WHEN WILL THE WORLD END? This Saturday it turns out according to a few fringe Christian sources. Should be interesting, I wonder what they will do if nothing happens?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40885541/ns/us_news-life/t/end-days-may-believers-enter-final-stretch/
Monday, May 16, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Science & God
I’m not a scientist by a long shot and if you pushed me in a corner with hard scientific questions I would crumble up like a little school girl. But I don’t think you have to be a scientist to appreciate the value of science. In the same way you don’t have to be a musician to appreciate good music or an artist to see value in art. So,
What is science?
Why is it so important?
And can it help us answer the biggest question of all:
Is there a God?
Science is the branch of human endeavour that seeks to understand the world around us by subjecting our ideas, observations and evidence that we find in the world to a system known as the scientific method.
We owe much to our advances in science. From the modes of transport we use to travel around the world to the breakthroughs in medicine that allow us to live longer, healthier lives. Life as we know it today simply would not be possible without the aid of our scientific endeavours, we truly do live in an age of scientific achievements. But do we live in an age of scientific thinking? Unfortunately, I don’t think so. Science is far more than just a bunch of facts we know about the world. It’s a way of thinking about the world. Scientific thinking is about finding the truth, regardless of our beliefs, our emotions or our traditions.
While it’s true that there are currently many questions that seem beyond the reaches of science. Such as, what is the purpose of life? Why am I here? And one might argue; the existence of a God? The next question we should ask ourselves should be, is there a better alternative to finding the answers to these questions? And more specifically:
What should we do when we find ourselves at the boundaries of empirical science?
While I agree that many answers to our deepest questions may very well lie outside the reaches of empirical science, we should be very careful with what system of knowing we put in place of science. Let’s now take a look at God. I personally don’t think God can be proved or disproved through empirical science. You can’t prove that something invisible exists outside of time and space, and you certainly can’t disprove that either. If you could I wouldn’t be an agnostic asking questions, and there would be no such thing as religion, we would all just know!
For some, the alternative to science and the only way we can know the answers to these great cosmic questions is by faith. I personally disagree. While science gives us an objective means to asses’ truth, faith and belief do not. If anyone needs proof of this just look at how many competing ideas and beliefs people have around the world about God through faith. Now faith isn’t necessarily a bad thing (although it can be), but if we are after objective, absolute truth, I don’t think we can find it through personal beliefs and faith. One of my greatest desires is to find out what and who exactly God is, but I can no longer accept that the best way to find truth is through abandoning my reasoning capabilities in favour of what the bible puts so clearly:
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”. Hebrews 11:1
When the boundaries of empirical science are met, I believe we should withhold judgment. If we wish to continue the conversation we should step forward not in personal conviction or “faith”, but in uncertainty and scepticism. We should awash ourselves in honest, intellectual humility and integrity and accept that the discussion can only go on in philosophical or theological terms. Never should we slap the word “truth” to our beliefs and scare others with threats of eternal damnation for having a different view. The thought that millions of people throughout history have died for simply holding to a different belief about God to one another is one of the biggest disgraces to human history. Something we have yet to grow out of. I look forward to the day (if it comes) when we can stand together; believers form all backgrounds and non believers alike and marvel at the stupidity of our ancestors killing each other over beliefs about questions no body knows the answers too.
Whether we find the answer through science or not, the most important thing to me is to keep an open mind. There would be nothing I would love more than to know there is a God out there who loves us all, but I will not believe this because it feels good. Truth will always be what matters most to me. To me, it seems science is far more objective and focused on discovering truth than faith. Science is open to correction, it is willing to change its course based on the evidence and has proven itself time and time again throughout history. It is these reasons I think science may one day, be able to answer the biggest question of all. Until then, I must remain content with not knowing.
Love Jason
Coming soon: Part 3 something from nothing?
What is science?
Why is it so important?
And can it help us answer the biggest question of all:
Is there a God?
Science is the branch of human endeavour that seeks to understand the world around us by subjecting our ideas, observations and evidence that we find in the world to a system known as the scientific method.
We owe much to our advances in science. From the modes of transport we use to travel around the world to the breakthroughs in medicine that allow us to live longer, healthier lives. Life as we know it today simply would not be possible without the aid of our scientific endeavours, we truly do live in an age of scientific achievements. But do we live in an age of scientific thinking? Unfortunately, I don’t think so. Science is far more than just a bunch of facts we know about the world. It’s a way of thinking about the world. Scientific thinking is about finding the truth, regardless of our beliefs, our emotions or our traditions.
While it’s true that there are currently many questions that seem beyond the reaches of science. Such as, what is the purpose of life? Why am I here? And one might argue; the existence of a God? The next question we should ask ourselves should be, is there a better alternative to finding the answers to these questions? And more specifically:
What should we do when we find ourselves at the boundaries of empirical science?
While I agree that many answers to our deepest questions may very well lie outside the reaches of empirical science, we should be very careful with what system of knowing we put in place of science. Let’s now take a look at God. I personally don’t think God can be proved or disproved through empirical science. You can’t prove that something invisible exists outside of time and space, and you certainly can’t disprove that either. If you could I wouldn’t be an agnostic asking questions, and there would be no such thing as religion, we would all just know!
For some, the alternative to science and the only way we can know the answers to these great cosmic questions is by faith. I personally disagree. While science gives us an objective means to asses’ truth, faith and belief do not. If anyone needs proof of this just look at how many competing ideas and beliefs people have around the world about God through faith. Now faith isn’t necessarily a bad thing (although it can be), but if we are after objective, absolute truth, I don’t think we can find it through personal beliefs and faith. One of my greatest desires is to find out what and who exactly God is, but I can no longer accept that the best way to find truth is through abandoning my reasoning capabilities in favour of what the bible puts so clearly:
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”. Hebrews 11:1
When the boundaries of empirical science are met, I believe we should withhold judgment. If we wish to continue the conversation we should step forward not in personal conviction or “faith”, but in uncertainty and scepticism. We should awash ourselves in honest, intellectual humility and integrity and accept that the discussion can only go on in philosophical or theological terms. Never should we slap the word “truth” to our beliefs and scare others with threats of eternal damnation for having a different view. The thought that millions of people throughout history have died for simply holding to a different belief about God to one another is one of the biggest disgraces to human history. Something we have yet to grow out of. I look forward to the day (if it comes) when we can stand together; believers form all backgrounds and non believers alike and marvel at the stupidity of our ancestors killing each other over beliefs about questions no body knows the answers too.
Whether we find the answer through science or not, the most important thing to me is to keep an open mind. There would be nothing I would love more than to know there is a God out there who loves us all, but I will not believe this because it feels good. Truth will always be what matters most to me. To me, it seems science is far more objective and focused on discovering truth than faith. Science is open to correction, it is willing to change its course based on the evidence and has proven itself time and time again throughout history. It is these reasons I think science may one day, be able to answer the biggest question of all. Until then, I must remain content with not knowing.
Love Jason
Coming soon: Part 3 something from nothing?
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