Do you think that Science and Religion are incompatible?

Question

nightdrot · Accepted Answer

It depends on what you mean by "incompatible." Obviously they have existed in Western civilization, side-by-side, for centuries. There are tensions and some strands of religion have reacted not always well, to be reciprocated by a sort of dripping contempt from science, and thus neither showing themselves at their best.

However, in general, the truth is that each in its way compliments the other and that the dichotomy between the two is of fairly recent vintage. In fact, it is a premise of the Roman Catholic Church that faith and reason are ultimately compatible. That if man's reason were perfect and uncorrupted, faith and science would affirm each other.

Thus, to this day, Vatican City has one of the world's foremost astronomical observatories. A place engaged in understanding the way the universe works as a way to grasp more fully the complex nature of the God's creation.

To be sure, the RCC has had its bad moments with science. See also Galileo. However, believe it or not, that was because the Church believed that Galileo was contradicting science. The mistake the Church made was a too literal understanding of the compatibility of faith and reason.

The Church reasoned that because man was the center of God's creation that therefore - literally - the sun, the stars and the planets must ultimately as a PHYSICAL reality revolve around the Earth. Thus Galileo fell afoul of the Church to his great price, but ultimate vindication.

Ironically, the real split between faith and science came from an excess on the scientific side. The birth of the age of Reason - coming from the discovery of physical laws by Newton among others - seemed to refute the Biblical understanding of man and free will.

Science reasoned that if there are physical laws that these must also be binding on human conduct. In effect, there is no free will. The flaws in human society were the result of man mistakenly producing laws that contradicted natural law and therefore created disharmony. Religion, it was reasoned, was among the sources of these mistaken laws - superstition divorced from abstract reason and thus disharmony and conflict follow.

Here then where the serious split between science and religion began. Some in religion turned to fundamentalism. That the Bible was literally - word for word - true. That the discoveries of science were the product of a reason corrupted by Original Sin and thus not to be relied upon and were wrong.

From the science side, the most conspicuous example was Marxism. Science stripped man of the particularities that give man his identity - his culture, his ethnicity, his religion. Marx squared the circle by identifying "scientific principles rooted in economics and the imagined dialectic of History." Hence the phrase "scientific socialism." (Also, incidentally, the idea that Socialism - as well as Fascism, National Socialism and various other "isms" are "secular religions.")

Of course, both sides have their problems. Fundamentalism can give you the Salem With Trials. Socialism the Gulag.

Still, overall, the history of the West - and I did not even get into Islam and other religions that have their own stories to tell - has been to understand the way the universe works to give sense to something that transcends the material world. In that, the West's has been the story, not always peaceful to be sure as man is not perfect, of the co-existence and compatibility of science and religion. On the whole, man has benefited from that not always easy relationship.

Telekinetic-Potato · Accepted Answer

Science and religion are a single road that once diverged and will one day come together again.  They both represent a search for the same thing.

tiff_the_tranny · Accepted Answer

In the purest sense of both, not at all. Think of religion as a GUI. It shows you the end result of the programmer's work. The average user of an audio program, for instance, doesn't need to know the intricacies of how the notes are drawn to the screen or even the details of how MIDI commands are transmitted through the cable. They can be content to just use what's presented to them on the screen to the fullest.

Science is reverse engineering to get an idea of what the source code does. That's where you figure out how the draw functions work, what series of pulses over which pins (or however it works with the newfangled USB MIDI setups) translates into which events, etc.

Aerissa_Jade · Accepted Answer

I think they work together, for example I think God used evolution to create man. People often get hung up, thinking he waves his hand and things just happen. Even scriptures talk about how it took 7 days or whatever.

Why would it do that, if he could just poof everything instantly? maybe even though he or SHE is all powerful there is still some hard and fast rules of the universe that must be followed, that perhaps was created with it to prevent other problems.

jennifer_bloom · Answer

They can be - it depends how much of each discipline you are interested in accepting as truth and integrating into your world view. Some disciplines like Pentecostalism are incompatible with medical fields like psychiatry or certain types of psychological theory but for the most part, the two things address different but compatible parts of life.

razelove · Answer

No. It's our fear, ritual, and mysticism that leads us to question, why the hell do we do it this way? Christianity is a pretty new religion all things considered, and a hodgepodge of other beliefs. Looking back earlier, many religions collapsed, or their gods stopped being worshipped, because they stopped being mystical. The power they held over our daily life prodded that investigation and tearing down of the mysticism though.

