Is it okay to compare and contrast science and religion?

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 23 Dec 2020, 20:43

monicamu wrote: ↑23 Dec 2020, 01:53 I think the point is not to compare and contrast science and religion with each other, but to examine other things of interest from these two different perspectives. In this way, we should all learn something, regardless of which perspective we are most comfortable with.

We can do that. We can look at various things from a scientific point of view as from a religious point of view. But once again the ultimate result will be a comparison between science and religion. When these two are applied to same thing, there can be agreement as well as disagreement. Disagreement can cause unnecessary clash between the two. So, finally, I believe that such comparison is unnecessary

slj3988 · Post by **slj3988** » 23 Dec 2020, 22:25

The way I look at it is both science and religion are part of our struggle to make sense of our reality. We seek to find purpose. There's no way for us to prove or disprove what it all means. We decide for ourselves. So there's no reason anyone should find fiction or non-fiction where the two clash to be inappropriate. It's about finding your place in the world, not one judging the other. I realise certain followers of faith have strict views, as much as believers in science argue for logic. A person of science is taught to question. A person of faith is taught to accept. I think it is down to the reader how they choose to receive it.

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 24 Dec 2020, 00:38

slj3988 wrote: ↑23 Dec 2020, 22:25 The way I look at it is both science and religion are part of our struggle to make sense of our reality. We seek to find purpose. There's no way for us to prove or disprove what it all means. We decide for ourselves. So there's no reason anyone should find fiction or non-fiction where the two clash to be inappropriate. It's about finding your place in the world, not one judging the other. I realise certain followers of faith have strict views, as much as believers in science argue for logic. A person of science is taught to question. A person of faith is taught to accept. I think it is down to the reader how they choose to receive it.

Surely it is. It is a personal thing to choose between religion and science, or bits from both. As far as you keep your opinions to yourself, there won't be any issue. But the clash occurs when someone tries to compare the two, because such a comparison will inevitability make one party superior and the other inferior. That is why I believe that such a comparison is unnecessary

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 24 Dec 2020, 01:08

Bisqwik wrote: ↑23 Dec 2020, 15:48 When I was younger I used to preach sermons. I enjoyed it quite a lot. But I learned the hard way that some people are not okay with the idea of mixing science and religion. Even when its to make religion stronger. In my case, one example is that in the Bible it says that an eye blink to God is as a millenium to mankind. I reasoned that meant that the 7 days to create everything was in God's time. Which would mean millions of years to us. And of clay being able to be the rise of creatures from the ocean etc. That was not received well at all. There are plenty of historical issues with the Bible alone, things that don't fit or contradict. But I've always thought a marriage of both concepts was closest to the truth

There are biblical facts that can be interpreted in ways that are palatable to the science-loving guys, but not everything can be interpreted in such a way. Most of the times when these two are compared the results have not been very pleasant. So it is better to leave them apart than trying to converge

Foluso Falaye · Post by **Foluso Falaye** » 24 Dec 2020, 05:27

Beliefs have no boundaries. You can use anything to justify your belief. As long as you believe in something, everything else can be tweaked to prove it. I guess it depends on you as a person. Do you live by faith or facts? If you you use facts to prove the unproven side of your faith, it's still faith and not really science. Science is all facts.

Honey1495 · Post by **Honey1495** » 24 Dec 2020, 10:20

Religious beliefs are emotions, while science is fact. It is subjective whether using science to contrast religion is OK or not. But I find it exciting to get the scientific proof to my religious believes. It doesn't really justify my believes, rather it is satisfying to read science factualize something that I have believed without needing proof of.

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 24 Dec 2020, 12:33

Folushour wrote: ↑24 Dec 2020, 05:27 Beliefs have no boundaries. You can use anything to justify your belief. As long as you believe in something, everything else can be tweaked to prove it. I guess it depends on you as a person. Do you live by faith or facts? If you you use facts to prove the unproven side of your faith, it's still faith and not really science. Science is all facts.

