Condemning Religion with Science: Fundie v. Fundie
You know, I have no problem with Science. I understand well the fact that atheism is an acceptable path for many in the postmodern world. The importance of reason is almost a sacred philosophy to me, even as a pagan. Sometimes it even takes effort for me to reconcile my spiritual beliefs with what I know to be scientifically valid. I keep tabs on a lot of atheist organizations and spokespeople. Richard Dawkins is one of the more well known of these.
Anyway I have the Richard Dawkins Foundation page on my Facebook feed, and they do post alot of things I agree with. But some of them are a bit extreme for my taste. One such quote from Dawkins was that science will always corrode religious belief. This I couldn't agree with as a pagan.
To be honest I have about as much respect for fundamentalist, dogmatic atheists as I do for Christian fundies. I never really understood why people always insist on comparing SCIENCE v. RELIGION as if the two are somehow indelibly connected as opposites. It makes no rational sense to me.
Why compare two disciplines that have so little in common? I realize that fundies have been doing this for centuries of course, yet I've never understood it. How is a discipline focused solely on objective reality comparable to a discipline about subjective experience, i.e. spirituality?
It is disheartening to me this new breed of fundie atheists which seems to devote every waking moment to deriding anyone with a spiritual life as a wacko and a bane on society. Why? Simply because the religious wackos have been doing it so long. A fundie is fundie to me. Both breeds possess a limited perspective and a false reliance on disciplinary paradigms.
A person who believes in science can't be religious? False. I prove it myself everyday because I am a pagan and I have yet to read anything in my ten plus years now of collegiate study that fundamentally threatened my convictions about the earth and energy. If anything my beliefs have been tested and strengthened by them.
Evolutionary theory as a corrosive agent of belief? Not in my book. Just another illustration of how ingenious that nature is, and how unfathomable it's energy and intelligence. Quantum physics or alternate reality corroding my belief? Who am I to say that an alternate reality isn't the realm of gods or giants? Who am I to know if actions there are palpable here? There isn't a scientist in the world that can prove this as absolutely true or untrue.
No one has all the answers. No one has the key of all knowledge. No one even knows if our world isn't simply a form of programmed virtual reality. Our whole universe might simply be a form of artificial intelligence. We can't even see the smallest parts of matter, whose to say there isn't a multiverse within a single cell of my body? For fuck sake people, physicists haven't even been able to figure out how a bicycle actually manages to work. Yet fundie scientist seem to believe that they alone are the possessors of all Knowledge.
Science does not threaten my religion. Because I don't believe in dogma, be it theist or atheist. If there is anything I know in my mind, it is how limited my knowing is. If you're religious, go for it. Just don't expect to apply those beliefs to science. If you are atheist and believe science and reason are the only course of truth, go for it, but don't deride those who believe in the intangible.
Anyway, this was my rant.
In Frith
Cena
Anyway I have the Richard Dawkins Foundation page on my Facebook feed, and they do post alot of things I agree with. But some of them are a bit extreme for my taste. One such quote from Dawkins was that science will always corrode religious belief. This I couldn't agree with as a pagan.
To be honest I have about as much respect for fundamentalist, dogmatic atheists as I do for Christian fundies. I never really understood why people always insist on comparing SCIENCE v. RELIGION as if the two are somehow indelibly connected as opposites. It makes no rational sense to me.
Why compare two disciplines that have so little in common? I realize that fundies have been doing this for centuries of course, yet I've never understood it. How is a discipline focused solely on objective reality comparable to a discipline about subjective experience, i.e. spirituality?
It is disheartening to me this new breed of fundie atheists which seems to devote every waking moment to deriding anyone with a spiritual life as a wacko and a bane on society. Why? Simply because the religious wackos have been doing it so long. A fundie is fundie to me. Both breeds possess a limited perspective and a false reliance on disciplinary paradigms.
A person who believes in science can't be religious? False. I prove it myself everyday because I am a pagan and I have yet to read anything in my ten plus years now of collegiate study that fundamentally threatened my convictions about the earth and energy. If anything my beliefs have been tested and strengthened by them.
Evolutionary theory as a corrosive agent of belief? Not in my book. Just another illustration of how ingenious that nature is, and how unfathomable it's energy and intelligence. Quantum physics or alternate reality corroding my belief? Who am I to say that an alternate reality isn't the realm of gods or giants? Who am I to know if actions there are palpable here? There isn't a scientist in the world that can prove this as absolutely true or untrue.
No one has all the answers. No one has the key of all knowledge. No one even knows if our world isn't simply a form of programmed virtual reality. Our whole universe might simply be a form of artificial intelligence. We can't even see the smallest parts of matter, whose to say there isn't a multiverse within a single cell of my body? For fuck sake people, physicists haven't even been able to figure out how a bicycle actually manages to work. Yet fundie scientist seem to believe that they alone are the possessors of all Knowledge.
Science does not threaten my religion. Because I don't believe in dogma, be it theist or atheist. If there is anything I know in my mind, it is how limited my knowing is. If you're religious, go for it. Just don't expect to apply those beliefs to science. If you are atheist and believe science and reason are the only course of truth, go for it, but don't deride those who believe in the intangible.
Anyway, this was my rant.
In Frith
Cena
Brilliantly written as always. This is a subject close to my heart - and you mostly hit the nail on the head for my own thoughts on this. The argument of atheists against "religious people" usually falls back to "OMG WHAT IDIOTS BELIEVING IN SOMETHING THAT'S NOT EVEN TANGIBLE!!!" My response? Why are people picked on for believing in things that are "intangible"... I guess noone should believe in love or trust or honour. This list could be huge.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree Tam. =)
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