Is it okay to compare and contrast science and religion?

Twylla · Post by **Twylla** » 03 Dec 2020, 16:20

The Bible is symbolic and poetic can't be strictly lined up with scientific evidence. It was never intended for that. There are archeological findings that validate stories in the Bible, but that is the extent of validating the Bible with scientific evidence.

Ari Martinez · Post by **Ari Martinez** » 04 Dec 2020, 02:17

Kirsi_78 wrote: ↑01 Dec 2020, 15:34 I think comparing these two is quite alright. I am sure God can handle our questions and doubts etc. In my personal opinion, science can't be that far away from religion, but as it is only one of the human ways of looking at the world, it is imperfect. If we could share God's wisdom, our science would make more sense. I don't like confrontation around this theme, since I believe that from the human point of view religion and science can actually support each other.

I completely agree with you on the thought that religion and science can support each other. I am personally one of those people that doesn't see science contradicting the Bible in any way. I think the biggest problem non-religious people have is that sometimes they compare science to people's interpretations of the Bible instead of comparing science to the actual Bible. For example, the Catholic church erroneously interpreted the Earth to be flat and people tend to use that as proof that the Bible is wrong, when in fact the Bible says nothing about the Earth being flat, but it does say that the Earth is round.

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 04 Dec 2020, 07:46

Twylla wrote: ↑03 Dec 2020, 16:20 The Bible is symbolic and poetic can't be strictly lined up with scientific evidence. It was never intended for that. There are archeological findings that validate stories in the Bible, but that is the extent of validating the Bible with scientific evidence.

Religious books have a way of writing, that is not always scientific. Some of the mentionings are just mythical and they do have a deep meaning hidden underneath, which may be scientifically provable. So, I agree with your point that both these things can be compared, but only to a certain extent

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 04 Dec 2020, 08:00

Arimart99 wrote: ↑04 Dec 2020, 02:17
Kirsi_78 wrote: ↑01 Dec 2020, 15:34 I think comparing these two is quite alright. I am sure God can handle our questions and doubts etc. In my personal opinion, science can't be that far away from religion, but as it is only one of the human ways of looking at the world, it is imperfect. If we could share God's wisdom, our science would make more sense. I don't like confrontation around this theme, since I believe that from the human point of view religion and science can actually support each other.
I completely agree with you on the thought that religion and science can support each other. I am personally one of those people that doesn't see science contradicting the Bible in any way. I think the biggest problem non-religious people have is that sometimes they compare science to people's interpretations of the Bible instead of comparing science to the actual Bible. For example, the Catholic church erroneously interpreted the Earth to be flat and people tend to use that as proof that the Bible is wrong, when in fact the Bible says nothing about the Earth being flat, but it does say that the Earth is round.

That is a valid point. When such interpretations are being compared with science, they can be proven wrong. But when the core, the correct knowledge, is being compared with science, it may be found that it has always been true. So in a comparison it is important to understand to what we refer as 'religion'

Post by **Kirsi Cultrera** » 04 Dec 2020, 08:23

Arimart99 wrote: ↑04 Dec 2020, 02:17
Kirsi_78 wrote: ↑01 Dec 2020, 15:34 I think comparing these two is quite alright. I am sure God can handle our questions and doubts etc. In my personal opinion, science can't be that far away from religion, but as it is only one of the human ways of looking at the world, it is imperfect. If we could share God's wisdom, our science would make more sense. I don't like confrontation around this theme, since I believe that from the human point of view religion and science can actually support each other.
I completely agree with you on the thought that religion and science can support each other. I am personally one of those people that doesn't see science contradicting the Bible in any way. I think the biggest problem non-religious people have is that sometimes they compare science to people's interpretations of the Bible instead of comparing science to the actual Bible. For example, the Catholic church erroneously interpreted the Earth to be flat and people tend to use that as proof that the Bible is wrong, when in fact the Bible says nothing about the Earth being flat, but it does say that the Earth is round.

You got that one right, I couldn't agree more. I think a lot of times non-religious people just look at religious people and their faults or hear their interpretations, instead of actually realizing that what they see or hear might not be the ultimate truth. And that religious people are not faultless, they differ only by the fact that they have been forgiven their faults.

RHD · Post by **RHD** » 04 Dec 2020, 09:14

Personally, I do think it's okay. Human beings are naturally curious creatures. So, for the sake of the scientific minds, there should be some sort of scientific explanation of religion. However, we haven't even exhausted scientific discoveries and theories, how then, should we exhaust religion. Any individual of sound mind knows we can't know and explain everything in totality. That's a fact.

Jasy95 · Post by **Jasy95** » 04 Dec 2020, 09:18

When I was attending a catholic high school, my science teacher explained to us that she didn't understand the reason why science and faith are always held separately. If God created everything, then He also created all of the scientific laws and concepts of this world. I fully agree with her on this point. I think the reason that we see conflictions between science and religion at this point in time is that we just don't have the full picture. I hope that one day with more scientific progress, the two will finally become complementary and people won't feel like they need to only believe in one or the other.

