Laura Sheahen asked the following of Richard Dawkins—former professor for the public understanding of atheism from Miskatonic University—(“The Problem with God: Interview with Richard Dawkins,” Beliefnet):
There are intelligent people who have been taught good science and evolution, and who may choose to believe in something religious that may seem to fly in the face of science. What do you make of that?
Richard Dawkins responded:
It's certainly hard to know what to make of it. I think it's a betrayal of science. I think they have a religious agenda which, for reasons best known to themselves, they elevate above science.
Let us ask a similar question to Mr. Common Sense:
There are intelligent people who have been taught good science and evolution, and who may choose to believe in something atheistic that may seem to fly in the face of science. What do you make of that?
Mr. Common Sense retorted:
It's certainly hard to know what to make of it. I think it's a betrayal of science. I think they have an atheistic agenda which, for reasons best known to themselves, they elevate above science.
As Michael Scott stated in the TV show The Office, “Well, well, well, how the turntables…[period]”
Having recently considered Richard Dawkins’ claim that theism is a science stopper (see part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4) we ought note that it is simply illogical and historically bankrupt to even imagine that to believe in something religious is a betrayal of science. This is because to believe in something religious, namely God’s existence and God’s actions as creator, is the very foundation upon which science, its methods and its fields are premised in the first place.
Now, note that the question specified the belief in something religious that flies in the face of science or, actually, that merely seems to fly in the face of science. It may be said that Richard Dawkins is merely reacting to something which specifically is or seems to be against science and that is why he considers it is a betrayal of science. However, he would see all religious beliefs as flying in the face of science and therefore betraying science. He may state that this is the very reason why it is called a religious belief and not a scientific conclusion.
Since science was intelligently designed to function within the box, within the universe, wherein it deals with the material. Thus, science has nothing to say about the supernatural either way. It may observe and reproducibly experiment upon this or that in order to determine whether it has a materialistic cause or answer but ultimately: it does not affirm God’s existence and does not affirm God’s non-existence.
Thus, to positively affirm God’s non-existence, as Richard Dawkins does (at least, when he is preaching to his cult of personality hero worshipping choir), flies in the face of science, is a betrayal of science and thus, is not a scientific view but a personal preference.
Lastly, just in case and as a side note: some claim that the history of the progress of science as regards its alleged buttressing of atheism is that the more we learn, the more we discover that what was once said to be the action of God(s) is now known to be due to this or that material cause and effect.
However, this ought not bother the theist in the least bit—at least not the theist how believes that God is not the creation nor a part of creation but that God stands outside of, even whilst interacting with, His creation. This is because in such a view: God created the box, the universe, to function according to a material cause resulting in a material effect. This is not only what makes chronological/linear time function but is the very premise upon which science is based.
Theism and atheism are both presuppositions, we are all metaphysicians, and one cannot be said to be a betrayal of science above the other. If anything, atheism causes the stoppage of free thinking in that it will not allow one to think outside of the box. However, theism allows one to take all evidence as is and follow it to its logical and scientific conclusion.
For more info on this issue, see:
Atheism and Science - The Magus
Atheism Plus "Science" - An Infinite Digress
Atheism and Science - Is There a Relation?, part 1
Atheism and Science : "Love the Lord Your God With All Your Mind"-Matthew 22:37
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