Are Science And Faith Compatible?
I’m an atheist, in the truest meaning of the word: I don’t believe in God. At least not the God of The Bible and The Koran. I believe in science, also in the truest meaning of the word: “The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.” So, can I have a discussion about science with a person who believes in God? Perhaps. Again, it all depends on what you mean by “God”.
If, by God, one believes there is an all-knowing entity that 6,000 years ago created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh; a God that commanded Noah to build an ark; a God that demands worship, punishes sinners, responds to the silent prayers of billions of people; that renders judgment before allowing entry into the Kingdom of Heaven where 72 virgins await, then having a meaningful discussion about science is difficult.
If, on the other hand one is willing, as I am, to consider that the creation of the universe (which some call the Big Bang), the beauty of nature, the laws of physics and the ascent of man, were somehow set in motion by a force we can’t currently comprehend – even a force in the form of a being or beings that we haven’t yet discovered – then I just might be willing to call that force “God”, for lack of any better single word.
People of science and people of faith need not agree on everything. But they must agree on three things: 1.) We don’t have all the answers; 2.) We must keep searching to find them; and 3). There is much to be learned from the pursuit of answers in both.
If you believe in the literal word of the Bible, that all the answers to life’s questions are spelled out in its texts, and that the only response to every seemingly-unanswerable question is “because the Bible says so”, then you have stopped searching for answers. No further discussion is possible and no mysteries will be solved.
Conversely, if you believe there is no useful information in scripture, no truths to uncover, and nothing to be learned from studying religion, then you are missing some of the most important lessons of what it means to be human. Among them, that you should respect others (Exodus 20: 1-17, The Ten Commandments); that you should seek wisdom and understanding (Proverbs 4:5); and that you should walk the earth with humility (Koran 31:18).
No, science and faith are not incompatible, unless we make them so. To men of science, I quote Jesus: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” And to men of faith, I quote Carl Sagan: “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
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By: Mark Hersch
Mark Hersch is a Boston-bred, DC-raised liberal now living in Chicago with his liberal wife and two liberal dogs.
9 responses to Are Science And Faith Compatible?
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Jake June 21st, 2014 at 15:34
No.
Obewon June 21st, 2014 at 18:48
Sure. Science maybe an echo of 14 billion years of universal collective consciousness. “To be scientifically literate is to empower yourself to know when someone else is full of shit.”-Neal Degrasse Tyson continues “If you’re scientifically literate, the world looks really different to you. …If you’re not scientifically literate, it’s in a way, you are disenfranchising yourself from the democratic process and you don’t even know it.” http://trouble.room34.com/archives/4318
Obewon June 21st, 2014 at 18:48
Sure. Science maybe an echo of 14 billion years of universal collective consciousness. “To be scientifically literate is to empower yourself to know when someone else is full of shit.”-Neal Degrasse Tyson continues “If you’re scientifically literate, the world looks really different to you. …If you’re not scientifically literate, it’s in a way, you are disenfranchising yourself from the democratic process and you don’t even know it.” http://trouble.room34.com/archives/4318
Shades June 21st, 2014 at 22:15
I never understood where the 72 virgins were kept and just how they got there. Nonetheless, speaking as an atheist who comes from a very religious family, I would think, if you’re willing to take the bible figuratively, you could make it work.
Shades June 21st, 2014 at 22:15
I never understood where the 72 virgins were kept and just how they got there. Nonetheless, speaking as an atheist who comes from a very religious family, I would think, if you’re willing to take the bible figuratively, you could make it work.
fahvel June 22nd, 2014 at 02:56
by saying “I don’t believe in god” one confirms the fact that they recognize the existence of god. – I don’t believe in disease etc. But it’s a moot argument beginninh with the idea that there had to have been a beginning. Seems naive to think that prior to the dot becoming a big bang there may have been nothing seems absurd – time is a continuum in all directions. I think what terrifies the general “believer” is the concept of eternity – to pass a speck of time in a state called life and then eternity as maybe a memory and then nothing is difficult and then add to it that all the time to come has also been all the time that was before the mini moment of existence – might give rise to some faith gibberish to confirm that the speck of time means something.
fahvel June 22nd, 2014 at 02:56
by saying “I don’t believe in god” one confirms the fact that they recognize the existence of god. – I don’t believe in disease etc. But it’s a moot argument beginninh with the idea that there had to have been a beginning. Seems naive to think that prior to the dot becoming a big bang there may have been nothing seems absurd – time is a continuum in all directions. I think what terrifies the general “believer” is the concept of eternity – to pass a speck of time in a state called life and then eternity as maybe a memory and then nothing is difficult and then add to it that all the time to come has also been all the time that was before the mini moment of existence – might give rise to some faith gibberish to confirm that the speck of time means something.
Simon Willcocks June 22nd, 2014 at 10:41
Does saying “I don’t believe in unicorns” or “I don’t believe in fairies” means that you recognise their existence, Fahvel?
The beginning of the universe is unlikely to make a big difference to our lives, but I find the speculation fascinating.
I think the rest of your comment is spot on.
Simon Willcocks June 22nd, 2014 at 10:41
Does saying “I don’t believe in unicorns” or “I don’t believe in fairies” means that you recognise their existence, Fahvel? It’s only recognising the existence of the belief in those things in others.
The beginning of the universe is unlikely to make a big difference to our lives, but I find the speculation fascinating.
I think the rest of your comment is spot on.