Will science ever change religion?

[TestudoAubreii]

Greetings,

I am not sure if anything like this has been posted before, so my apologies if it has.

Before I begin, let me state that I am not trying to bash religion. I just want some opinions from the members here. Within the forums, we are certainly a diverse crowd with many varied opinions. This is why I thought I would post this question here; I knew I would get a intelligent response from all sides.

The question is this: Will science ever change religion? Do you think that there will be anything that will, for lack of a better term, debunk religion? What if somehow we found out that some sort of life exists beyond our world, would that do anything th the way we think of religion today? I know it is a what if question, but science is making significant strides in space exploration that it may not be a what if question for long.

Perhaps, religion is here to stay. Do we need religion to keep our societies in order? That is essentially what religion has done since the beginning. I mean, if you think about it religion has always been around, but it keeps evolving and changing as time passes. How long did the Greeks have there gods before it changed into something else, or the Romans? If you look how long the present religions have been around, are they not coming up on their time to change or evolve?

In my opinion, I think with the ever expanding field of science, religion will change to fit the way society evolves, like it has done in our ancient past. Society tends to evolve, more or less, around scientific breakthrough. Will religion follow this route, or perhaps one day ceases to be?

[Yosemite]

http://ourbeacon.com/phpBB2/viewforu...eb75c78c566843

There are some good reads in there.

[therussian]

You mean it hasn't altered religion already? News to me.

[Sétanta]

Religion is far, far more important to humanity than Science ever has, and ever will be. God created all the laws of science anyways.

[Turbo]

Religion is far, far more important to humanity than Science ever has, and ever will be. God created all the laws of science anyways.

My sentiments exactly!

[Sosobra]

Religion is far, far more important to humanity than Science ever has, and ever will be. God created all the laws of science anyways.

Religion
Crusades
Inquisitions
Terrorism
Persuction of the Jews (past and present)
The mess that is the Middle East

Science
Plastics
The Internal Combustion engine
Computers
Flight
Space Flight
The Splitting of the Atom
Fusion


Yep Relgion sure has done a lot more good then science, oh wait no it hasn't

Wheres is the empirical proof that God or Gods created the laws of science ?

[vopohame]

So what are you saying that science created the weapons for the wars fueled by religion?

[Sosobra]

So what are you saying that science created the weapons for the wars fueled by religion?

How men use the tool is independent from the tool , science is not inherently evil or malevolent . Mankind has no such restriction.

You can use an Axe to cut down a tree or take off someones head. The Axe doesn't change the intent of the user does.

[LegionnaireX]

Yep Relgion sure has done a lot more good then science, oh wait no it hasn't

Same ignorant statement that gets repeated over and over again. If you define religion as a set of spiritual beliefs, than religion has helped billions around the globe sort their lives out. It has given hope to billions and has brought joy and understanding to billions. Not to say that science hasn't done this to an extent as well, though. Both science and religion have helped humanity, science on a worldwide level and religion on a personal level. It must also be remembered that both science and religion can be used as instruments of evil if they fall into the wrong hands. You've already mentioned terrorism for religion, take Nazi medical experiments, Poisen gas and the atomic bomb for examples of science used badly.

How men use the tool is independent from the tool , science is not inherently evil or malevolent . Mankind has no such restriction.

You can use an Axe to cut down a tree or take off someones head. The Axe doesn't change the intent of the user does.

As stated above. Religion isn't inherently evil, although it can be twisted by powerful evil men.

[Sosobra]

Same ignorant statement that gets repeated over and over again. If you define religion as a set of spiritual beliefs, than religion has helped billions around the globe sort their lives out. It has given hope to billions and has brought joy and understanding to billions. Not to say that science hasn't done this to an extent as well, though. Both science and religion have helped humanity, science on a worldwide level and religion on a personal level. It must also be remembered that both science and religion can be used as instruments of evil if they fall into the wrong hands. You've already mentioned terrorism for religion, take Nazi medical experiments, Poisen gas and the atomic bomb for examples of science used badly.

Your examples are people using the tools wrong , science however cannot discover evil discoveries or inherently evil technology . Religious doctrines since they are not bound by the real world can and in some cases inherently wrong.

[vopohame]

exactly my point both science and religion can be used for the wrong reasons.
U have a responsibility as a scientist to create something that will benefit mankind or create something that you know will be used to destroy it. Same in religion, a leader with charisma has the power to sway less educated masses either to do good or wrong.

sosobra, so the biochemical weapons created and used for the express purpose of killing people is just a tool right? A landmine is just a tool right?

