Why do Christians say the "natural"(science) is nonsense and the Atheists say the "supernatural" is nonsense ?

Question

Is Christianity really the exact OPPOSITE of the natural sciences just as atheism is the exact opposite of the belief in the supernatural ?

The Church says the Earth is flat. But I know that it is round. For I have seen the shadow on the Moon. And I have more faith in a shadow than in the Church. --Magellan
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Answer 1

Didn't you know, CONTROVERSY is what makes the world go a round.

Blessings!

Answer 2

Magellan,
Wow where should I start?????
Your first question about Christianity/Science.
The science idea is just a theory. No proof. Just finding out how old the Galaxy is does not prove there is not a God. The first book in the bible (Genesis 1:1) say's. In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. The earth was without form and void.Not flat.Void or without shape. Most very educated people can't not accept the bible, because they try to analyse it and believe the bible is not or can't be true.
How can anyone believe that all the planets, the sun and Galaxy's can operate in rotation without running into each other? The big bang theory is just that, a theory. So they are opposite. Theory vs. a written book of proof. You use the word "Exact" in both of your questions. When that word is used, it makes me think this is possibly a trick question. Please show me in any Christian bible where it say's the earth is flat??? Maybe some church say's that, but Not the bible...Stay away from that church! I am a minister,ok. In general the "Church" sucks! Don't put your faith in Any church, Please. You seem to be searching for some answers about this crazy world. You see I'm one of those Christians that believe if you believe part of the bible, You have to believe it all. A lot of Christians just go to church to be seen or other reasons. Some think the closer they get to the pastor the cooler they are. I call it: blowing wind up the pastors rears. Some pastors need to bind over and look up there name and address. I really teach the bible. Can't put up with a congeration. To much bull crap going on. Peace, keep looking for the truth. OK

Answer 3

Not all Christians say the "natural (science) is nonsense. I think personally that the ones who do believe this to be true are speaking out of ignorance. I don't mean this to be disrespectful. I'm not saying they are stupid. They lack knowledge and possible have a lot of insecurities built in to who they are as a result of there physical surroundings and experiences.
As for the Atheists. Anything that cannot be proven is not real. Supernatural to-date has not been able to come forward and be accounted for. I don't know that much about Atheism but this follows logically from what I am aware of.
I do not see these ideas as opposites. Some might like to think this way but there is so much grey area and different levels of belief or disbelief. You could make an argument either way. I'd try to stay open minded and read, read, read.

Answer 4

What Christians are you talking about. I wish people would realize that all Christians do not think alike like a bunch of clones. There are some that believe the earth is 6000 yrs. old. and there are some that believe the earth is millions of years old. Some don't believe in evolution and some have no problem believing in both a creating God and evolution. Things evolve and change all the time. All Christians believe in Jesus as God who lived among us for awhile and then was crucified and resurrected. There are many scientists who are Christians. We come in all sizes, colors, shapes, and ethnicity. Your quote be Magellan is funny as the so called Church may have said the earth is flat, but the Bible said the earth was an orb thousands of years ago.

Answer 5

Christianity isn't the exact opposite of atheism or the natural sciences though it is opposed to them (by definition it has to be since it is theist and psuedoscientific).

Though it's quite possible for one to be an atheist and believe in the supernatural I doubt you'll find many declared atheists who do. Though the supernatural is useless when it comes to understanding the world which is why theories which include supernatural elements are usually considered to be unscientific (even by scientists who are religious) and often not even considered to be theories.

As for the shape of the Earth, whilst the bible describes it as a circle (not a sphere) and therefore describes a flat Earth essentially no one takes that notion seriously (even the most reality impaired creationalist) and it was known even during the Dark Ages by the few educated people (most people back then couldn't read or write) that the Earth was in fact a sphere (although they did have an egocentric (or geocentric) cosmogony).

Answer 6

The belief that Christians say the "natural" science is a HUGE generalization and frankly, couldn't be more inaccurate. I have a VERY strong Christian faith, and I am an engineer - obviously my work revolves around the "natural" sciences. I have been a strong Christian all of my life, and I've known and met hundreds of Christians, and NONE of them have said that "natural" science is nonsense. In fact, a large number of my Christian friends are also fellow scientists and engineers. One of my Christian friends is even a high school biology teacher - and like me, she has a very strong faith. Another scientist friend had a t-shirt that had Maxwell's equations for waves on the front, and the scripture "Let there be Light" on the back. To me, the mysteries of science, the universe, and our existence are much more of testimony to God's awesomeness than the story about a man and a woman in a garden.
Peace.

Answer 7

Too often communication and understanding is lacking when the two sides meet. A worldview difference is the second problem when the two sides come together. Whether they are exact opposites; I am no so sure. One could even argue that the Christian Crusades for Christ to win souls to heaven was also another problem found in "middle-Christiandom."

Christians do not typically say natural science is nonsense. They use scientific methods, albeit outdated methods, for researching the age of the earth. They also fund higher education universities and their science departments.

I would agree with you that Christians put less confidence in natural science than Atheists do. Christians trust in the unseen and miracles which do not always agree with physics and laws of this earth.

Who is right and who is wrong? Who is to say? Personally I think that if God did create this earth with the laws that govern it then he would expect us to put our confidence in them? If God created science itself then why would it be nonsense?

Answer 8

Ah.. No. Christians don't say the "natural" science is nonsense at all. We have entire museums dedicated to natural science. And the Bible never said the earth was flat. It did a pretty good job describing it as being circular and suspended in space. If the church of yesterday thought otherwise, then the church of yesterday was just as tainted by false science as the evolution-believing "church" is today.

Answer 9

I don't know of any christians who deny natural science. In fact I have science that says creation happned:

http://www.creationevidence.org/scientific_evid/evidencefor/evidencefor.html

And as for the church believing the world is flat, thats only the Roman Catholic church, and maybe 1 or 2 others.

so, you are believing falsehoods about most christians.

Answer 10

Most Christians have no problem with science -- including evolution. It is really just a fringe group of Christian Extremists that take Genesis literally.

Half the Christians in the world are Catholic. While I am no longer Christian, I went through 16 years of Catholic school. I was told in grade school, in high school and at Villanova tha Evolution was correct. Granted -- Catholics also think that evolution is how god created us & is part of his plan -- but they admit that this belief is part of faith, not science.

Pope John Paul II was quoted as saying "Evolution is much more than mere theory."

True scientists will not say that the supernatural is nonsense. They will point out that there is no empirical evidence supporting it. True scientists are much more likely to be agnostics than atheists.

Answer 11

well Christians don't say that natural science is nonsense.
Actually the Catholic church said that the earth was flat, and not Christians.
I believe that Magellan was a Protestant, even before Luther