I also know some people who identify as Christian scientists, their belief is that regardless of how much we know, the more we do learn, the more we'll learn our own ignorance, which will lead to us needing more faith.

Anyway, we had gods for harvests and fertility being main gods, then we figured out more about agriculture, and animal husbandry, and they faded out to be replaced by gods of fire and lightning. We didn't get to understand those so early on, but we did start building better, and in a more organized fashion to not have such a fear towards fire and lightning. The coliseum was torn down for scrap metal, but not by fire or storms.

So many gods lose their mysticism, we get better at understanding the patterns and logic behind the mysticism, we don't revere them as gods anymore. Modern day polytheism, you'll mostly find in Asia (Hindu, Daoism, Shinto, what have you) and Africa (no idea) or new religions like Wicca, pagans, cults, what have you.

Mostly it's monotheism under the banner of an omnipotent and omniscient god, whether it's islam, christianity, judaism, what have you. That makes it tough to overthrow with logic or science, as you'd have to get to the core of knowing everything and having power over everything first. So in whatever ways they change, they're going to be here to stay for a long time.

Regardless, you can simplify things and take a chicken or the egg approach. God created man, or man created God. Either one is utterly majestic and splendiferous. Neither explanation demeans the other. Science gives man leverage into forces we can't see, and need pages of math to even make images of properly. God gives man hope to pursue our dreams.

Lliam · Answer

Not necessarily.
First, science can't prove of disprove the existence of a god. So there's no competition from science in that respect.

My mom was a devout Catholic, but she wasn't stupid enough to believe the story in Genesis literally. She thought of it as an allegory. The order of creation, as described in Genesis, is actually pretty accurate. First the the universe. Then the earth, light and darkness. Then God divided the waters and created land. Then he created plants, then animals, and finally "man". It's just the time frame that is off. Days in the story represented millions and billions of years.
So, unless one insists on taking the words in the story literally, they can still accept the story as true.

People who don't believe in plate tectonics, or understand that erosion takes thousands of years, or don't believe in the concept of evolution because they think those things refute Genesis are morons. They may as well still cling to the old Christian belief that the Earth is the center of the universe and that the sky is a dome of water with lights in it.

I'm an agnostic, but I don't think science and religion necessarily have to refute each other except for the fact that some religious beliefs are too retarded to accept provable facts. Science evolves. So does religion. Even the Catholic church had to eventually accept the fact that the Earth revolves around the sun and not the other way around. The Himalayas and the Grand Canyon weren't created in a day. Plant and animal species evolve. That's a fact. So it's up to religions to adapt to facts. Doing so doesn't refute their basic belief systems.

TheorionMage · Answer

SO MUCH... depends upon the religion!
I was raised in a DEEPLY Roman Catholic family and
by age 19 at an angry mother's demand was ordered to go to the Parrish house
(yet SHE refused come along) where after an hour
Fr. John Wellinger, who taught at was then Mount Mercy Catholic College in PGH
invited ME to become THEIR Lay Consultant on 'Witchcraft, Magick and Satanism' and
telephoned my Mother telling her to mind her own business!

Says something when THEIR ordained clerics acknowledge that not only did I KNOW THEIR
belief's 'dirty laundry' but was FAR BETTER VERSED in competing belief systems.
Earned an honorary Doctorate Emeritus in 1993 in 'Comparative Theosophy' from PSU
competing with P. E. I. Bonewitt's B. A. in Magic from U. C. Berkley back in the 70's.

Issac Asimov said it best: "There is NO 'Magick', only alien Science!"
As with ANY other human capacity, the 'science' behind Spirituality CAN be taught
but as with any other human capacity... we ALL have varying degrees of aptitude & dedication.
I am LEGALLY ordained and serving as a Neopagan Sunday School Teacher in Central Florida, now half a century in avocation service through U. U. A.