Proving your beliefs is a way that science can be make use of. Similarly it can be used to disprove someone's beliefs as well. Science is developed on hypotheses. They are being experimented and either accepted or rejected. But that is not very much applicable to religious matters since it can cause issues. So better to keep things apart from each other

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 24 Dec 2020, 12:51

Honey1495 wrote: ↑24 Dec 2020, 10:20 Religious beliefs are emotions, while science is fact. It is subjective whether using science to contrast religion is OK or not. But I find it exciting to get the scientific proof to my religious believes. It doesn't really justify my believes, rather it is satisfying to read science factualize something that I have believed without needing proof of.

Religious devouts can e satisfied when science confirms the religious beliefs. But what will be the result when some religious beliefs are disproved by science? That won't be a very pleasant experience to the believers and many will deny to accept. So a comparison between these two will most probably lead to unnecessary chaos

leiabutler · Post by **leiabutler** » 24 Dec 2020, 17:29

I don't think it is easy to compare them, as they are based in completely different origins and have completely different arguments. However I think it can be interesting to see where those differences and similarities are. Without the option for contrasting them, it might be harder to see the strengths and weaknesses are!

JB3 · Post by **JB3** » 25 Dec 2020, 01:49

I think that they can both enhance our understanding of the other. Science can be used to explain certain instances of religion and religion can be used to full in the gaps in our knowledge

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 25 Dec 2020, 02:47

leiabutler wrote: ↑24 Dec 2020, 17:29 I don't think it is easy to compare them, as they are based in completely different origins and have completely different arguments. However I think it can be interesting to see where those differences and similarities are. Without the option for contrasting them, it might be harder to see the strengths and weaknesses are!

Indeed it is a difficult comparison. And in such a comparison, inevitably the strengths and weaknesses of each party will be revealed, and that won't be equally accepted by all, especially the weaknesses in a religious belief won't be well accepted by the devouts. So such a comparison will lead to nothing but chaos

63tty · Post by **63tty** » 25 Dec 2020, 05:13

I think you can compare all you want but at the end of the day, what matters is, are you content with what you believe? Whether science, the bible or both. Personally, I don't have the luxury of comparing. I think religion keeps me grounded and science is a huge part of my profession which I love. So its kind of an afair for me.

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 25 Dec 2020, 10:42

63tty wrote: ↑25 Dec 2020, 05:13 I think you can compare all you want but at the end of the day, what matters is, are you content with what you believe? Whether science, the bible or both. Personally, I don't have the luxury of comparing. I think religion keeps me grounded and science is a huge part of my profession which I love. So its kind of an afair for me.

Most of the time people will try the comparison to prove what they believe is true. No one will compare the two and disprove his/her own beliefs, unless he/she is a very open-minded one. But the problem occurs when someone tries to compare the two and use that to discredit or disprove someone else's beliefs. So it is okay to compare if you do that with a pure heart, but, if not, it is better not to compare at all

Ahbed Nadir · Post by **Ahbed Nadir** » 25 Dec 2020, 16:13

Sushan wrote: ↑22 Dec 2020, 11:00
Ahbed Nadir wrote: ↑22 Dec 2020, 07:16 I'm not sure they should be compared. They are directly in contrast with each other as science deals with logic whereas religion is based off on belief.
The core concepts are different when science and religion are considered. Science accepts experimentally proven facts which are objective, but the religious values the subjective facts which are based on beliefs of the devouts. So the two are parallel, but doesn't find any common ground in which they can be compared

I don't agree with this at all. There's no correlation between science and religion. I mean according to science man is descended from monkeys but according to religion man was created instantaneously by God so I don't think the two can be reconciled at all.

Maddie Atkinson · Post by **Maddie Atkinson** » 26 Dec 2020, 08:27

Ahbed Nadir wrote: ↑25 Dec 2020, 16:13
Sushan wrote: ↑22 Dec 2020, 11:00
Ahbed Nadir wrote: ↑22 Dec 2020, 07:16 I'm not sure they should be compared. They are directly in contrast with each other as science deals with logic whereas religion is based off on belief.
The core concepts are different when science and religion are considered. Science accepts experimentally proven facts which are objective, but the religious values the subjective facts which are based on beliefs of the devouts. So the two are parallel, but doesn't find any common ground in which they can be compared
I don't agree with this at all. There's no correlation between science and religion. I mean according to science man is descended from monkeys but according to religion man was created instantaneously by God so I don't think the two can be reconciled at all.

That's only one example though, there are plenty of other ways that science and religion can be compared. Science can be used to prove events in the Bible!