Why do people assume that faith in science and faith in God cannot coexist?

Question

I have been noticing all of the various arguments being put forth by believers (from all faiths) and non-believers (sorry, but I am using this loosely to refer to atheists here), and it seems that there is a great amount of hostility between the 2 viewpoints. The believers think that the atheists are going to go to hell (or something like that) and the atheists assume that believers are unintelligent and uninformed about science in general. I honestly think that in this section, it is mostly for entertainment, as someone else has pointed out. But for the record, I believe in some form of higher power, yet I also fully embrace the theory of evolution, as well as the big bang. I mean, if there is a God (which I believe there is), and it exists outside of time and space, it could never be proved or disproved. So the search for God is outside the realm of science anyway. Why does one have to go to hell if they don't believe in God? And why does one have to be an idiot to believe in God?

Answer 1

Exactly what I've been trying to say! Religion and Science are two different things that answer different questions in different ways, but they are not mutually exclusive. There is no need to reject science in order to embrace religion. There is no need to reject religion in order to embrace science. Many intelligent, reasonable people embrace both. Science is very good at observing, testing, and understanding the material world. But beyond that, beyond the material is the domain of mysticism, spirituality, and religion. These are things that can be experienced, but cannot be proven empirically. So, in the case of spiritual experience, science has its limits.

Answer 2

Because it discredits most of modern religions. Even more than that though, a value of science almost necessitates critical thinking skills and an appreciation of logic, both of which are antithetical to a belief in deities. To your first question: We can coexist when religious people stop trying to legislate/force their faith upon the non religious. 2. It's not scientific faith. It's a conclusion based upon the fact that energy/matter can neither be created nor destroyed (but can change forms back and forth). If the universe existed in some form forever, then it didn't need a creator and all creation myths are bogus. The universe as we know it (by the way) definitely had a beginning. 3. It's no insult to compare one mythical being (of which there is no evidence) to another. the intelligent argument about the soul is that our consciousness comes from our brain (something that has been understood for a long time). 4. It's my education level that gives me a sense of "intellectual superiority" to charlatans like Kent Hovind, Ben Stein, and the like, who deliberately misrepresent themselves and valid scientific theories/ideas to achieve their ends. EDIT: Yeah, it's impossible to definitively scientifically prove that God doesn't exist, but it's also impossible to definitively prove that a flying pink unicorn doesn't exist or that leprechauns exist. Logic tells us that there is a small possibility that anything you imagine COULD exist, but that's no reason to spend you life as a slave to that concept.

Answer 3

It is not as "simplistic" as you have attempted to state. (Unfortunately!) Religions are ONE of the biggest portions of the reasons for humanity to "do battle". Some people these days even hold "Science" as a "Religion" of sorts.
Yes, there are a lot of folks that hold that IF your a believer in God, then you cannot possibly "embrace" Science. (and visa versa) However even the Bible tells us that "Ho 4:6 - My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge!"
In knowledge is wisdom (and power) but just to accept that man can "know" everything about "Creation" is a dangerous path! If you begin to honestly take God from the "equasion" then you will find yourself "out on a ledge" with nowhere else to go. Many of the great "thinkers" of our time..as well as historical ones, have eventually thought out the "problems" to their "uttermost" and discovered that there MUST be a Creator, thus we now have an "Intelligent Designer".
Mankind's biggest issue with God, seems to be the same one we have had throughout the ages, in that we do NOT want to follow the "rules". We want to do things "our own way" without having a "Higher unseen Power" telling us what to do, and why. (we can evidence the same thing from our own children as they grow up!...with the exception we are seen...and still the children DISOBEY) It is our human nature to do so. The reason that you listed in regard to Science & "religion" being at "war" is that FACT that 2 opposite issues cannot BOTH be true. (such as the fact that it cannot be daytime and nightime at the same place & time) Therefore it stands to logical reason that ONE must be true and the other false. Ergo..your "arguments" as to which one is the TRUTH. The more that science learns, it really does prove the existance of God, and therefore issues such as "evolution, and big bang" cannot be true, and have in fact in MANY instances been proven as incorrect theories. As for going to "hell" NO Christian has the "right" to pronouce that "sentence" upon another! For ANY reason. However the Bible does tell us that those that do NOT have Jesus Christ as their "attorney/Savior" will have to stand before a Holy and JUST Judge and account for themselves and their actions,..upon their own merit.
Since the Bible also gives us the law by which we will be judged, and the consequeces of breaking the law...then it would truly be a "fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God"! Without a Savior.
I myself embrace science insofar as it is a VERY valuable tool..to eventually & conclusively prove the existance of God.
However I do reject "theories" that say things such as "evolution is a fact" (without conclusive proof!) or that the Big Bang is how things "began",..as LOGIC states that from nothing... NOTHING comes!

Answer 4

This is a good question.
I do understand your opinion about God being a metaphysical being who is not detectable by science. And I do also understand that many religious folks can embrace modern scientific knowledge.

However, I do think that the conflict between religion and science is as real as anything. Historically, pursuit of science has constantly suffered from persecution by the religious folks who held the power and deterred scientific advancement for centuries.

Even now, advancement of science in stem cell research and AIDS research are discouraged and sometimes prohibited by religious people on their dogmatic basis that a spec of cells have souls and people will be sexually perverted once AIDS is cured.

We have to acknowledge that the conflict is real. Evading this issue by treating it non-issue would be the last thing humanity needs at this point. So many people suffer greatly from AIDS and the cure is disparately needed. God has not helped these people for decades and we have to take this problem on our hands.

Answer 5

well because some people believe that science is a silver bullet to the belief in God. like a few on your answers that sling mud against believers. here is what the founder of modern science has to say .

"A little science estranges a man from God; a lot of science brings him back.". . . Sir Francis Bacon

Answer 6

"Faith in science" is rather an odd statement, dear one, since one can't have a personal relationship with it, pray to it, speak to it, ask it for help, etc.

Faith in God, however, is much more accurate since we DO have a relationship with Him.

Science is nothing more than the study of things physical. There is no comparison with science and God. God CREATED science.

God bless!

Answer 7

You have the choice of believing or not believing. I believe that the bible says you either accept or reject. It is either yes or no............I did not know one had to be an idiot.......I will keep that in mind.
People that try to disprove God and the creation have existed for millions of years. That is not anything new. Satan still is unleashed...........

Answer 8

Because modern atheism is materialism, which asserts that the spiritual cannot exist. Science has become atheism's dogma and anything that contradicts materialism (i.e. religion) is deemed incompatible. The Catholic Church actually has many scientists on staff and asserts that God would not deceive us, so science and religion must be compatible.

Answer 9

As a Pagan, I don't believe that Christians are idiots. I believe that they are very closed minded individuals. It is very difficult for them to think outside of the box they were shoved in for their whole lives. I think it may actually scare them to consider another possiblity. I am very open to ANY possiblity and look at /theorize about many different beliefs. Does this make me smarter? It may.....

Answer 10

the reason why i am religious is that science cannot explain everything. What happened befor the big bang? What happened before that? What happened before that? There has to be some answer, and that is god.