bang theory is "correct", simply more useful. It too has to be adjusted every once in a while.

Even while Galileo was being tried, Jesuit astronomers were still acknowledging and recognizing his astronomical discoveries; what they did not agree with were his conclusions. For example, there were two competing theories:
1. Everything revolves around Earth.
2. Everything (except the Moon) revolves around the Sun.

Galileo discovered satellites (moons) around Jupiter and proposed that as proof that number 2 was correct. It obviously is not. It may be proof that number 1 was not correct but it would probably (under more modern scientific rules) lead to the development of a theory number 3: everything revolves around Jupiter.

So, it is clear that religion has very little with science, in the sense that it is possible to practice good science regardless of one's religious penchants -- unless one is a one-track-mind fondamentalist (of whatever belief). In which case, reason does not matter.

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Re: answers 1 and 2:
Even though evolution has little to do with Astronomy and Space, there are many geologists who are also christians (and many who are not), who use the theory of evolution to better understand what they observe.
Ther are a few who have decided that an old book, misinterpreted by some 6th century monk (Bede) as indicating that creation occured some 7000 years ago (not 6000) has more credence than all the observations that can be made in nature.

Answer 4

CHRISTIANS RULE BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT LIFE AND SCIENCE IS ALL ABOUT APART FROM HYPOCRITES!

Can anyone of us Humans create anything out of nothing (no existence). The only thing you might be able to do is change the form of the energy as it is said you can not destroy it. So Where did you get it at the first place it. We puny little humans hardly can feed ourselves at the moment of birth yet we think we have found the secret of our creation. Lol how deep is the ocean and what life is there^_^. This galaxy is so big that our solar system is like a dot, how big would the universe be. And in some religion it is said that there are 7 universes and each one is like a dot to the other. SO you think with the brain like ours we can know it all? We haven't yet physically witnessed 4th dimension and there are 7 more to discover. Can we create any of them or just experiment with them what has already given to us. Man kind is yet to discover the ability of his own mind let alone play GOD or ask about Him. But don't be disheartened, all your questions will be answered after you die, i mean all of us. Death is not our final destiny but the beginning of what was promised to us. Rather then pondering why GOD gave men nipples we all should be wondering why we were sent here and what is our purpose. Yes mankind will live this universe, as it is already prophesied. But that doesn't mean he will challenge GOD and take over His throne hahaha!! our life is not like the game GOD of War(Dam PS2)

Answer 5

Why shouldn't they be here.

Newton was a Christian and he used his math once to pin down the date of when Jesus was crusified.

Einstien believed in God and spefically said he was not an atheist.

The Big Bang Theory (Primordial Atom) was postulated by a Catholic Priest

Galileo was Religious

Christians have questions, Christians have answers. Everyone here is not a stuck up Atheist, so you actually provide some factual answers, even if they aren't necessarily accepted by some Christains.

The religious section is dominated by Trolls and Hard Core Evangelistic Atheists who just spout the Dawkins line.

Here people actually have BRAINS and THINK and KNOW something.

There are AP and Honors science students, college students, amateur astronomers here.

People with actual smarts.

Answer 6

While I do agree with you that science - and science alone -belongs in a forum such as this one, I take exception to your insinuation that Christians blindly reject modern science. I am a Christian, but I do not believe that the Bible is a scientific textbook. Therefore, I am quite comfortable with believing in God, evolution, and the Big Bang. I'm not the only one, and if you look at the Church's official stance, it accepts modern science. I know that many people, including a number of professors (who also happen to be priests) at my university, accept modern science as God's method of creation. So I don't think that it's fair to condemn religion as you have.

Sure, there are conservative Christians - as well as people of other faiths - who do not accept a number of aspects of modern science. Some of them are active on Yahoo Answers. I, for one, respect their beliefs, even if I do not share them.

I think that the people who don't have anything productive to say in this forum are the people who argue against the lunar landings, who insist that the world will end in 2012, and who advocate absurd theories about aliens taking over the world.

Answer 7

Christian seek truth just like everyone else. They are in a difficult time with some much of their belief system under attack from science. When they accept science as a mostly true system that strives to refine that truth everyday, they have to cast off the Bible as wholly true and holy true. Let them stay and seek truth for their lives.

Sometimes, Christians say things or ask questions that seem confrontational to the science minded. Take it with a grain of salt and realize they were told that by many powerful people in their families and churches. It takes a lot of guts and a lot of information to overthrow those influences.

Answer 8

I consider myself somewhat atheistic, but probably lean more towards agnostic (from dictionary.com : a person who holds that the existence of the ultimate cause, as God, and the essential nature of things are unknown and unknowable, or that human knowledge is limited to experience.) And I do have a deep respect for all religions and people's fundamental right to practice any belief they wish to.

I pose this: religion and science nearly go hand in hand. There are extremists who belittle science and scientists simply because it does not align with their own pattern of thinking. That evolution could not be correct because it is contrary to what the Bible teaches (I cannot confirm this as this information is only produced second hand by someone that is a devoted Baptist) in that it states the Earth is only somewhere in the 4,000 year old range (this is to the best of her recollection as well). I wholeheartedly believe in carbon dating and that it shows our earth to be some billion years old.

