do you think if Christians studied history and our sciences that they would lose faith GOD?

Question

I have realized not all but most have no historical knowledge of the bible and jesus and most take a very literal approach to their beliefs ..and many believe becouse they were told to is that faith or ignorance
please I am only proposing a question I was asked and thought I would ask you to get an overal answer.
thank you.

is that all you got nirvanagirl ....give me break and go play with your dolls

what I find interesting is that christians are the first to judge and analize..and make nasty comment's ..a muslim would never be so nasty nor an athiest...I am just asking a question that I was asked..

thank you naughti thats all I was looking for one person that believes and knows that GOD is and always has been and is in our harts neither science or history can take that feeling away...
and to all you others out there with all your hateful reactions...I am a woman looking to allow god back into my life
I lost faith in him after my son was killed

Answer 1

Unfortunately you are correct, a lot of groups take the bible out of context, not considering the what was happening at that time and why some of the items might have been written as they were.

Personally I have found the more we study and learn (all subjects) the stronger our faith becomes. Granted there are areas that will create stumbling blocks until we learn more. Now I will say that studying and learning sometimes times does create issues with groups that are not really practicing the way of Our Creator. This is especially with the groups that have a more human agenda, rather than truly trying to help people to understand Our Creator.

As for scientists that believed in A Creator, (not necessarily Christian but believe in a higher power/Creator)

Max Planck (1858-1947): Planck made many contributions to physics, but is best known for quantum theory, which revolutionized our understanding of the atomic and sub-atomic worlds. In his 1937 lecture "Religion and Naturwissenschaft," Planck expressed the view that God is everywhere present, and held that "the holiness of the unintelligible Godhead is conveyed by the holiness of symbols." Atheists, he thought, attach too much importance to what are merely symbols.

-
A side note: to me at least if one considers some of the ideas of quantum theory/mechanics it really helps explain some of the questions of the nature of Our Creator. And why we perceive some things they way we do. But that gets into a whole other topic.
-

Obviously everyone knows who Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was and his faith in A Creator.

-

Charles B. Thaxton (living)
Professor Rejer Hooykas was a Dutch historian of science who wrote of the profound impact Christianity has had on the rise of modern science. Thaxton was greatly influenced by him at Harvard in 1971. With Walter L. Bradley and Clarence Meninga, they authored, The Mystery of Life’s Origin : Reassessing Current Theories in 1984. In this book they show how temperature, sunlight, and estimated early atmospheric oxygen (0.2 to 0.4%) making the concentration of organics in the supposed "primeval organic soup" 10-7 Molar, about the same as the organics in the ocean water today without the life. Since that book was published, many non-theistic scientists have abandoned the idea that life could have evolved in the open water. Current theories include hot water vents, clay deposits, and panspermia, that life was "seeded" here from another place.

- - -

As for can science and learning being able to change a person’s belief.

Probably one of the most famous “shifts” in faith was by Dr Antony Flew, which had been a long time Atheist activist strongly pushing that there is no God.

-

In early December of 2004 the world renowned atheist author Dr. Antony Flew astounded other atheists with his candid admission. Flew, who is an emeritus professor of philosophy at Britain's Reading University has said that the scientific evidence available to us today is overwhelmingly in favor of the existence of a creator God. Flew, who was raised Methodist became an atheist at age 15, has been an influential champion of atheism for more than fifty years. He has argued repeatedly that there was not enough evidence to support the notion of a creator. But Flew has changed his mind and now believes in God based on the scientific evidence. Flew concluded that a super-intelligence is the only plausible explanation for the origin of life and the complexity of the universe. Flew now describes himself as a deist. A deist is someone who believes in a God who is not actively involved in people’s lives.

-

While it might not seem like much of a step to most people. For Flew to make that much of a shift in belief from his past writings and statements is a HUGE step.

So yes I believe all people should study and learn everything they can. However I also believe we need to evaluate (double check) what is presented to us. For what many people try to teach us is often very one sided and does not stand up when it is evaluated with all the evidence. That applies to what is often taught in the sciences as well as what many religious groups teach. I have had many groups give very nice sounding half-truths, but when one starts double-checking what they said, we discover that most of it is pure garbage simply trying to get people to convert to “their side”. Rather than just telling the truth and letting people make their own choice.

