There has recently been a resurgence of the argument between those of a Religious bent and those who are more Secularist. When I was a kid it was purely a Science vs. Religion argument of Evolution vs Creationism, in recent years, the moderate religionists have re-framed the argument as Evolution vs Intelligent Design.
As far as I can tell, Intelligent Design is basically Creationism expressed in such a way as not to refer to a specific religious character, the God of Abraham, Jesus and Mohammed.
This is hardly a new concept in the ongoing battle of Science vs Religion. In the Christian world, this has been going on since the Second Century with Tertullian vs. Origen. At some point it was decided; that which could be seen or studied would be in the realm of Science and that which could not would be the realm of Spirit and by default the Church.
We could go on and on with the history of the observed conflicting with the beliefs in many cultures and religions throughout history, not really what I want to do, but Wikipedia offers a good place to start here.
A Different Perspective
I look at this "battle" and cannot help but giggle since I see the need for one or the other to be right and the other to be wrong to be nothing more than an expression of the Ego. What if there was a way for both to be right?
When I read Moses' creation story in Genesis I am truly impressed with just how close his history is with what Science says in the Theory of Evolution, not bad for someone who lived 3200 years ago.
Science and Religion are not really in conflict, because in fact their true subjects of study are completely different and not at odds.
Science is the study of how the Universe is put together, the laws that apparently underline those structures and how they interact with one another. Science is the realm of actual history, what actually physically happened and how it occurred. If you want to insert the concept of God into Science, it only would be "How he did it."
Religion is actually the study of why. Why would a Benevolent Deity go to all this trouble, what is the point? The historical questions that often get written about for these explanations most often are based on tribal mythology and allegorical explanation, not fact. Now many Religionists are going to take offense at this, I have attacked the inerrancy or the infallibility of their Scripture.
So to me, and those like me, Science explores how this amazing thing we call reality is structured and put together, Religion explains the why and seeks to help me to re-engage with that higher part of myself called Spirit.
As far as I can tell, Intelligent Design is basically Creationism expressed in such a way as not to refer to a specific religious character, the God of Abraham, Jesus and Mohammed.
This is hardly a new concept in the ongoing battle of Science vs Religion. In the Christian world, this has been going on since the Second Century with Tertullian vs. Origen. At some point it was decided; that which could be seen or studied would be in the realm of Science and that which could not would be the realm of Spirit and by default the Church.
As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Abrahamic creation narrative.Wikipedia: Creationism
We could go on and on with the history of the observed conflicting with the beliefs in many cultures and religions throughout history, not really what I want to do, but Wikipedia offers a good place to start here.
A Different Perspective
I look at this "battle" and cannot help but giggle since I see the need for one or the other to be right and the other to be wrong to be nothing more than an expression of the Ego. What if there was a way for both to be right?
When I read Moses' creation story in Genesis I am truly impressed with just how close his history is with what Science says in the Theory of Evolution, not bad for someone who lived 3200 years ago.
Science and Religion are not really in conflict, because in fact their true subjects of study are completely different and not at odds.
Science is the study of how the Universe is put together, the laws that apparently underline those structures and how they interact with one another. Science is the realm of actual history, what actually physically happened and how it occurred. If you want to insert the concept of God into Science, it only would be "How he did it."
Religion is actually the study of why. Why would a Benevolent Deity go to all this trouble, what is the point? The historical questions that often get written about for these explanations most often are based on tribal mythology and allegorical explanation, not fact. Now many Religionists are going to take offense at this, I have attacked the inerrancy or the infallibility of their Scripture.
So to me, and those like me, Science explores how this amazing thing we call reality is structured and put together, Religion explains the why and seeks to help me to re-engage with that higher part of myself called Spirit.
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