Why do christians go to hospital when all medical science is based on scientific hypothesis and theories...?

Question

Every field of Science is based on hypothesis and any of them can be flawed, according to Fundamentalists' logic.

So why do you trust those medicines at all? It's not good idea to trust Scientists/Physicists/Doctors, you know... makes you a "bad christian".


Instead... shouldn't you be doing something that has more powerful effect, and that cures instantly.. i.e. praying?

You can say god created us and all that... but why would you reject some scientific theories and accept some?

That's the point of question.

Answer 1

Xtians and hypocrisy? Say it ain't so!

Answer 2

Nothing starts as a theory. You make a hypothesis. You test it. You get the results, and observe facts. Then you come up with the theory as to why it works. Yes, medicine is a theory. The germ theory of disease. Cars are a theory. The two-stroke engine theory was the first theory of how to build an internal combustion engine and use it for transport. Evolution is extremely readily provable. The evidence is so overwhelming that even suggesting that it doesn't happen makes you objectively wrong. Germs evolve, people evolve resistances. Cellular change is observable in bacteria on literally an hour basis. You can watch a microscope for an hour, and watch bacteria evolve. Their DNA becomes different through random mutations. A "Theory" is not some bloke in a white shirt saying "I think this happens". Nothing is higher than a theory. It is not simply one fact, but an entire mass of facts, all joined together by mathematics (usually) and a scientific explanation that is testable, falsifiable and accurate. The "Just a theory" argument is based on the fact people don't know what the word theory even means, and it's utterly ridiculous. EDIT: Darrin, I'd like his name. I'm aware that many people make PR stunts with utterly implausable clauses so that they can say "no-one has proved evolution" when what they are asking has nothing to do with it. If someone is offering six figures for me to show them genetic change happening over time, I could do with a bit of spending money for barely two hours work.

Answer 3

Anything that is called a "theory" is an unproven but likely idea.

Evolution is a theory; it is highly probable that it occurred, and until I see proof that it didn't, I will assume it did. But it is always possible that it didn't. That the world was flat was also once a theory; many people were certain it was flat, but it was proven otherwise.

Anything that is called a "law" is an indisputable fact that always holds true and cannot possibly be controverted, no matter what.

Gravity is a law of nature. On our planet, ALL objects obey that law. If you walk off the roof of the Sears Tower, you are going to fall. There is no other possibility.

So... why should we accept some scientific theories and reject some? Because not all theories are created equal. Not every widely accepted statement is true. Some theories go on to become laws. When gravity was first recognized as a natural phenomenon, it became a theory. When scientists realized what caused it and how it worked, it became a law. Other theories go on to be proven false. When people thought the world was flat, it was theoretical because they had never been to the ends of the earth. Then Columbus sailed the ocean blue and proved the world was indeed round.

While a theory is a theory, it is up to you to decide whether you believe it or not. Everyone believed in gravity, even when they didn't have a name for it. They were all right. Everyone believed the world was flat, even when they didn't know one way or another. They were proven wrong. It is possible to be mistaken in one's scientific beliefs- scientists prove themselves wrong every day in experiments. To err is to be human. But it's also possible to be right. The two can coexist.

So while modern science doesn't give us perfect results, there's no reason not to use it. God helps those who help themselves. He gave us the world and our brains to help ourselves; that is the point of science. If we clung to every mistaken idea, we'd do ourselves no good. If we refused to accept proven facts, again, we'd do ourselves no good. Therefore, we ought to take the middle road and accept what we find reasonable, and reject what we find otherwise.

Actually, for my part, I can't think of any current scientific theories that I reject. I may disagree with certain minor details of them, but I think the main points of those theories are perfectly valid. Evolution? I think it happened. I don't think we have apes in our family trees, but I definitely think the human race has developed over time, as have animal and plant species.

To use less words- there's nothing wrong with believing some commonly accepted ideas, and not believing others.

Answer 4

All of science is a matter of discovering God's creation. Sometimes all we have is latest bit of what that investigation tells us. I had my tonsils out back when they did that sort of thing. We used to call Brachiasaurus a Brontosaurus. We used to think the world was flat. But why would we reject a scientific hyposthesis that denies God? Well, because that is no help at all, it proves nothing, and denies reality and other better hypotheses. Christ actually came and the world really began at some point in time, so chalking it up to nothing is intuitively absurd.
There is a Christian adage that goes, "pray as though it all depended on God, and work as though it all depends on you." God will fill in the gaps. If I split my head open, I go get stitches, and pray to god to protect me from long term brain damage. I think that later part ought to be the prayer of the atheists.