Our Creator gave us a mind and curiosity so that we could learn and grow. However, what path we choose to follow is up to each of us. Are we trying to do good with our advances and really find the truth, or are we simply trying to prove another group wrong? Sadly both extremes seem to be following the later with the real facts and truth being considered irrelevant.

Which is why I keep telling people when it comes to faith in Our Creator:

Never confuse the practices of the people with the church,
Never confuse the practices of the church with religion,
And Never Ever confuse the practices of religion with God.

Perhaps I should also start including,
Never confuse the practices of scientist with science.


May Our Creator bless and watch over you and your family.

Answer 2

Of course not. (well, not mostly).. most christains in america already have a working knowledge of "your sciences, and history"... this doesn't stop us from believing in god.
However, you make 2 very valid points.
1. Many people do take the bible WAY to literally. The smart ones of us know that most stories in the bible are probably just parables to teach us how to live. More of us should come to this reaility.
2. Too many folks just follow a certain religion (any religion) for no good reason other than mom and/or dad said to. This is fine at first, but once you reach the age of about 12 or so, it's time to start questioning your faith and beliefs, and study yourself to find out what you feel, and WHY you feel that way. Those are the steps to take!

Answer 3

What do you think Theology is? Its not the study of the bible.. Thats Bible study...

Theology is the Study of Religion in History and Modern times.

Also anyone that went to school studied Science.. (lol since like 2 grade or younger)

In high school they also touch on Evelution.. and as interesting it all is... I do not think that Faith and Sceince are enemies as people think... but like Newton said... They are Allies... I believe that Sceince is the Tool that God uses.. that's why it exists... I mean... Sceince did not create Sceince.. lol... it has to come from some where.. because Matter cannot be distoryed it can only change form... but it had to come from some where when it FIRST came to be...

And I believe that some where was from God.. if you don't thats your thoughts... but Faith. and Beliefs really have little to do with the Reglions actually.. Faith and Believing happens inside.. Reglion is the Community uniting in the same idea of thier Beliefs.

So.. after all that babbling... We do studie History and Science... But we are the lucky ones that have the strength to keep our Faith unmoved no matter what.

Anyways that is my two-cents.

And P.S. just because someone can quote the Bible does not mean they know all about the Christain faith or of being a Chirstian. Just as... just because you can memorize facts from History books... or Science books.. does not mean you know all there is about those things either...

But I do know that if you do not read a Science or History book...it is less likely you will know any facts at all.

But when it comes to faith.. even if you have never read a bible in your life.... you still can have Faith that there is something bigger then yourself.. and you can still believe in God. Just think about the early Humans...even the Native Americans... they had NO books.. No structured Religion... but they still believed in a Greater Power... they Still believed in Spirits and a world beyond ours.

History and Science must be Learned... but Faith and Believes?.. funny how they just seem to come by instinct.

Have a Merry CHRISTmas :)

Answer 4

There is no doubt in my mind that Christians think very differently than I do. They seem to believe that knowledge is inherently evil and is the personification of Satan's ideals. If you had asked this question six months ago, I would have agreed that diligent study of history and the sciences is the key to liberating the Christian mind. Now I appreciate that they simply will not listen to reason, or knowledge, or logic, or factual truth. As far as I can tell, those who call themselves fundamentalist Christians suffer from the paranoid delusion that everything other than the Bible is inherently evil. It isn't that such Christians have missed a few facts in their educatiion -- they deliberately and willfully refuse to learn anything that isn't a bonafide ancient superstition. It's not what they didn't learn, or that they can't learn -- it's that devout Christians deliberately refuse to learn. They imagine that their own thoughts shape reality and totally reject the modern premise that reality should shape their thoughts.

I have been forced to accept the unhappy conclusion that it is a gross waste of the taxpayer's dollar to ever attempt to educate a Fundamentalist Christian about anything that isn't already in the Bible. Until and unless wiser Christians can prevail upon the ignorant fools in their midst, it is utterly pointless to ever attempt to discuss anything actually real with a Fundie.

