Isn't God pro-science?

Isn't God pro-science?

Letter received

My response

I want to assure you that my intent is challenge people's thinking, not to provide disinformation. If there is anything in my site that you can demonstrate to be incorrect I will gladly change it or remove it. All I ask is that you support it with scientific evidence and sound logic, and not opinion, rationalization or biased interpretations of data.

You have accused me of spreading disinformation, but I ask that you take just a moment to consider what, to me, also seems to be disinformation in your letter.

First, it seems that you are concluding that because the church called Galileo and Copernicus heretics that science is always right and religion is always wrong. Did these two men have the support of their fellow scientists at the time or did their peers consider them to be heretics as well? Did you know that Johannes Kepler, who gave us our understanding of the true nature of the solar system and its elliptical orbits, was a devout Christian? In a time when other SCIENTISTS were attempting to explain planetary motion through a complicated set of circular orbits within orbits, or epicycles, Kepler sought the simplicity and order that he assumed by faith would be there, and said that he was merely "thinking God's thoughts after Him." Are you familiar with Ignaz Semmelweis? (see http://peele.sas.nl/mccaffrey/ ) He was viciously ridiculed by the scientific community in the early 1800's for his belief that doctors should wash their hands before entering the maternity ward. At this time, 12 mothers out of every 100 there were dying of diseases transmitted from other patients. Are you familiar with Piltdown Man, the supposed missing link that SCIENCE believed in from 1912 to 1953 before it was revealed to be a hoax, a human skull with the jaw of an ape? Neither science nor religion is right all the time, or wrong all the time. What keeps us from the truth in all these cases is the close-mindedness of people in general, whatever their background or beliefs. Sometimes it's due to fear. Sometimes it's due to lack of knowledge or experience. Just as often it's caused by pride and ego. Despite all his contributions and genius, even Einstein had great difficulty in accepting quantum mechanics. It's always hard for people to open up to new ideas, but it is the only way we grow, individually or collectively.

Second, it seems that you are concluding that Asians are exploding in the sciences simply because they are not influenced by Christianity. Is that a logical, scientific conclusion or is it a rationalization to support your beliefs? Aren't there many, many other factors that are influencing what is going on in each of our societies? Yes, it seems that the U.S. is on the decline in the sciences. Isn't the U.S. also on the decline in its moral and spiritual foundations? Isn't it just as logical, and likely, that academics are waning because of effects of the increasing trends in violence, murder, guns, abortion, drugs, pornography, broken families and the devaluation of life in general? Can students get excited about their future when they fear they might be killed in school today? These trends are in complete contradiction to the Christian beliefs upon which this country was founded. Could it be that we need more spirituality rather than less if we want to return to our position of greatness? Although it's not a huge influence yet, Christianity is growing in Asia. Even those of the traditional Asian beliefs have a better defined sense of a greater purpose than their themselves which drives them to self-sacrifice and contribution, while the trend in America is towards immediate, and self-centered, gratification.

I do understand why you have problems with Christianity. I felt the same way for the first 38 years of my life. I was an agnostic who had absolutely no interest in anything spiritual. When I heard the term "born again" it conjured up images of some sort of strange religious voodooism or self-proclaimed righteousness. I then experienced something that I couldn't explain apart from God's existence. I can't explain it all in this letter, but I found my beliefs very challenged and began questioning all that I "knew" about life to reconcile the gap. I found that it's really not about "religion" anyway. Once you get beyond the veil, you find out that it's really only about your relationship with God. Some of the best insights into that relationship can be found in the words of Jesus Christ. If you want an insight in Christianity, don't let your knowledge be limited to just impressions of others. Read the words of Jesus for yourself. You'll find that he was more outraged than you are at religious hypocrisy, self-righteousness and ritual. His words turned me from some of the failings I had that almost cost me my marriage and family, and brought me to seek to live by a much higher standard than the one I had set for myself. It's hard to explain to others, and hard to understand if you haven't experienced it yourself. In hindsight though, I know that my distaste for spirituality and God was not unlike a ten-year old boy proclaiming that girls were disgusting and that there was no such thing as love. I was so sure I was right, but I found that my beliefs were founded in opinions and false impressions. Yes, there are many dumb, even horrible, things done in the name of Christianity, just as there are in the name of science, government or education, but the shortcomings of those who betray the broader purpose and understanding do not invalidate the truth or value of the underlying foundation.

I ask that you not close your mind, especially in the name of science. I think that much of our return to who we are supposed to be is dependent upon our spirituality, for it gives us a greater purpose than just our own. I think that there are many scientific discoveries to come that, like Kepler's, are just a matter of getting closer to God and understanding the design and purpose of life. You may have read in the news in the recently about the excitement over a new cancer treatment that involves proteins in the body. (see http://www.usatoday.com/
life /health/cancer/lhcan092.htm ) If you see the world with a belief in God, looking to the body's own built-in defenses would be one of the first places you would look for solutions. Look at the world without that view and you come up with things like surgical removal of organs and chemotherapy, damaging to the patient as well as the disease. These "technologies" will probably look brutal and barbaric someday in the future.

My objectives are much closer to yours than you realize. I just have a different life experience and belief about how we should get there. I encourage you to take a deeper look at both sides of life's origins rather than taking a stand that is angry, judgmental and close-minded. That approach with others and to life will do little to accomplish the goals you seek for yourself, our country or mankind. Seek instead to gain a greater understanding of what seems strange or wrong. Try to understand what could make someone like me change his views on life.

Just as you had to make some assumptions in writing to me, I had to make some in writing to you. If anything I have written reflects incorrect assumptions, please accept my apology. If there is anything I can do to help, or if you would like to pursue this discussion, please feel free to write again.

Best regards,

Gary"