[Mig el Pig]

Same ignorant statement that gets repeated over and over again. If you define religion as a set of spiritual beliefs, than religion has helped billions around the globe sort their lives out. It has given hope to billions and has brought joy and understanding to billions..

and killed those who thought otherwise.

[Sephynos]

Religion
Crusades
Inquisitions
Terrorism
Persuction of the Jews (past and present)
The mess that is the Middle East

Science
Plastics
The Internal Combustion engine
Computers
Flight
Space Flight
The Splitting of the Atom
Fusion


Yep Religion sure has done a lot more good then science, oh wait no it hasn't

Wheres is the empirical proof that God or Gods created the laws of science ?

It not about good or bad. Good and bad can be done with everything.

[Kythras]

Wow, this is a spectacularly pointless thread, it just cuts out the middle man for most of the descussion here in the Ethos, Mores, et Monastica...

[Sephynos]

Wheres is the empirical proof that God or Gods created the laws of science ?

What would you do if there was proof... nothing. your faith goes to science... just do the you can with it.

Even if I believe in G*d, I still wanna have "Jetsons" kinda futuristic life style.

[Sosobra]

What would you do if there was proof... nothing. your faith goes to science... just do the you can with it.

Even if I believe in G*d, I still wanna have "Jetsons" kinda futuristic life style.

Science does not require faith ......

[Punkus]

People will believe what they will believe, whether it be with respect to religion or to science. One could argue science offers more measurable and practical benefits, but in the end the most important factor is, do we believe it? Humanity, after all, has a long history of remaining stubborn even in the face of overwhelming evidence.

I prefer science over religion when deciding how to live my day to day life simply because science, by its very nature, assumes nothing from the start and attempts to come to an honest, healthy, and realistic conclusion about existence based on measurable phenomena. Traditionally, religions have been specific beliefs or doctrines put forth by a person or persons, without much verifiable evidence, and which have gained acceptance by a larger group less because they are true and more because they are emotionally pleasing. (I for one am glad we no longer practice the use of bloodletting, exorcism, or the use of mercury to treat wounds.)

Religion is, in its basic form, a kind of antithesis to science: it pre-supposes all the answers and goes from there to dictate (usually) what all people's actions and beliefs should be. While sincere science and scientists at least presume to make no moral judgments, religion is the direct opposite. Also, it usually has a force of law which most real scientific research does not(example: Islam). If there is any force given to scientific concepts it is usually due to a person's or group's personal desires, and mostly unrelated to the majority of the scientific community.

Hence we have such events as the inquisition, the crusades, the writing of the Malleus Maleficarum, as well as lesser known acts such as the burning of valuable Mayan artifacts and the offering by the Catholic Church of dubious indulgences(I suppose there are acceptable indulgences?).

Science has suffered from its share of bizarre and sometimes dangerous research, but overall science and scientists have not been at the forefront of large-scale horrors as often as leaders of prominent religions have been.

The closest I get to religion is when I read very religiously leaning philosophy, and even then I treat what I am reading with the same skepticism as I do everything else. As for what most religions claim to offer, I believe the basic and more emotional benefits people obtain from religious belief would be better had from a fair-minded use of modern psycho-analysis and a willingness to confront and bear greater personal responsibility for our lives and our thinking.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged."

Peace be with you.

[zerathule]

Belief in God has always been around from the beginning of time and it will always be.

This is a double misconception :
First, the oldest religion still alive is Hinduism, and its arguably polytheistic. So "Belief in God" isnt accurate at all.
Secondly, "from the beginning of time" means before there was any kind of lifeforms, and i doubt rocks or gas could "believe" in anything. If you mean since appearence of mankind, then archelogy seems to prove burial rituals, implying fear of death.
It appears that the first religions where cults revering nature, to thank it or to prevent it to be too bad for the people.

In most cultures, science was kept in the hands of religious figures, and when it wasnt, religious orders persecuted scientists.
A few years ago scientists analysed a supposed "holy relic" (holy drape or something).
It was proved by carbon 14 analysis and art specialists that it was a fake from the 13th century.
The cardinal in charge of scientific matters replied to the claim of the scientists only by this answer :
"If God wants to have fun with carbon 14 who are we to argue ?"

While only a simplistic (but true) exemple, i really think that science will always be a threat to religion.

[Sheep]

Religion is far, far more important to humanity than Science ever has, and ever will be. God created all the laws of science anyways.

Hilarious.


If by "change" you mean "eradicate" then for the world's sake, let's hope so.

[jankren]

Belief in God has always been around from the beginning of time and it will always be.

Peace,