You are, of course, welcome to your own opinions and free to do whatever you wish. I've already had my fill of deliberate and willful ignorance and I am NOT happy that my experiences in this forum have forced me to adopt such an extreme position.

Answer 5

Let's see what some scientists say about the matter..... and note that Hawkings, L. Dyson, Susskind, and Kleban are atheists and Jastrow was agnostic. I am not sure about the others. They all have bumped into what I would call a "wall" which opens the door to the possibility of the Divine.: "The more I examine the universe and the details of its architecture, the more evidence I find that the universe in some sense must have known we were coming.” -- Freeman Dyson “The laws of science, as we know them at present, contain many fundamental numbers, like the size of the electric charge of the electron and the ratio of the masses of the proton and the electron …. The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been finely adjusted to make possible the development of life.” -- Stephen Hawking "A common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a superintellect has monkeyed with the physics, as well as with chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature. The numbers one calculates from the facts seem to me so overwhelming as to put this conclusion almost beyond question." -- Sir Fred Hoyle "For the scientist who has lived by faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries." -- Robert Jastrow "Astronomers now find they have painted themselves into a corner because they have proven, by their own methods, that the world began abruptly in an act of creation to which you can trace the seeds of every star, every planet, every living thing in this cosmos and on the earth. And they have found that all this happened as a product of forces they cannot hope to discover. That there are what I or anyone would call supernatural forces at work is now, I think, a scientifically proven fact." --- Robert Jastrow "Now we see how the astronomical evidence supports the biblical view of the origin of the world. The details differ, but the essential elements in the astronomical and biblical accounts of Genesis are the same: the chain of events leading to man commenced suddenly and sharply at a definite moment in time, in a flash of light and energy." --- Robert Jastrow Certainly there was something that set it all off. Certainly, if you are religious, I can’t think of a better theory of the origin of the universe to match with Genesis.” -- Robert Wilson “The big bang, the most cataclysmic event we can imagine, on closer inspection appears finely orchestrated.” -- George Smoot and Keay Davidson The scientist SHOULD enter any investigation with an open mind and let the facts lead where they may. However it seems that a number today go in with a preconceived view, and when their discoveries take them in another direction they reject it. Such was the case in In thepaper "Disturbing Implications of a Cosmological Constant" when three atheistic scientists from Stanford (L. Dyson, Susskind, Kleban) said the following: "arranging the universe as we think it is arranged would have required a miracle." They went on to say that this would mean that "an external agent intervened in cosmic history of reasons of its own." Because this conclusion was opposed to their existing atheistic beliefs they therefore rejected the concept as it is understood. You can read the paper on-line.

Answer 6

Actually, most Christians I know are very well versed in history - more so than non-christians. After all, their passion is a historical event, and researching it is quite a pasttime.

I'll grant you science, and I throw in math for that matter. But most of the general population doesn't have a great grasp of these either - Christians are no better or worse off than the rest of the population in this regard.

I would encourage you to go about disproving the bible. Every atheist I've ever known who did, converted.

Answer 7

I'm not Christian, but the more I study science the more definite my belief in god becomes. Fortunately my beliefs and views are independent of the Bible and specific religions, so my belief in god and science doesn't contradict.

EDIT:
"..a Muslim would never be so nasty nor an atheist". Are you kidding? You haven't seen nasty responses from some of the Muslims and some of the atheists on these boards?

Answer 8

Not at all. I am myself a Christian and I can tell I know quite a lot about history, especially biblical history. Also, I am quite a fan of most scientific topics and I love to learn more about science.
Knowledge is not at all incompatible with faith. Actually, scientific knowledge of God's creation can help in knowing Him better and therefore builds up faith.

Answer 9

I have studied both science and history, voluntarily and involuntarily, and I haven't lost my faith in God yet. I enjoy people asking questions of me (why else would I be using Y!A). And if I don't know the answers when the question is asked, let me find the answers, and I'll get back to you.

Answer 10

No. Usually, the oppostie effect is more likely to happen. If one already has a firm belief in God, to study science, specifically evolutionary science and history, would make one lose faith in the findings of man. Personally, I am very skeptical of science's theory of the evolution of humans. That is because of my beliefs in the Bible. To me, they just don't coincide.