(Credentials upon request, PM me)~

HighValue · Answer

No, but people sometimes misinterpret parts of religion and sometimes people claim that "science" proves something and is NEVER wrong, even though throughout history different scientific theories have been later disproven and then the new theory is assumed to be true, even though the past theory that was thought to be true was proven false.
Plus sometimes people claim that science proves something when in reality if they used the scientific method, it would DISPROVE what they claim to be true.
For a theory to be considered true it is supposed to be tested numerous times with the same results, unlike with the covid-19 vaccines that were falsely claimed to work and be PROVEN to be safe when it has harmed and killed thousands of people.

Too many people won't admit that sometimes people DON'T yet know the answers and some things take many years of research and experiments before they can come to an ACCURATE determination. Instead they rush to conclusions and claim they are correct without duplicatable evidence.

ChrisMaster69 · Answer

Nope not at all. early science was often done by monks or similar. Details of scientists who were also fairly devout Christians  i just think some countries have lost the plot over religion, thank fuck for the Mayflower.

ObscuredBeyond · Answer

Which religion do you single out? And regardless of human practice, are we discussing the law-giver of the laws of nature, who exists outside of it, or some other deity, associated with one element of nature? The created things, or the Creator? Because that affects how well any intelligent discussion can be made. Yet, because talk of that which supercedes nature so inherently has implications for human roles and morals, any such talk is going to aggravate wounded egos. And when human pride gets in the way, rational argument about the topic is often short-lived.

DataOrganizer27 · Answer

Absolutely not. I think people find solace where they find it, and instead of trying to disprove one another constantly, accepting that everyone finds solace and peace of mind in different ways is a much healthier avenue.

Religion can accept scientific fact and science can accept the power of belief. It truly isn't difficult if they just stop to think about it.

There's obviously a line, such as those who refuse all medical care even for cancer or easily curable things, but I hope my point makes some semblance of sense.

CandiceK · Answer

Believing in a higher power like "God" is just crazy. There is no higher power like that.
I believe that squirrels, chipmunks, flowers, Pina coladas, moose, elk, ants, butterflies, high speed Internet, thin crust pizza, and aardvarks are a result of a "bang." But not just any bang, it was more of a "big bang" theory. I totally believe in that, because it makes perfect sense. It explains everything to me.

I went through a troubling time in my life, but then I did the Hokey Pokey, and turned myself around, and that's what it's all about.

DaySpring · Answer

No, I think they are the same thing. One studies the without and the other studies the within but if you drift away from traditional religious/church perspective you will come to see that they are actually the same and that Jesus was trying to point that out but nobody interprets his message the way it was intended. People have been saying the same things as Jesus YEARS and years before he was born. I could say more but I know this comment will not be accepted and I'm already gonna get a bunch of dislikes and blocks because I am going against tradition. I think a great book on this is Thomas Troward - The Edinburgh Lectures @Desconhecida
There are a lot of books on it but if you don't know the books you'll never find them. Expect one but it is as cryptic as the Bible and perhaps that is why it is #1 in its field too. I've been studying this stuff for half a decade.

Kaneki05 · Answer

Of course. Religion is going by I just believe it. Science is going by I can back up factual evidence to why something is true as in prove it. You can prove water but you cannot prove God very different subjects. That don't work together. Simply religion is based on faith not fact.
Nvm the fact hawking's already disproved the idea of a god with his last book. Along with psychological studies that prove why cults are so easy to make and people do really fall into the easy bullshit of believing in stuff that ain't true. So science already say's religion is false and has been doing so for a while. So not only are they incompatible but one activitly goes out to prove the other wrong. Meanwhile religion cannot prove science wrong because that's not how faith based systems work or fictional stories.

