Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Evidenced Based pt 2: The Battle Between God and Science

The battle between God and Science is a funny conflict. Pope John Paul II said a good thing.

"The Bible itself speaks to us of the origin of the universe and its make-up, not in order to provide us with scientific treaties, but in order to state the correct relationship of man with God and with the universe. Sacred Scripture wishes simply to declare that the world was created by God, and in order to teach this truth it expresses itself in terms of the cosmology in use at the time of the writer...Any other teaching about the origin and make-up of the universe is alien to the intentions of the Bible, which does not wish to teach how the heavens were made but how one goes to heaven."

In other words, the Bible is a Spiritual Word about Man's relationship with God and His creation. It should no be used as a scientific text book. That doesn't mean it can't be used, but doing so degrades the Bible to the level of science.
Furthermore, we read in Hebrews 11 that it is

"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."

This says nothing to the validity of evolution. We may conclude from Biblical genealogy that the Earth is 6,000-8,000 years old, but that's back to the fall of man. I've heard it explained that evolution requires death and mutation. Therefore, God would not use evolution since there was no death before Adam sinned.
At the genes level it's not so much mutation as it is change. Just as many different skin colors and body types came from one man and woman so many different species could have come from a simple genetic makeup. As for the death, stemming from a survival of the fittest standpoint, I cannot conclude God creating something imperfect.
Thus to my point. There is validity in science, but it does not answer the theological questions. It can't. If we fly to the moon and calculate our weight using -9.8 m/s2, the gravities acceleration on Earth, we will arrive at an incorrect answer. If we return to Earth and assume we can jump like we did on the moon we will fall much faster than we think.
The Spirit and the flesh are different. The Spirit cannot measure the flesh, and the flesh cannot measure the Spirit. May I emphasize the word CANNOT!?! Now, we are flesh and Spirit and so should look to God's Word and Science. Though let us not confuse which measures what.

"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."

In order to understand beyond us, into the infinite land where beauty and the strength to love is born, we must lay down our security in our own understanding and reach out to that which passes all understanding. Just like marriage is my relationship with my wife, faith is my relationship with God.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Evidence Based pt. 1

Faith is the evidence of things unseen (HEB. 11:1). But to some it isn't. Just because some one believes in God doesn't mean that's evidence. We all know there are lunatics in every group and every corner of the room.
In order to assure myself that I have not been brainwashed, misled, bamboozled by the massive religious powerhouse I've allowed myself to let go of all the "evidence" accumulated over the years via my emotions. I dismiss all miracles as mere misunderstood natural occurrences. I step back and demand evidence of God in the natural world. If there is a loving God I deserve some sign.
It's all about the neurotransmitters when it comes to emotions.

"Human thoughts and emotions emerge from exceedingly
complex interconnections of physical entities within the brain."

Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, p. 14

Therefore, there is no reason to conclude a soul or Spirit connection to our emotions since emotions are obviously, and entirely, chemicals.

So, how did we get here? Sure, evolution has some holes in it, but, it has a lot less holes than God creating everything with his Word. There's no evidence of that ever happening. There's no physical evidence of God at all. The trees are nice and the flowers are pretty, but we have answers and explanations for all of that. We don't need to fear the Sun God. We know why seasons change. It's Nature, not God's intervention.

But when the dust settles that pull inside me still tugs. It doesn't pull my mind (intellect) or my heart (emotions). It's not the thirst for knowledge or the quenching of an addiction but the longing to be whole that draws me to God.

Who is God? Better yet, who is man? Because if I am merely a lump of electricity than the former question needs not be answered. But if a part of me cannot be seen by naked eye or microscope than maybe man cannot find half of existence on its own.

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