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 04 Dec 2020, 13:38

Kirsi_78 wrote: ↑04 Dec 2020, 08:23
Arimart99 wrote: ↑04 Dec 2020, 02:17
Kirsi_78 wrote: ↑01 Dec 2020, 15:34 I think comparing these two is quite alright. I am sure God can handle our questions and doubts etc. In my personal opinion, science can't be that far away from religion, but as it is only one of the human ways of looking at the world, it is imperfect. If we could share God's wisdom, our science would make more sense. I don't like confrontation around this theme, since I believe that from the human point of view religion and science can actually support each other.
I completely agree with you on the thought that religion and science can support each other. I am personally one of those people that doesn't see science contradicting the Bible in any way. I think the biggest problem non-religious people have is that sometimes they compare science to people's interpretations of the Bible instead of comparing science to the actual Bible. For example, the Catholic church erroneously interpreted the Earth to be flat and people tend to use that as proof that the Bible is wrong, when in fact the Bible says nothing about the Earth being flat, but it does say that the Earth is round.
You got that one right, I couldn't agree more. I think a lot of times non-religious people just look at religious people and their faults or hear their interpretations, instead of actually realizing that what they see or hear might not be the ultimate truth. And that religious people are not faultless, they differ only by the fact that they have been forgiven their faults.

Cannot argue about that. Being religious is not similar to being faultless, yet they try to be good and do good. So waht they interpret as religion can be criticized by the onlookers. But there are ones who favour the science, who actually study on their own about the religions and criticize their own interpretations, and such arguments differ from what you stated

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 04 Dec 2020, 13:41

RHD wrote: ↑04 Dec 2020, 09:14 Personally, I do think it's okay. Human beings are naturally curious creatures. So, for the sake of the scientific minds, there should be some sort of scientific explanation of religion. However, we haven't even exhausted scientific discoveries and theories, how then, should we exhaust religion. Any individual of sound mind knows we can't know and explain everything in totality. That's a fact.

That is true. No one can know everything and no one can explain everything. That doesn't make anything false. At the same time, being unable to explain something doesn't make it true or acceptable as well, although that might be accepted by a majority. Some religious teachings come under this category

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 04 Dec 2020, 13:41

RHD wrote: ↑04 Dec 2020, 09:14 Personally, I do think it's okay. Human beings are naturally curious creatures. So, for the sake of the scientific minds, there should be some sort of scientific explanation of religion. However, we haven't even exhausted scientific discoveries and theories, how then, should we exhaust religion. Any individual of sound mind knows we can't know and explain everything in totality. That's a fact.

That is true. No one can know everything and no one can explain everything. That doesn't make anything false. At the same time, being unable to explain something doesn't make it true or acceptable as well, although that might be accepted by a majority. Some religious teachings come under this category

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 04 Dec 2020, 13:45

Jasy95 wrote: ↑04 Dec 2020, 09:18 When I was attending a catholic high school, my science teacher explained to us that she didn't understand the reason why science and faith are always held separately. If God created everything, then He also created all of the scientific laws and concepts of this world. I fully agree with her on this point. I think the reason that we see conflictions between science and religion at this point in time is that we just don't have the full picture. I hope that one day with more scientific progress, the two will finally become complementary and people won't feel like they need to only believe in one or the other.

I find that there is a 'IF' in your statement. If God creates everything, te science should have been His creation too. But what 'if isn't'? Neither side of the argument can be proven and that leads to my initial question, is it okay to compare religion and science

Eutoc · Post by **Eutoc** » 04 Dec 2020, 15:44

Comparisms have to do with things of the same category or class. You could compare two different soccer teams, the same could be done with say two music artist. But comparing two things that are quite not-so-related tends to break down at some points. Religion and science are two things that show relational changes at different topics. So it would be too forward to compare them at all times and too shallow to not compare them.
As the popular saying goes "religion continues from where science stopped."

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 05 Dec 2020, 01:44

Eutoc wrote: ↑04 Dec 2020, 15:44 Comparisms have to do with things of the same category or class. You could compare two different soccer teams, the same could be done with say two music artist. But comparing two things that are quite not-so-related tends to break down at some points. Religion and science are two things that show relational changes at different topics. So it would be too forward to compare them at all times and too shallow to not compare them.
As the popular saying goes "religion continues from where science stopped."

That is quite insightful. When we try to compare not-much related things, or things that have thier seperate pathways, like religion and science, it tend to occur clashes. So it is wise to choose which areas to be compared and which areas not to be compared

Guda Lydia · Post by **Guda Lydia** » 07 Dec 2020, 14:55

Science and Religion go hand in hand. They both do not explain every aspect in life or associated with life, but they still explain a great deal. Some issues like origin stories tend to clash, but most compliment and support each other.

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 07 Dec 2020, 20:44

Guda LM wrote: ↑07 Dec 2020, 14:55 Science and Religion go hand in hand. They both do not explain every aspect in life or associated with life, but they still explain a great deal. Some issues like origin stories tend to clash, but most compliment and support each other.

There are areas that science and religion agree with each other, yet there are many areas that they don't. So in that case, my opinion is, if the two to be compared, specific areas has to be selected which are actually comparable