Julie4 · Answer

" I am not unaware, Christians, that science is a gift from heaven, and that it does bring great advantages to the world: I know that it is the light of understanding, the guide of the will, the nurse of virtue, the soul of truth, the companion of wisdom, the mother of good advice; in a word, the soul of the spirit, and the master of human life. But as it is natural for man to corrupt the best things, this science, which has earned such great praise, is most often spoiled in our hands by the use we make of it. "

Bossuet.

prosaic1 · Answer

Religion is a very difficult concept to define. You cannot for example compare Christianity to Buddhism, since Christianity is a dogma structured faith, and Buddhism is a non-theistic way of life. However, both do share a transcendental belief in a higher level of existence, which cannot be proven empirically. Science is a lot easier to define. The basic tenants of the scientific method are universally accepted regardless of cultural, and or linguistic barriers. Science is rooted in the skeptical philosophies. Science differs from scientism in that it studies the nature, and behavior of natural processes, and associated phenomena. Scientists on the other hand, is the view that only through science can the truth about the world, and reality be obtained. Science abhors dogma's. Dogma's are an intrinsic element in religion. The answer to your question is yes, science and religion are indeed incompatible.

HopefulGuy94 · Answer

It is noooot. When its time comes to talk about logic we could be easily understand what is true or what is false already. We all like science right , who does not. But the important thing is science is a man-made or man-invented itself , so as we all know human being has a tendency to make mistakes so how we could expect science could be flawless right. The God gives us brains to get infos by already-created facts and rules by him so we need to solve the meaning of the universe by executing trial-error , observing , practising , getting hyptohesis , experimenting and so on to get the laws and to reach a compromise about him existing. If the drawing exist the drawer must exist if the product exist the producer must exist if the art exist the artist must exist if creation exist the creator must exist.

globetrotter22 · Answer

No i think science is a legitimate study of the deeper details of God’s creation.

The problem is that scientists who are naturally logical and self determined have a hard time with the concept of faith (and miracles). This is admirable in some respects because it comes from a position of being rational and level headed. However it can lead to belief that “everything can be explained” complex. No, not everything can be explained nor will it for the rest of humanity. For example pick up a simple stone and look at it. have the metal elements it’s made up of existed for all eternity? Where did matter itself (liquids, solids, gases and plasma) originate from?

Science doesn’t have to be at odds with religion.

Subarugirl · Answer

The definition of science is the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.

Religion is defined as the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.

So by definition no, they are not incompatible. They are just two completely different things. You have scientists that study religion, you have religious people who study science.

crmoore · Answer

Not sure. To preface, I'm practically atheist but I think a more accurate statement would be "science and most contemporary religions are incompatible." In theory, you could have a religion that comes about today that is perfectly aligned with the science that we know of today. But obviously science conflicts with a lot of the major religions that or prominent today.

There's also non-theistic religions like Buddhism or "Christian Atheism" (atheist who don't believe in the theistic claims of Christianity but subscribe to the ideals and way of life of Christianity and its principles).

So it's not religion as a whole that is incompatible, it's just religions of today that happen to be prominent.

purplepoppy · Answer

They become incompatible when religious people cling on to discredited dogmas or use obscure biblical passages to justify unsavory beliefs. Much early scientific work was done by religious people who believed understanding the world brought them closer to God.

ZackBan · Answer

Absolutely. Factoring religion into any scientific endeavor would be slowing down the process to cater to unproven superstitious.
Anyone is free to worship what they like and most people need a higher power in their lives but in order to advance our scientific exploits those involved in science need to be completely detached from any unproven fact

Seinna · Answer

Science in the form that's being propagated - ie effectively becoming a religion that can't be questioned or challenged, yes. But can God and real science, ie natural laws of nature be incompatible? No, if you believe in God then you believe He created them.

DaveJord · Answer

Absolutely not, they are totally compatible. but most religious types make me last they will definitely go to a doctor and take medication because they trust the "science", but tell them that evolution is a thing and they act like they never got past the first grade.

Jabberjaw · Answer

Science is not at odds with anything

People who are treating the words of scientists like gospel, and treating science as if it were an ideology... those people are at odds with religion

At the end of the day actual science is just the scientific method. Anything outside the scope of the scientific method is not science no matter who does it

If a scientist doesn't use a scientific method to come to his conclusions, then you can throw out his conclusions.

