@simon – Surely it’s possible to be a scientific Christian. A scientist can understand that the universe is put together in a logical fashion, while also believing that a God created it.
It is Christian Science that is utter BS. These people will pray to their imaginary god (i.e., do nothing productive) rather than seek medical attention for themselves or their children when ill. But I suspect you are talking here about Christians studying scientific topics or applying the Scientific Method to their work.
Science has investigated the reasons behind why people believe in the existence of gods and why they cherish those beliefs. We know the social, psychological, neurological and historical reasons they hold onto those beliefs. It does not require much further scientific study. There is no mystery to it. We understand why people continue to believe in their gods.
But for an educated Scientist, like a cosmologist or physicist, to claim they are also religious and believe in the existence of god(s) is different. Science and Religion are non- overlapping magisteria. If I am ever to find myself in a situation where I am being tortured, I would bite the cyanide pill in order not to have to listen to the “waffling magical hysteria” of Christian apologists tell me why religion is a valid tool of discovery.
How can a biologist claim he accepts that the Genesis creation story is valid or meritorious of discussion and that Evolution is also true. There is zero room for both. The Theory of Evolution takes up the entire bookshelf. There is no room on it for any mythology. Their cognitive dissonance is crying out to be cured. Yet they refuse to subject their religious views to the same level of critical analysis we expect (demand) any scientific theory to undergo. And no, I am not talking Scientism here. The Christian or Muslim presupposes his\her belief that their god is real. They construct their reality, their worldview, on this presupposition and based upon indoctrinated faith and subjective experience, continue to prop it up.
The non-religious investigators do not need faith. They build up their view of reality based upon their understanding of rigorously tested objective Theories. Their building blocks are based upon our current “knowledge”. This knowledge is independent of any faith that anyone may hold. It is objectively verified and the facts discovered via the scientific method are considered to be ‘knowledge’ because they have been ‘justified’, in the philosophical sense even, to be correct. When we get more information in the future, we can refine our understanding and get on about our day. Religionists cannot do that because their God did it. If they say He did not, then they are not believers.
Once again Simon can you tell me anything useful to society that religion has given us in the last 500 years? Yes, some priests and religious people have made scientific discoveries but only via science. If nothing useful has been discovered using the ’Religious Method’, then why continue to use it?
In science, there are no universal truths, just views of the world that have yet to be shown to be false. (Brian Cox, Preface, page 1 of Why does E=MC2?) The apologist must hold his book to contain unchanging Truths. If not, then his\her god has inspired nothing real.
Reg the Fronkey Farmer. Reason: Reg added CNN link
