Is it okay to compare and contrast science and religion?

Use this forum to discuss the December 2020 Book of the month, "Wilderness Cry: A Scientific and Philosophical Approach to Understanding God and the Universe" by Hilary L Hunt M.D.
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engarl
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Re: Is it okay to compare and contrast science and religion?

Post by engarl »

Further, I would like to point out that science, as a discipline, does not and never has proved anything to be true. (Stay with me here, I know that’s kind of a hard statement to chew). According to the scientific method, science and tests can only prove some things to be false, which better points us in the direction of something that is true. With this in mind, our society as a whole relies on “science” a little bit too much. We believe that science is law...in fact, some theories are named laws. It’s funny how we follow them as laws and then our ancestors find out centuries later, that we were wrong the whole time. The geocentric theory versus the heliocentric theory, for example. It took 500 years for people to begin to listen to those “crazies” out there who were going against “scientific law” and stating that earth really revolves around the sun, not the other way around. This leads me to another point....contradicts ruins and conflicts between two points of view is not always a bad thing. It is that clash that often points us in a truer direction than we would have been without it. (This is of course applies to the field of RATIONAL discussion and cannot apply to politics in this day and age because they have stepped beyond the bounds of rationality). So I do not think that the simply existence of contradiction between science and religion necessitates is to choose one or the other. We must simply use our logic to uncover the truth within them both. Finally, a famous astronomer once said (and I paraphrase here) that science and religion are like the view from your two eyes. If you close one of your eyes, you see a faraway object slightly different than the view you get from you other eye...but it is only from the view of both eyes that we have 3-dimensional vision.
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Sushan Ekanayake
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Post by Sushan Ekanayake »

engarl wrote: 14 Jan 2021, 22:29 Further, I would like to point out that science, as a discipline, does not and never has proved anything to be true. (Stay with me here, I know that’s kind of a hard statement to chew). According to the scientific method, science and tests can only prove some things to be false, which better points us in the direction of something that is true. With this in mind, our society as a whole relies on “science” a little bit too much. We believe that science is law...in fact, some theories are named laws. It’s funny how we follow them as laws and then our ancestors find out centuries later, that we were wrong the whole time. The geocentric theory versus the heliocentric theory, for example. It took 500 years for people to begin to listen to those “crazies” out there who were going against “scientific law” and stating that earth really revolves around the sun, not the other way around. This leads me to another point....contradicts ruins and conflicts between two points of view is not always a bad thing. It is that clash that often points us in a truer direction than we would have been without it. (This is of course applies to the field of RATIONAL discussion and cannot apply to politics in this day and age because they have stepped beyond the bounds of rationality). So I do not think that the simply existence of contradiction between science and religion necessitates is to choose one or the other. We must simply use our logic to uncover the truth within them both. Finally, a famous astronomer once said (and I paraphrase here) that science and religion are like the view from your two eyes. If you close one of your eyes, you see a faraway object slightly different than the view you get from you other eye...but it is only from the view of both eyes that we have 3-dimensional vision.
That is a lot insightful. I too agree with your point. Science is an evolving subject. The things that are scientifically true today can be false tomorrow. On the other hand, religious facts can be proven true or false scientifically. But it is upto us to see the truth.

P.S. - I am unable to reply for your PMdue to some issue with the interface. Sorry for that. I would like to see the books that you mentioned in your message. Thank you
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simodeeh
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Post by simodeeh »

come on, we cannot compare theory and belief. the author contradicted himself by mixing old testament and new testaments, to me I don't agree completely
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Post by Laurina Michael Olowoniran »

I think this two things are like parallel lines truly. The truth is there are some things that science may never be able to prove about religion. They shouldn't be compared really.
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Post by Laura Britos »

Luluwa79 wrote: 01 Dec 2020, 03:43 To me, religion is a belief while science is a theory. so it wouldn't be fair to compare to different things that does not relate.
I think you are correct on one aspect however faith is something that also struck people who are scientific or who believe in science. Yet again they are two very different things so it would difficult to compare them or to established which one is “better“
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Post by Upeksha »

Laurina_Olowo wrote: 15 Jan 2021, 23:10 I think this two things are like parallel lines truly. The truth is there are some things that science may never be able to prove about religion. They shouldn't be compared really.
I'm a buddhist and my perspective about the religion and science is also as same as yours. Therefore, I totally agree with you.
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Post by Sithmi »

The author uses her knowledge regarding quantum physics and other philosophical studies to see the true meaning of the religious teachings, therefore, I think it is okay to compare religion and science. but, it completely depends on the readers' perspectives.
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Post by Wy_Bertram »

Whether or not it is 'okay' would depend entirely on the reader. I personally have been fascinated with the parallels between science and religion for a while. And any analysis of the two concepts side-by-side that doesn't diminish either is fine by me.
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Post by Mariana Figueira »

I don't see anything wrong with comparing science and religion, don't know if that is because I'm the least religious person I know, even if I'm a spiritual person.
I think that if your faith and beliefs are strong enough, no scientific proof will change them, even if that incurs into fanatism, or at least, that is what I've generally seen from people who have stronger religious principles than me.
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Post by BellAJoEb »

Luluwa79 wrote: 01 Dec 2020, 03:43 To me, religion is a belief while science is a theory. so it wouldn't be fair to compare to different things that does not relate.
This is exactly my take on this topic. Religion is a belief applied in ones way of life. Science is infact theories. These two subjects have no basis of comparison.
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Post by engarl »

BellAJoEb wrote: 19 Jan 2021, 04:43
Luluwa79 wrote: 01 Dec 2020, 03:43 To me, religion is a belief while science is a theory. so it wouldn't be fair to compare to different things that does not relate.
This is exactly my take on this topic. Religion is a belief applied in ones way of life. Science is infact theories. These two subjects have no basis of comparison.
Do they not both claim to be studies of truth? I think that is their basis of comparison. I agree that they are two very different ways of finding truth, but I do think that they can be compared
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Post by skyemiller1993 »

I believe it is okay to compare science and religion. When it comes down to it, everything is based on your personal beliefs. Whether other people believe you are right or wrong doesn't usually change how you perceive the world to be. There will always be those that do not believe in science and those who do not believe in religion. Being able to "prove" one wrong or right is completely based on the "provers" cognition.
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Post by Iva Stoyanova »

I don't think the two things are comparable. While religion is a belief, science is facts, studies, etc. We could work with both of them, develop ideas and thoughts, but not compare them as if they are two similar things.
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Post by Adanna Inya »

As a scientist and a person of faith, I say yes, you can. There's an area of overlap between both factors, which are practical. One has been used to prove occurrences of the other and vice versa.
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Post by Sujith_31 »

Science tends to concern itself with the natural or physical world – that which can be observed and measured. ... In contrast religion tends to concern itself with the spiritual world, many aspects of which cannot necessarily be observed and measured in a scientific extent.
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