Can One Believe in Science and God at the Same Time?

ImRightYoureWrong · 2018-08-06T13:22:08.111Z

AZslim:

Exactly, and I personally think the fear of death/ the reward of an afterlife is the main reason religions were made up in the first place.

It most certainly is and if you go back far enough, it was the fear of nature more generally. Western religion grew out of pagan / fertility religions where the Gods were natural forces - praying for rain etc. Interesting theory is that we evolved to personify natural forces because we evolved to be aware of predatory indicators - ex: a bush moving around may indicate an animal. Well, a big thunder crack in the sky and pouring rain may also be some being- and we better not upset it otherwise we cant grow food and we will die.

AZslim · 2018-08-07T01:07:10.765Z

Can you think of a religion that doesn’t promise an escape from death if people join the club?

A lot of them even threaten us with eternal torture if we don’t join their club as well, but the promise of a cool existence after death seems to be the biggest draw.

Meriweather · 2018-08-07T01:15:41.223Z

AZslim:

Can you think of a religion that doesn’t promise an escape from death if people join the club?

A lot of them even threaten us with eternal torture if we don’t join their club as well, but the promise of a cool existence after death seems to be the biggest draw.

Besides some Jews (which I mentioned before), some neo-paganists.

AZslim · 2018-08-07T12:58:34.634Z

Hardly anybody follows these religions/sect.

Kinda proves my point, doesn’t it?

Meriweather · 2018-08-07T15:23:26.975Z

AZslim:

Kinda proves my point, doesn’t it?

Well, it does make me snicker.

You atheists fall for anything!

AZslim · 2018-08-07T16:28:13.160Z

That is funny.

Meriweather · 2018-08-07T19:20:47.142Z

AZslim:

That is funny.

I think so. However, keep in mind I have atheists in my own family and married an atheist from a mostly atheist family. I find they are an entirely different breed from those who post in religion forums. While all have no belief in God, they have interesting views about the afterlife. These are: No afterlife, reincarnation, to something comparable to evaporation. Just as all forms of liquid are evaporated, collected, and then return to earth in several different forms, they hypothesize spirits are collected in the same way, mixed together, then return in combination with what were once other spirits.

Just as not all people of faith have the same view of an afterlife, nor do all atheists. The atheists I know best simply rule out heaven, hell, purgatory as that seems to require God–but not all rule out the same type of recycling that goes on with water and matter.

You think people of faith and atheists are quite different. Actually, we are much the same.

ImRightYoureWrong · 2018-08-07T19:46:04.644Z

Meriweather:

I find they are an entirely different breed from those who post in religion forums. While all have no belief in God, they have interesting views about the afterlife. These are: No afterlife, reincarnation, to something comparable to evaporation. Just as all forms of liquid are evaporated, collected, and then return to earth in several different forms, they hypothesize spirits are collected in the same way, mixed together, then return in combination with what were once other spirits.

You never ask atheists here about their views on the afterlife.

ImRightYoureWrong · 2018-08-07T19:46:42.601Z

Meriweather:

Just as not all people of faith have the same view of an afterlife

That’s probably because they havent studied Hebrew enough

Janet_Miller · 2018-08-07T20:32:10.041Z

Why does any faith have to relate strictly to threats of a doomed afterlife?

Religion, Latin for rituals, is a guidebook for how to live here on earth.

ImRightYoureWrong · 2018-08-07T20:35:45.931Z

Janet_Miller:

Religion, Latin for rituals, is a guidebook for how to live here on earth.

Then why all the miracles and mythology and talk of afterlife?

Janet_Miller · 2018-08-07T20:40:08.750Z

The after life is part of it—not 100%.

Janet_Miller · 2018-08-07T20:44:07.304Z

Probably an overused example but here goes:

Abrahamic faith has nothing to say about attraction to a member of the same sex, two males or two females. It does condemn the two men for acting out this attraction in a sex act.

Roughly 70% of new HIV+ cases in the U S are men in bisexual or same sex relations. Can anyone say how faith & science aren’t coexisting in this example.

Here is a site which has more info about HIV/AIDS among other topics www.fenwayhealth.org

Meriweather · 2018-08-07T20:46:20.670Z

Janet_Miller:

The after life is part of it—not 100%.

Agree. Kind of like dessert is part of a meal, or like the finish line is part of the race.

ZeroBravoPorkchop · 2018-08-07T20:54:14.422Z

Yes and no…maybe??

ImRightYoureWrong · 2018-08-07T21:06:54.610Z

Janet_Miller:

The after life is part of it—not 100%.

Why, though if religion is about guiding life on earth

ImRightYoureWrong · 2018-08-07T21:09:38.200Z

Meriweather:

Agree. Kind of like dessert is part of a meal, or like the finish line is part of the race.

That might make sense for 6 year olds at Sunday school, but can we stick to the subject? Everyone knows what the word “part” means. The question was, if religion is a guide for life on earth, why all the focus on life after death. Which, if the argument is now “well religion is also concerned with life after death” then we are back to square one - is religion a means of coping with death?

ImRightYoureWrong · 2018-08-07T21:17:58.809Z

Janet_Miller:

Why does any faith have to relate strictly to threats of a doomed afterlife?

Religion, Latin for rituals, is a guidebook for how to live here on earth.

There are many “life guidebooks”. Nit all assert a belief in God, magic, and knowledge of life after death. Those that do are generally classified as religion.

NativeSun · 2018-08-07T21:47:49.978Z

One might have trouble believing in RELIGION and science, but God and science go pretty hand in hand.

Religion is God placed into a box.

Science is God’s work revealed.

AZslim · 2018-08-07T22:25:11.620Z

Are Atheists afraid if death? Yes.

Are Atheists as hypocritical as religious people? Yes.