That God sent Jesus to us and perform miracles (as well what Moses did) that science has proven to be impossible or nearly impossible according to the laws of physics.

That does not however diminish faith. It is a big leap to take. And those who maintain faith (and I mean truly maintain faith) have a sort of peace that many who don't have faith do not.

I also assert this. Is it not feasible, outside of strictly taking the Bible in it's most literal interpretation, that it is ultimately in God's plan for man to exist through a series of evolutionary processes? For example, man had to evolve his legs to it's full potential in order to avoid early prey. To evolve his fingers in order to create tools to hunt and cultivate the land for our food. To evolve our brains to invent all the wonderful technology we now take for granted that make our lives easier and more productive.

Nearly all the diverse religions tend to agree there is one creator. They just argue about what the best way to worship is. And, they tend to disagree about how to interpret the Bible.

For me, the Bible seems to have created this rift between worshipers and science, when I think the Bible is really more metaphorical than literal and that it lends itself to more flexibility than people realize.

Religion and science resources should come together more harmoniously to find the truth in our existence and understand the world around us and to actually ponder the existence of a omnipotent Creator.

~jaz~

Answer 9

There is no reason why Christianity and Science can't get along. I know some scientists who are devout Christians.

Most religions see science as "attacking" religion. This is not so. Science is out to find the truth. Religion seems to believe that they've found it, and the search need not go on.

But if religion has found the truth, why do they deny science the freedom to find it for themselves? Because religious "truths" have not stood scientific scrutiny.

For centuries man KNEW the Earth was the center of the universe. To believe otherwise was enough to condemn the thinker to death. But they lost that one. We're not even the center of the solar system.

Until relatively recently religion had man as the only intelligent life on the planet. Science even tried to help religion by more restrictive definitions of intelligence. But they kept finding critters that met those criteria. Other critters made tools. Other critters had languages. Other critters were self-aware. Other critters could make value judgments.

So religion stepped in and said man was the only critter with a soul. They it sat back, folded its arms, and smugly said, "Lets see you find another critter with a soul." Well, they kind of had science there. Science couldn't find a soul in any other critter. But they couldn't find one in man either. Religion said, "You don't NEED to find it in MAN. It's there. God put it there."

Religion has been forever blaming some deity or other for everything man didn't understand. There was a deity responsible for the sun, rain, wind, etc. There were deities in the forest, in the mountains, and in the seas.

Gradually man became able to understand that it's not a deity who causes the weather. It's something very simple called convection. Warm air rises. Cooler air moves in to replace it causing wind. The air that moved in to replace the rising air needs to be replaced from somewhere, so the cooler air above the air that moved lowers causing cool weather. If the warm air that rose is damp, the dampness condenses into water vapor which we call clouds. It's not a deity any more. Whether a deity has a hand in it is a matter of conjecture... except to religion.

Religion so far thinks it has science stuck on this creation thing. Science is still looking into that one. But we see clear evidence that things evolve. We see it more clearly in critters with very short lifespans. But even man is evolving. He's gradually losing his appendix because he no longer needs it to break down plant fiber because he cooks practically everything he eats. He seems to be gradually losing his little toe because he wears shoes and no longer needs that added appendage for balance. But, because we live so long, people tend not to see the subtle changes. Add to our relatively long life expectancy--about 90 years now--the fact that we aren't forced to live in harmony with our environment as do the other animals. When the environment gets in our way, we destroy it... whether it's a microbe, a bug, a tree, or a mountain... of sometimes even another human being.

We see one generation of bug almost destroyed by an insecticide, and the next generation is immune. We see plants develop resistance to bugs, or defense against them.

No, religious dogma doesn't fare well under the scrutiny of objective, logical thought. It's not that scientists are evil, or that religious people are morons. One poster said they are both in search of the truth. If by "truth" one means "what makes things work the way the do, then I agree. I believe both are searching for explanations for things. Science openly admits it is searching, and isn't able to explain everything. Scientists do not condemn religion. Religion tells science, "Prove your theory." Science tries. Sometimes it succeeds, sometimes not. But even failure doesn't stop science. Because a test fails, it could be the test that's faulty and not the theory. But, if it fails, religion stands up on its hind legs and says, "SEE!!! TOLD YOU SO!!! YOU'RE WRONG... WRONG... WRONG!!!!" But, when science asks religion to prove it's contentions, religion sits back on its haunches and says haughtily. "Don't have to. It's fact. Doesn't need to be proved." Religion doesn't check its own version of the truth. If they did, they might keep up with science. But they're so far behind, that when science points out another flaw in religious dogma, religion thinks it's being attacked.

Ah, but some scientists are religious. Perhaps they sense a higher order in things and attribute that to a deity. These things are of a spiritual nature. But they still seek a physical cause for the material universe and whatever is in it. They don't see it as an attack on that deity. It's more of an endeavor to understand that deity.

Answer 10

What does this have to do with Astronomy?

If you were closer to God then you too would understand why so many scientifically oriented people believe.