MCheetah · Answer

Yes, I do think they are supremely incompatible. You can't be a scientific man while believing in talking snakes, giant ships with two of every animal on them, and all the insane violent BS from Islam.

And yes, I'm aware that some of the best thinkers of the past were highly religious.

Lionman95 · Answer

No because the questions both use aren't in all cases contradicting.
Religion is asking the question of why. It's asking deeper aspects that can't be observed in the nature.
Science observes the development of nature and tries to explain how things came into place.
That way both can be compatible but it depends on the people that are representing these positions.

slatyb · Answer

They are compatible as long as religion doesn't make scientific claims. What has happened is that the sphere of religion has shrunk completely to untestable claims about divinity and an afterlife. There are still a substantial number of people who believe that Genesis is literally true, and presumably it's the same for Islam and Hinduism and Judaism.

Wade12345 · Answer

No. I think a true approach to the existence of God must be Scientific.

"Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom and with all your getting, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7

Real wisdom is understandable, and therefore real theology is understandable.

"Blind Faith" is nowhere in the Torah and Prophets. That's a new testament false theological concept.

AviatorTom · Answer

NO, some of the best scientists in history, who have made great scientific discoveries, have been very religious people.

FUN FACT: Centuries ago, a pendulum swinging back and forth inside St Pau's Cathedral in London England proved that the the earth rotates around its axis.

mstbooblover · Answer

There are two ways to deal with existential anxiety: analysing phenomenons to understand the mechanisms of nature, and accepting some kind of superior authority dictating laws and what one has to believe without the necessaty to question. Science and religion. Actually I think both can coexist without excluding each other, at least at a higher level of understanding.

IveGotNoName · Answer

No. I dont believe they are. For me, I'm not religious, but I can't dismiss that they theoretically could both exist. That's of course assuming that, say Christians, aren't too literal about what is written in the bible. That is not to say that they would have anything to do with each other. The moment people talk about them interacting, like "science proves a God" then it becomes incompatible.

LindsayR07 · Answer

I think that religion and religion are incompatible... The Bible is one of the most self contradicting books I've ever read... Is it faith or works that gets you into heaven? It actually states both. Is a promise from God eternal? If so then it contradicts the idea that you can only get to heaven through Jesus because God made a promise to the Jewish people that if they're good Jews they'd get into heaven... What about who killed Goliath?

RealMarek · Answer

Not necessarily, depending on the doctrines of the religion. Science cannot answer all questions, just questions about how things work if given adequate data. A lot of the science popularizers make incredibly ignorant statements when they veer into philosophy, religion, or history..

Valso · Answer

Yes, they are. Religion is afraid of reason (therefore of science) bc the sheep might find out the truth that there's no genocidal maniac in the clouds and stop paying its mandatory 10% "donation" to the brainwashing factory. That's why religion claims science to be evil.

call_me_scar · Answer

This would really depend on the god and reasoning behind certain actions like why bother making the universe then wait billions of years to make life on earth seemingly at random and other long drawn out questions one would ask if this was a part of a movie instead of a question that challenges ones beliefs

Aakash_Hangargi · Answer

The only common thing in both is both are imaginary everyone thinks they have got it right but nobody can exactly prove it.

Even though they prove it some part of it will be always assumption which can change over period of time untill proven otherwise

genericname85 · Answer

well not necessarily. because the things religions say are not inherently wrong. there's some correct stuff in there. so there can be some overalp. but there's for sure also some things that can not be compatible. like evolution and creation. that's mutually exclusive.

collie22 · Answer

good question there, a lot of people talk about this stuff. what i think is if science figures something out i figure that was in Gods hand. In the Bible God doesn't say how he made man or the earth for that matter. He did say we will make man in our image and we know one day is a thousand years on earth.

Ryfyle · Answer

@desconhecida No, if anything its far from it. The deeper we go, the weirder shit gets. Only retards get flustered with a Book written by men in regards with the Reality of the world around. The basics of Life and how biology functions is so fucking good at what it does it might as well be Gods calling card. Everything feels so engineered for some deeper purpose that will forever be beyond my understanding.

standardguy · Answer

Depends which science you mean. There are creationist biologists, creationist geologist and so on. On the other side are there scientists who say that the science has the duty to explain the world inclusive its beginning without the existence of God.
And the problem between religion and science happens with the latter type of athrist scientists who are in fact enemies of any religion.

