How often has religion gotten in the way of scientific advancement?

Question

I basically would like instances such as that of the catholic church denying Galileo's findings. I just want to know when religion has outright denied factual findings, or has tried to remove scientific discovery/advancement.

I would like some dates of churches or religions going against science to go along with these claims.

Answer 1

Nothing in science is discovered unless God allows it anyway. Those facts you are trying to rely on are only deceit from satan.

God bless

Answer 2

It's tough to answer that question either way because while religious people and organizations have often presented impediments, they have also many times been supportive.

While it is true that the Catholic church had denied Galileo's findings, it is also the case that the Western World owes a huge debt to Arabs and Muslims, since Arabs gave us the decimal number system we use and much mathematical knowledge was either contributed by Muslims or preserved from translations of ancient Greek texts.

While it is true that modern Christians have opposed stem cell research on ethical grounds, it is also true that many religious folks made substantial contributions to biology. No less than Charles Darwin, a Christian (while there may be indications he may have had reservations about his theory, it's still the case that he published it and it holds up) and Gregor Mendel, a monk, provided some of the basic insights that helped pave the way for much of modern biology and genetics.

EDIT:

Those are just a couple of examples off the top of my head. My guess is that if one digs deeper one will find religion has had many encounters with science, both positive and negative. Good or bad, it's just too big and complex a part of the human condition to flatly lump it on one side of the fence or the other.

Answer 3

Not so much Now. They really can't. I mean even the pope said evolution was true. But you know what they say about Catholics. So right here religion has outright denied factual findings that show evolution to be truth. Come on, Dinosaurs on the ark. When I heard this one, I just couldn't believe it.

Answer 4

1. This universe, the physical universe, is made up of matter, energy, space and time. Call it MEST, for short; Matter, Energy, Space, Time. 2. We, humanity, are spiritual beings, not bodies made of flesh and bones. We have bodies, but we are not those bodies. We are spirit, not matter. We create energy, but we are not energy. We seem to occupy space, but we are not space. We exist throughout time, but we are not time. 3. Spirit is the source of life. MEST has no life except what spirit breathes into it. Life, as we know it on this planet, in this universe, is a creation of spirit acting on MEST. 4. MEST and spirit operate on different laws. 5. Because spirit and MEST operate on very different laws, they often collide. When that happens, both become disrupted and confused. Remember when you were a little kid? Unless you had one of those really messed up childhoods, you probably experienced life much more intensely then than you do now. You played more playfully, food tasted more tasty, and the world was full of wonder and magic. Now life sucks. Well, the difference between then and now is those collisions. They are what turns enthusiastic and idealistic youth into bitter and negative old age. You did what seemed natural to you, to make things better, and far too often they got worse instead. You applied the laws that were natural to you, a spirit, only to find again and again that this universe couldn't care less what you think, it's got its own laws and it ain't changin' for you, kid. This universe is a rough, tough place and it takes no prisoners. It can chew you up and spit you out and it does that to millions of people every single day. It can make you mean, and it can beat you down, and for all but a few of us it takes more than it ever gives and you lose a little bit more every day. Scientology is a way of making sense of those collisions, and dealing with the beatdowns, and preventing them from happening again or controlling the damage if they do. It is a way of getting back the magic and joy that is your birthright, and winning in life instead of just getting along. It is an applied philosophy, meaning it is intended to be used, not just read about or known about or familiar with. It is in the Eastern tradition of religion more than the Western, and it doesn't really involve beliefs as Christianity, Judaism and Islam do. Scientologists don't believe in L. Ron Hubbard like Christians believe in Jesus, but they follow his teachings to the degree that those teachings make sense, and produce positive results when applied. Because Scientology isn't about belief, there are Scientologists who are Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Atheist and others. It is not a religion that tells you what to believe in, but it can help you to be happier and more successful in life as whatever you choose to call yourself, no matter what your belief, and no matter what area of life you want to improve. People become Scientologists because they tried some piece of L. Ron Hubbard's philosophy and found it worked and made things better. So they try another. After thirty years, I still haven't found anything that didn't work when fully understood and correctly applied.

Answer 5

It's true that many centuries ago, the Catholic church villified science if it went against church teaching. However, many of the sciences we know today were actually begun by religious people if not actual Christians. Copernicus, Descartes, Huygens, Newton. Galileo, Pascal, Kepler, Pasteur, Bacon, Boyle and many others.
http://scibel.gospelcom.net/materials_myths_few_scientists_true_christians.html

Answer 6

Their is countless stories of catholic church impeding scientific progress. We don't even have to go back in the annals of history to get examples of the Churches voice echoing dissatisfaction in things such as birth control, and stem cell research.

Answer 7

In some instances, it slows it down. It just keeps science pushing to be one step ahead of the criticisms. According to a NOVA special (Judgement Day: Intelligent Design on Trial), religion actually advanced scientific studies in a few cases.

Answer 8

You must not live in the United States. President Bush, a self proclaimed born-again-christian, Vetoed a bill intended to provide funding for stem cell research. He's championed "Intelligent Design" as a means of trying to promote a creator notion in public schools and has vilified alternative energy technology since he took office.

I will ring your doorbell and run away!!!

Answer 9

Well the current state with intelligent design being taught as science is a big one. Now I have no issue with this being taught in a philosophy or comparative religion class but it has no basis in science.

Answer 10

How about Stem Cell research?

Answer 11

Without some form of morals we might all be dead by now. Religion has in many ways helped, and in many ways hurt. How is it you claim things would be better without it? Could not things also have been worse?