Answer 5

Oh, gee, it's the Village Atheist. Signed on here to bait some Christians, did you? What's the matter, nothing good on American Idol?

Why do you want to come on this site full of intelligent people and show your ignorance? You obviously don't know jack about Chrisitans, their beliefs or their attitudes. Otherwise you'd know that all not all Christians are "Fundamentalists", there are only a couple of their sects that refuse modern medicine anyhow, and there is nothing in the Bible against medicine or legitimate science.

Crack a book once in a while.

Answer 6

To seriously answer the question, unlike everyone else that has answered the question, Fundamentalists don't agree with Darwinian Evolution because it simply doesn't match up to a literal interpretation of the Bible, pure and simple. They do not disagree with it merely because it is a scientific theory, although often they use that to back up their arguments. Christian Scientists (founded by Mary Baker Eddy) actually don't go to hospitals and believe in prayer instead of medical treatment, in fact in the last few decades, several court cases have come about because of this (Christian Science children have died of very curable illnesses because their parents refused medical care for them). They are a relatively small sect, but the Christian Science Monitor is well-known and respected in the world of journalism.

Answer 7

LOL

I think they go to a hospital because they're afraid of testing their fantasy-God and because they want to live a little longer.

It's all hypocritical, of course... and when the Doctors are finished saving their sorry butts, guess who the hypocrites thank... ? ... Yup, you've got it. They thank the one whose name wasn't even listed in the hospital directory.

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb62/Randall_Fleck/Amputee_GIF.gif

Just last April, a ten year Harvard Medical study was completed on the "power of prayer and it's effects on post operative cardiac patients." Of 1802 patients followed, 59% of those who recieved prayer assistance did WORSE than the group who didn't get the help of prayer.... LOL.... Perhaps that's the reason Christians trust in doctors more than they trust in God.

[][][] r u randy? [][][]
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Answer 8

You make an excellent point!

I was thinking something similar today, while teaching auto mechanics about electronic systems in cars. I wondered why Christians drive cars, since there is a ton of science and science theory in automobiles . . . airplanes . . . geez, the science of why helicopters even fly is still experimental . . . you'd think they'd be sitting at home in their caves, hovering over fires started by lightning (of course, God's lightning, not Ben Franklin's) and eating hunter/gatherer stuff.

Answer 9

You may get some kind of genetic screening to determine if you have cancer. That genetic science has produced the human genome. And little do they know that genetics has discovered that humans and other primates share 95% + of their genes. Maybe they shouldn't be allowed to see an oncologist if they feel they have cancer.

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Answer 10

You are partly right, medicine is somewhat based on hypothesis, and certainly prayer must be first, and i myself was healed supernaturally of a debilitating lower hernia by such in Jesus name and thru His people. And many others have been as well: http://www.cbn.com/700club/features/amazing/.

God can also direct us toward natural remedies, and medical science, of which natural healing is a part, is not necessarily opposed to the Bible, which supports scientific methods. The Bible has revealed basic scientific discoveries before they were discovered by modern man: http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologe...
http://www.genesisfiles.com/guest_articl...

And if discoveries or inventions by some people who disagree with some things we believe disallowed us from using them, then considering the abundant number of notable scientists that were men of faith, then you could not be using such things as electricity. http://www.adherents.com/people/100_scie...
http://www.aboutlife.com/gazdunn/a_histo... [Video]

First message sent by the electric telegraph:

"What hath God wrought" {cf. Numbers 23:23}.

{The message was sent from the Supreme Court Room in the Capitol to the railway depot at Baltimore; May 24, 1844}. {In one letter, Samuel Morse wrote "What hath GOD wrought" by capitalizing and underlining "GOD" twice!} http://www.eadshome.com/sciencequotes.ht...

Answer 11

Jenny,
You are right about one thing. GOD c reated man and therefore, HE should be a big part of the healing process. I suggest that prayer is a great way to begin healing even though you may want to go see an MD as I do. By the way, all Medical Science and Science in general are products of our FATHER'S Assistance. HE is the reason that you and I are alive today, that we have the advances that we have, and that this earth is able to keep us alive. Have a wonderful evening and a glorious week.
Thanks,
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PS... I have a Physics, Mathematics, and Two Education Degrees.

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