Can't science and religion get along?

Question

Personally, I think religion and science can get along just fine... at least they do in my small brain.

I'm appalled at what I've seen from believers in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, to Intelligent Design.

Science is a different approach to finding truth than faith.... different, but why are both sides often seemingly trying to prove the other side wrong?

To me it seems to go against the edicts of both religion in general, and the scientific method.

You can't really prove religion is true or false, so why try? They aren't built on the same basis. God gave us reason - therefore we should use it. However, can't people that decide to ONLY use science as a means of their personal beliefs be open enough to allow for others to believe as they wish without thinking they are ignorant? Science should always be open to anything - so should religion in my mind. Let's stop closing doors.

Sorry - lots of questions here - Personally, when I get to heaven, I'm going to ask about the dinosaurs.

Answer 1

As a scientist who believes in God I know where the domains of religion and science reside: On two very different planes.

Religion is unprovable because it is untestable which means science and religion can NEVER be compatible in strictly logical terms.

I see no reason to reconcile my belief in a God (or even my practicing a prescribed religion) but what bothers me BOTH as a scientist and a theist is when religious nut jobs take out a crusade against reason.

I call a spade a spade: If you believe the world is 12,000 years old, that Adam and Eve were literally the first two people, that God "placed" the dinosaur bones in order to test our faith (implying that they never existed), or DARE try to pass Intelligent Design off as a SCIENTIFIC theory, then I reserve the right to call you an idiot.

Answer 2

Science's domain is uncostrained. You can apply scientific principles to determine the validity of ANY claim. If you apply them to "the GOD hypothesis" the hypothesis is quickly rejected. If you want to believe in god despite the failure of the hypothesis, you must make huge stretches of the imagination, or you must contort the original hypothesis until it becomes completely unable to predict anything. At that point, it isn't science anymore.

By the logic you present here, we could state that the whole of the universe was sneezed out the third nostril of a homosexual pink leprechaun (or a flying spaghetti monster). Science cannot prove this false with 100% certainty, so they should be "open to the possibility" right?

By and large, scientists are happy enough to leave religion alone. The conflict arises when people want religion taught as an alternative to science in the classroom. This gets the scientists very agitated. This is what gave rise to the church of the Flying Spahgetti Monster.

Answer 3

"Can't science and religion get along?"

-Yes, and no. They're not totally incompatible. As long as they're not in competition, it's possible.

"I'm appalled at what I've seen from believers in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, to Intelligent Design."

-Bad examples there; one's a tool for forcing religion into schools, and the other is a joke.. so they're not "religion" per se... but I get the point.

"Science is a different approach to finding truth than faith.... different, but why are both sides often seemingly trying to prove the other side wrong?"

-Now, you're actually wrong... I don't think "science" or "religion" are doing anything at all.

It's people and their goals that are in conflict. Science is a methodology for finding the truth. Religion is a ... belief system.

I'm sorry if you believe them to be equal, but they're not. Science deals with the natural world, and religion with the supernatural; which is why they could coexist.

If you look at the discussion here, and in general, you might notice that most scientifically minded people don't really give a damn about religion, but they do tend to defend their thoughts when ambushed by religious thought being pushed onto their area ;)

"You can't really prove religion is true or false, so why try?"

-Wouldn't use that reasoning if I was you... "proving the negative", you know?


Speaking for myself, you can believe anything at all you want, no matter what... as long as it doesn't influence negatively (if you believe your purpose is to give me money, go ahead) on my life.

Don't push religion to me, and I won't attack your faith... don't claim "goddidit" is a valid scientific theory, and I won't mess with metaphysical explanations of god ;)

Deal?

Answer 4

Well spiriuality came before religion and religions are different perceptions of spirituality. Mankind came up of different ideas of how the earth began. How did religion come about, my personal opinion was it was created in fear of isolation, and from objectives to live and fear of death. Spirituality may of started since earth began or when time began and humans have retained perceptions of spirituality through religion. The more we question the beginning the more we feel small and insignificant so know wonder religion came about but I do think there are forms of energy blind to our eyes or ears which only appear at certain points which makes us believe or make us think we are going crazy and want to ignore it because we fear the unknown. Humans according to science evolved after the dinosaurs.

Answer 5

Intelligent Design is religion masquerading as science and I support the Church of the FSM 100% in exposing it as such.

Personally, I believe that science and religion are compatable as long as one doesn't take the chapter of Genesis literally. There are numerous physicists, astronomers, biochemists, and even evolutionary biologists who are believers in the One GOD.

Answer 6

There are plenty of Christians teaching science at Oxford, for example. They just have better things to do than waste time with these silly flame wars. Really, if I was a zoology professor at a prestigious university, I wouldn't devote my time to being called an idiot by people on Yahoo.

Answer 7

First of all the bible speaks of Dinosaurs-Look at the web site below.
Second IMHO true science does NOT contradict Judo christian thinking it supports it. There is something called Creation science that you may want to read all about.
I also have an applied Science degree.

†

Answer 8

Which religion?

There are a few religions that do agree with science. But you've probably never heard of them (unless you did your own research) because they're secure in their beliefs. Therefore, they don't send out converters to spiritually coerce and intrude upon innocent people like the monotheists so that they can validate themselves.

For more info, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism

Answer 9

Scientific evidence truly does support the Bible - Romans 1:20.

Answer 10

Science is about things physical. Religion is about things spiritual. Science has nothing on spiritual matters. Those who believe science is the be all and end all are seriously deluded. Evolution or any type of science cannot change your life for the better, nor make you a better person.