Religion and Science

[shrewsbury]

Science and religion both seek knowledge and truth, it is often the human interpretation of “truth: that causes a conflict between religion and science. Science is often only associated with religion or vice versa with this conflict in mind. Applying the “The Big Bang Theory” to Genesis seems quite impossible. Both are “truths” within their own cultures but there is also the possibility that the “Big Bang” was the God of Genesis’ energy being expressed (joules) or the Wu Ji creating Yin and Yang, so science can help to explain religion and religion can help to explain science.
Science and religion compliment and enhance each other by applying the methodology of science with religion, you could apply the desire of knowledge that goes beyond our own understanding that religion can manifest to science. The commitment of a monk with the mind of Einstein would perhaps be the best of both worlds.
Science and religion culturally existing with each other can be explained by the theory of Yin and Yang. One analogy is two sides of a coin, though they are opposites, they are also both only a single part of a greater whole, the one side compliments and creates the condition of what the meaning of the other side is. Yin and Yang do not always represent conflict but also they can show harmony. Harmonic duality can be explained as;"God depends on the world as the world depends on God.” This is like the one side of the coin being dependent on the other side to define what it symbolizes or that it even exists.
This can all be furthered linked back to Levi Strauss’ Structuralism, “Levi Strauss (1829-1902) suggested that the entire world could be conceptualized in this dualistic (binary opposite) way. The reason people of all cultures tend to think in terms of binary opposites is that to think, we must classify, which means we must be able to distinguish between things. To think, classify, and distinguish are characteristics of both science and religion, so Structuralism applies the idea that religion and science could be in conflict with each other due to our need to distinguish what is “true” to us, which we know is defined by our culture on both a macro and micro level.

[JustAlex]

Science and religion both seek knowledge and truth,

Correct, but they both work in different ways to seek the "truth".

Science goes through the scientific method and eventually comes to a conclusion.

For example, how did humans come to be as they are?

Through a series of data which include research, experiments, observation, and peer-review studies we came to the conclusion that humans along with all other species evolved from a common ancestor.

^That is science.


Now let's look at religion.

They DON'T do anything remotely close to science.

Instead of starting from the beginning and reaching a conclusion, they start at the conclusion!

Again, the same example....how did humans come to be as they are?

"God did it".

Where is your evidence? Experiments? Research?

There is none.

It's just the conclusion....god did it....there's no need to experiment or do anything, "God did it"!

Just have faith....there's no need for evidence.

So there you go, there are the two ways science and religion try to discover "truth".....one does experiments and tries to get answers the hard way, the other just says "god did it".

This image says it all:

[Wickabee]

Oh wow. A copy and pasted meme. There is no God.

[habsheaven]

Maybe I missed it, but what TRUTH is religion seeking?

[shrewsbury]

habs, great question. We must keep in mind religion is very individualistic so what people do with and how they are religious varies, but here are some of the "truths" some religious people seek;

Is our religion the true religion?
if so, why are there other religions?
If our God is "good" why is there evil and suffering in the world?
if any, what is the purpose of humans?

then specifics of a religion, such as Christianity;

is the Bible the work of God?
is the Bile historically accurate?
why are there so many versions of Christianity?
was Jesus God?
why would good people go to hell for not believing in God?

these are just a few examples

[habsheaven]

habs, great question. We must keep in mind religion is very individualistic so what people do with and how they are religious varies, but here are some of the "truths" some religious people seek;

Is our religion the true religion?
if so, why are there other religions?
If our God is "good" why is there evil and suffering in the world?
if any, what is the purpose of humans?

then specifics of a religion, such as Christianity;

is the Bible the work of God?
is the Bile historically accurate?
why are there so many versions of Christianity?
was Jesus God?
why would good people go to hell for not believing in God?

these are just a few examples

Those sound like truths that followers are searching for, not truths that religious leaders seek. Most will gladly give you an answer to each.

[Star_Cards]

I think that it is rather rare that a religion would question if there's in the "true" religion. Isn't it more typical that a person stays within their religion their entire life rather than seek what other religions have to offer? Even if an individual looks at other religions that doesn't really show proof that one specific religion has done this. I couldn't imagine a church or in the instance of catholicism where they have such a set figure head for the entire religion saying that they wanted to explore if maybe another religion was the "true" religion. From my experience there are a lot more absolutes in religions than there are open ideas about things.

[Wickabee]

The people seek, religion doesn't.

There is no true religion because each says the others are wrong, which prevents religious believers from finding spiritual truth, which religion claims to sell. Religion is just a concept. Nothing more.

[shrewsbury]

Not all, just most of the mainstream, pluralism teaches that their are many truths to be fund in all religions.

Ramakrishna was a model for a different approach to harmony among religions. His deep commitment to Kali is his own way to Brahman-atman unity. He believed that his commitment is NOT the only way to the divine but one of the ways to the divine, and all human experiences of the divine are manifestations of the one God. What Ramakrishna insisted is God served in the worship not only of Kali, Vishnu, Shiva but also of Allah and Christ.

According to Ramakrishna, “Do not care for doctrines, do not care for dogmas, or sects, or churches, or temples; they count for little compared with the essence of existence in each [person], which is spirituality… Earn that first, acquire that, and criticize no one, for all doctrines and creeds have some good in them.”

Whenever some of the Christians wanted to convert themselves to Hinduism by his message, he emphasized that every religion has its own path to the divine truth. He said, “You don’t need to be converted, but what is more important is that you should truly commit yourself to your own religion. Christians should be better Christians. Muslims should be better Muslims. Buddhists should be better Buddhists. . . . ”

[Wickabee]

Those sound like truths that followers are searching for, not truths that religious leaders seek. Most will gladly give you an answer to each.

Religion seeks nothing.
Religious leaders seek personal gain.
Religious followers seek salvation.
Religious believers and faithful seek truth.