Gringothegango · Answer

Religion is the methaphorical truth , science is the factual truth. Religion and science is linked. Thanks to reason (and greater interpretation of text) we can use religion to understand better life when science can’t.

Guy__ · Answer

Yes and no depending on your definition. Usually they're seen as incompatible, if science means paper work and religion means prayers. But there are many in between terms such as spiritual science.

Кураж · Answer

Yes, obviously.
Science asserts that everything is explainable with science, religion asserts that there are things which are not explainable with science.
Those two are clearly incompatible claims and only one can possibly be true.

Chaddi · Answer

Once Upon a Time there was some kind of a conflict. The highest levels of science are so close to mysticism in religion now the more you learn the less you can tell them apart

Sixgunsound · Answer

Yes. Reason and evidence and sensory experience of the matter and energy that make up the material world are fundamentally incompatible with religious beliefs. Interested parties are free to disagree, they just aren’t going to be right.

JayParris · Answer

I guess it depends on the religion. Is it compatible with Christianity? For the most part, I think so. Some people take things too literally and personally, but most Christians I know are fascinated by science

NathanDavis · Answer

they do differ in principle... yes but they are not incompatible... because a lot of great scientists were also very religious people and even prominent members of the different religions

faithgrace4u · Answer

I think it matters what you are talking about like evolution and religion are not compatible but like plants with photosynthesis yeah that can go with religion

dustybiker · Answer

It does seem that way. Yes. One is research and facts. The other is a long game of telephone of fear and control. Those messages are never accurate even without the fear and control.

Bluemax · Answer

In broad terms, no. *However*, in specific terms such as the numerous creation myths in comparison to the evidence we see how the world formed, then yes.

postaldudePL123 · Answer

Yes, here's why:

Science supports logic and critical thinking, questions everything and makes conclusion on the basis of sufficient appropriate evidence.

Where as religion says don't question anything just believe it blindly, earth is flat, god created in 7 days and made Adam and Eve. They don't have any sufficient appropriate evidence to support their claim.

Whereas evolution is based on evidence our DNA matches 99% with Chimps.

NamerOfStars · Answer

Not at all. Here's a tip: take a look at the image that picture on the right is taken from. Notice the structure God's hanging out in? See what it's in the shape of? That's not a coincidence.

crossdressingrihno · Answer

A man of science can be religious just as a man of faith can believe in science However that's about as far as it goes as both have opposing though processes and drives

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Yes.

Science deals with verifiable facts or theories that can be tested to be proven true or false.

Religion on the other hand deals with the unseen and faith that can't be tested nor proven truth by human means.

goaded · Answer

Only some interpretations of some religions. The obvious example being evangelical "Christianity" in the US. No, the Earth is not 6000 years old.

TrueConfection · Answer

Not in the context of your picture. The theory of evolution is just that... a theory. Anyone who knows God knows He's not some old man in the clouds.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

Well - one detail in science is the theory of ''parallel universes'' :D Both fields only are incompatible when you WANT them to. That would be quite 'unscientific', though.

Guy13 · Answer

The way you framed the question implies that you think they are? What is your view and why please? There’s no summation of your thinking?

TommyMountainFigure · Answer

Science disproves religion in so many ways, but if you enjoy fantasy and fairy tales then there is no reason you can't have both in your life.

RolandCuthbert · Answer

Of course not. They are truly two sides of the same coin. But we have a third player in our society now.  Politics.

motownplayer2000 · Answer

No. They can be in sync.. all science does is test, form educated guess or sometimes proves what you were saying. So they can absolutely be compatible. But people, tend to try to disprove because of there belief

Deathraider · Answer

Well if you’re talking about results that came from science like Darwin’s theory of evolution, no. But it should come across a bit odd that the skepticism when doing science to an idea is not used ever on one’s own religious belief.

Do you think that Science and Religion are incompatible?

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