UPDATE: This poll closes on July 31, 2009.
Do you think that science and religion are compatible? Does one have anything at all to do with the other? Or are they mutally exclusive concepts?
This is a first-ever Baltimore Science News Examiner Poll. Let's make it a good one. Try the polling device below and let me know how you feel about this topic. Naturally, comments are encouraged in the section below.
I know this is a hot button issue for some people. But one should never be afraid to broach touchy subjects.
Comments
Mary, Hope you get a lot of feedback on this question, which I have long found endlessly intriguing. LOVE the illo!
The Bible answers lots of questions regarding science and contains scientific truth that we discovered late.
Mary: science has as it's basis the idea that the world is best understood by objective facts, i.e., observation and experiment. Religion has as it's basis the idea that the world is best understood through revelation by divine spiritual entities.
While it's possible to do both (e.g., observe facts and experience divine revelation), the problem comes about when religious people insist that objectively observed events, things that can absolutely be proven, are false or nonexistent (e.g., the age of the earth, the Sun's place in the solar system, evolution to name a few). That said it ought to be clear there is a great deal left to be discovered about "reality", including the existence of higher (e.g. spiritual) life forms.
Science and religion can co-exist, but only to extent that the limits of each are understood and accepted.
Best Wishes,
Scott Charles
PlumbBob Market Research
Ok, ok...this is not the point of this poll, but I just find it interesting that Scott claims "the age of the earth, the Sun's place in the solar system, evolution to name a few" can "absolutely be proven."
I'm personally still waiting for these things to "absolutely be proven" as fact. Real scientists are incredibly careful when talking about "absolutes" as it is nearly impossible to claim things as "absolute truths."
Evolution is the one I find most interesting as it is the furthest from being proven "absolutely true." As much as it is accepted in the scientific community, I would venture a guess that not too many scientist would claim it as an "absolute truth." There's far too much questionable and missing evidence to claim that.
And the age of the earth is also so far from an "absolute truth." How many times has carbon dating and methods like that come up with VERY wrong results? Plenty.
That being said, yes, these 2 things can and SHOULD co-exist.
Hi Mary,
Great poll--looking forward to the results. Yes, I do think that religion and science are compatible. I was a Geology major in college and am still a big fan of fossils, but I agree that claiming "absolute truths" in science is a risky business.
I wrote in an article I posted about the moon reflecting light:
"I read somewhere that science describes nature whereas religion gives it meaning. In other words, religion and science do not have to be incompatible. In fact, the Qur'an instructs us to contemplate the signs of nature in order to learn more about God, Glorified and Honored is He ... Many misunderstand Islam's view on science. In short, Muslims do not view understanding the workings of the universe as threatening, but rather as an opportunity to learn more about God."
Natural law made me believe in God long before I believed in Christianity. Looking at an animal cell long ago I realized someone or something had to create/design it.
Near death experiences are studied by many in both science and religious communities too.
Mr. Charles, you said, "While it's possible to do both, the problem comes about when religious people insist that objectively observed events... are false or nonexistent."
I agree that is a problem. However, it is also a problem when scientists attempt to insist that objectively observed events prove things that they do not, for example, what exists outside the universe. In my opinion, this is a worse problem, because the credibility of scientists either leads trusting people into intellectual dead ends, or it destroys scientific credibility, both of which are tragic results.
George Copeland
National RNC Examiner
www.copelandweb.com
Well Mary Great Poll
The Vote results also indicates that 60% are accept the fact that the religion and science are compatible.
But my advice is to built knowing on the religion before any judgement.
Any way lets go direcltly to proove this.\
I have many proofs but let us first examine the parable of Mosquito by reading the topic on the website :55a.net concerning mosquito
where when stydying what Allah said in verse 26 Albaqara in the Holy Qur’an:}Allah disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest (like female mosquitoes) as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: "What means Allah by this similitude?" By it He causes many to stray,
and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path) [26]{ AL- Baqara
waiting for your feedback
waiting for your feedback concerning the answer of the following questions :
1-How Mosquitoes Can Realize Organisms in Nature?
2-How does a mosquito know about this enzyme which coagulates the blood?
3-How does a mosquito prevent the coagulating enzyme by forming special anticoagulants? How it knows about these chemicals? How do all these processes happen?
4-How does this insect form such enzyme autogenously,and transmit it by its techniques to the human body?
5-Where does a mosquito get this information from?
The answer of all these questions is simple.A mosquito can not do anything because it does not have a perceiving brain, information about chemistry,nor a laboratory to form these anticoagulants.The insect we are talking about is a few millimeters long,and does not have a mind, nor education.The Creator of the human being and this mosquito,unusual super insect,who gave it such an amazing super system,is the Creator of the humans and the one who can recreate him in the Judgme
Nope, sorry, science and religion are fundamentally incompatible. Science is the objective observation of the natural processes and forces of the cosmos. Religion is a obsolete and divisive human construct. The two can never be compatible. Science can be falsified,amended and updated. Religion claims monopoly on the truth without evidence, proof or witness. Science is progressive, religion regressive. When science collides with religion,science always wins.
George Copeland -
Science does NOT have anything to do with what exists outside this universe - whatever that means. Within this universe we have no way to interact with anything outside of this universe, and therefore we have NO knowledge of what is outside this universe. All that can be done is speculation, hardly proof or disproof of anything. Thus anything outside this universe, is scientifically not interesting.
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