Jul 26, 2009
Science and Religion
Blogathon Workspace, 3:00 AM
I recently read a blog post by fellow Vancouver blogger David Morton. His blog titled the Inspiratorium has some great posts including some of his works on a novel set in a medieval period.
This blog post interested me because it was about a news article from Vancouver Sun featuring a miracle where a dying man for whom all hope was lost was miraculously cured by a priest using a relic belonging to a monk.
The debate between science and religion was interesting, and I told David that I enjoyed the article and that it would be an interesting topic to discuss. So I’ve decided to use that as the topic for this post.
While I’m not anti-religious, I’m not very religious either. However, the topic of religion and faith has always interested me. So, do I accept the miracle theory or reject it? That a dying man was cured by a cloth from a priest is in itself a miracle.
But the rationalist in me says that there has to be an explanation for everything. An explanation that, science, at the moment cannot answer. Until then, it would remain a miracle. I don’t think it is the arrogance of science though, in trying to solve the mysteries, and trying to find answers.
Sages have been trying to do the same, in trying to solve the mysteries of the universe. Who says scientists can’t believe in God or religion?
It’s just that at some point in time probably in the middle ages, science and religion parted ways, each attempting to seek the truth in their own way. Will science help find God? That would make for good science fiction!
Hope these ramblings at 3:30 AM make sense!
A Business Systems Analyst pondering over requirements analysis, process improvements, project management, communication, story telling, the meaning of life and how everything fits together. This blog is to share my thoughts on all these and more.
Thanks for the props, Ganga, and nice blog post. Congratulations on making it through the blogathon! Inspiring accomplishment, and all for a great cause.
When I spoke of the arrogance of science, I was addressing the scientific camp that spurns the God factor … Richard Dawkins et al … who calls belief in a personal God a delusion. This delusion he defines as a persistent false belief held in the face of strong contradictory evidence, i.e. science. Well! Such arrogance, indeed! It is intolerance of the highest order, calling organized religion mass insanity.
Dawkins is a top-notch scientist and powerful writer, though. While he is capable of beholding the incomprehensible mysteries of nature and the inexpressible beauty of the universe, he devalues the mystery, I believe, but asserting that it can all be explained in equations and spreadsheets.
I also alluded to the ingenuity of science, and I think it can and should co-exist with a belief in God. Yes, scientists can believe in God, but I don’t think they can help us find God … but you may have the makings of a great science fiction novel in that suggestion!