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greytone · 04-29-2003, 03:38 AM

Lebell skirted on a point that I think is important. I have undergraduate degrees in both biology and chemistry as well as an MD. I view the world through the eyes of a scientist. I take lessons from thermodynamics to understand thought patterns and personal interactions and societal trends. (Maybe Harry Seldon has a point) Darwin's work is at the very center of my world view. I see absolutely no conflict between any of this and being a practicing member of the Catholic Church.

I believe that any conflict between religion and science is a percieved one that is based on a misunderstanding of either science or religion or both.

Science deals with things that CAN be known. Religion deals with things that CANNOT be known and can only be understood through faith and philosophical thought. Scientists overstep their bounds when they make statements about the lack of God. The absence of proof of his existence is not a convincing argument. Religious authorities get into trouble when they talk about things that can be known, but are not yet understood.

A good example would be the Catholic Church before Galileo. The Church stated that all we needed to know could be learned through philosophy, and Aristotle's writings were accepted and not open to discussion. For some reason, it was heresy to disagree with this Greek pagen who died hundreds of years before Christ. Along came Galileo who said, why don't we just do a little experiment. Lo and behold, the eyes that God gave him provided proof that gravity causes equal acceleration to all objects, regardless of mass. For this and other findings, he was excomunicated. The Church learned from this, and 500 years later, they officially overturned that.

As long as science and religion understand their respective roles, then they can avoid conflict. Then both are necessary to understanding our world, ourselves, and our role in our world.

04-29-2003, 03:38 AM	#32 (permalink)
greytone Junkie	Lebell skirted on a point that I think is important. I have undergraduate degrees in both biology and chemistry as well as an MD. I view the world through the eyes of a scientist. I take lessons from thermodynamics to understand thought patterns and personal interactions and societal trends. (Maybe Harry Seldon has a point) Darwin's work is at the very center of my world view. I see absolutely no conflict between any of this and being a practicing member of the Catholic Church. I believe that any conflict between religion and science is a percieved one that is based on a misunderstanding of either science or religion or both. Science deals with things that CAN be known. Religion deals with things that CANNOT be known and can only be understood through faith and philosophical thought. Scientists overstep their bounds when they make statements about the lack of God. The absence of proof of his existence is not a convincing argument. Religious authorities get into trouble when they talk about things that can be known, but are not yet understood. A good example would be the Catholic Church before Galileo. The Church stated that all we needed to know could be learned through philosophy, and Aristotle's writings were accepted and not open to discussion. For some reason, it was heresy to disagree with this Greek pagen who died hundreds of years before Christ. Along came Galileo who said, why don't we just do a little experiment. Lo and behold, the eyes that God gave him provided proof that gravity causes equal acceleration to all objects, regardless of mass. For this and other findings, he was excomunicated. The Church learned from this, and 500 years later, they officially overturned that. As long as science and religion understand their respective roles, then they can avoid conflict. Then both are necessary to understanding our world, ourselves, and our role in our world. __________________ I was there to see beautiful naked women. So was everybody else. It's a common failing. Robert A Heinlein in "They Do It With Mirrors"