Removing His Majesty

Many people, usually but not exclusively the religious amongst us, feel that the scientific perspective is destroying the majesty of our universe. That is, advances in neuroscience/biology negating the soul; theories of quantum probability weakening a sense of univeral justice/symmetry, etc. What's your opinion. Do you feel that the loss of the metaphysical is a loss to humanity, or do you feel a greater sense of wonder at the uncovering of the counter-intuative reality of our existence?

i think the discovery of any truth can only be postitive.

I think as we learn more, things become more fascinating. Advances are always being made, and these advances usually uncover new things that can be researched and investigated

I tend to agree. But these fairytales served a need. Many feel this need is not being met by modern science. Logicaly, a story designed by man for man's purposes may well always be more satisfyiing for many. I feel that the counter-intuative nature of non man made truth is more stimulating, but many are left cold by science

These new discoveries should be embraced whether you are religious or not.
If you are religious then it isn't necessarily a bad thing, if looked at in the right way it will allow you to explore deeper into your religion and perhaps allow you to 'get to know' your god/goddess more.

oh like the whole
'if god did not exist it would be necessary for man to create him' dealy.

i say, meh.
no such thing is necessary,
and if it is, necessary for what?

for a functioning society?,
for a happy life?
for good will among men?
for nothing i think.

follow only the truth, who cares if it hurts?
at least its real.

So people prefer fairy tales to truth? I guess dealing with reality is a little harder for some of us...lol

But really I don't think that science and God are mutually exclusive. A long time ago, I was caught up in the whole "science vs God" argument, when someone commented, "Isn't that kind of like debating Science vs Nature?" In that light, they complement one another, and there's no need to choose one over the other.

As for stories of what happens when we die, and morality and all that, I haven't found that people need religion in order to act within moral and ethical guidelines. Yes, religion offers comfort to some about "the Great Beyond", so that's useful. Ultimately there's no way for science to say there is no afterlife anyway. Infact many scientists are working on how science proves consciousness and spirituality, souls, etc. It's very interesting. In a way, I think if science were to prove that, it would be more comforting, not less.

Lily. 'God' is such a malleable, abused concept that yes, it can be held to be consistent with anything that is as yet unknown. When talking of God i talk of him in his original, non-altered form; that is, as a creator being who rules all and can be personally appealed to.

I know that scientists are just as much trapped in their desire as everybody else, and so they will always try to make current science prove that God exists.

Nevertheless, science and religion do differ. Most feel they are in opposition and this leaves people with a sense of abandonment. They no longer see the sun as being pulled through the sky by a God, the personal has been removed from the Universe.

Never having been religious i feel no loss. Just wondering about everybody else. This can probably be related to the amthropmorphism thread too. Most simply cannot relate, particularly to the new sciences.

Well I have 2 personal theroys on how everything works and fits together. One involves the existance of demons, angels, satan, and god. The other uses human potential to explane most of the unexplainable. Anything new thats come out sinse I put all this together, has found a nice uncontradicting fit in the puzzle of our existance. Me personally I love it. Learning about somthing new and seeing how it relates to existing personal knowledge. Also I don't think many religious groups are worried either as science has yet to conclusively disprove the existance of god, satan, demons and angels.

Religions will never be worried as long as they have the means to indoctrinate the next generation. They know that it's impossible to disprove a negative. Right now they are working mostly in Africa where there's a nice supply of people 'uncorrupted' by the scientific philosophy.

But these needs are universal. With organised religion weakening in the west we have seen a rise in 'spirituality'. Basically from those people rational enough to see the lack of logic in religions, but not quite brave enough to dispence with the need for a guiding power.

Anyway, the need is there but, for many, science doesn't meet it.

I hope most of you don't seriously believe that most people in religion are there because it's some escape from reality for them or they need somthing above human to guide them because that would be a stereotype.

No. Most people were just indoctrinated at a young age. They were either brainwashed completely (this is not a judgement, all culture is brainwashing), or have simply never felt the need to question.

Seriously, do you believe that religious people have decided to be religious after judgeing all evidence?

We are getting slightly off topic, but i would like to hear your thoughts.

It's true that alot blindly obay but I think this is more of a lazy convienience then anything else. But yes alot of religious people ive met have before or during decided to leave or join or continue with a religion after reviewing scientific facts. Now I may be biased in that as most of the religious people I know are Jehovas witnesses and there incouraged to explore other possabilities. Infact often they have there own scientific articles showing any scientific credence for there religion and the creationist theroy. Said articles have testimonys from scientists both nonreligious and religious(mostly JW).

Yes, scientific articles suffer from the same problem as religious texts, the demon of interpretation. Added to which, everybody has an agenda, conscious or overwise. You can generally find a scientific article for anything if you try hard enough

I shouldn't label all religions the same however, you're right there. Buddhists for example value fact and truth as the way towards perfection.