THE FALSE DICHOTOMY: SCIENCE VS. RELIGION

This thinking has become “settled truth” in many circles:

·       Science is superior to religion. The scientist is open to new findings; the believer is not. The scientist is always re-examining their conclusions and running further experiments to support them. In contrast, the believer defensively clings on to his beliefs, defending them against the growing mountains of evidence.

One of the reasons that it might appear this way to secular thinking is that they are not aware of the Christian’s evidences or reasoning. For example, this Jew became a Christian because I had become convinced that the Scriptures came from God and were, therefore, trustworthy.

How did I become convinced? For me, it started with many personal experiences that affirmed the trustworthiness of Scripture. However, rather than going into these, let me just list some of the many forms of objective evidences that have persuaded me:

·       Jesus always affirmed that Scripture was the Word of God, and His testimony had been confirmed by His many miracles, especially the resurrection.

·       People and societies that had accepted and applied the Scriptures were transformed.

·       The nature of Scripture points to a single Divine Author. Although it had been penned by fallible human authors, its incredible unity among its multiple authors, cultures, and languages points to what Scripture has always asserted – that it is all inspired by the Holy Spirit.

·       Human accounts reflect an exclusively human terrain. However, Scripture contains many elements that do not reflect such a terrain. For instance, Jesus’ teachings are difficult to understand, disturbing, unattractive, demeaning, and undoable. The NT writers are not at all self-promoting as we should expect from promoters of a new religion. The Patriarchs and Apostles are presented in a most negative way.

·       The miracles of the Bible point to a Divine hand. Often, these miracles had been performed before entire nations and have been acknowledged by enemy testimony.

·       The fulfilled prophecies of Scripture also affirm God’s hand. Some compute that Jesus alone had fulfilled over 300 prophecies.

·       The Bible has also anticipated many scientific findings like the fact that the universe had a beginning and that the things seen are made from the unseen. Other external findings like archeology have also affirmed the Scriptures.

·       The accuracy of the wisdom of Biblical roadmap has provided sound guidance to fruitfully live our lives. This is affirmed in many ways – mental, emotional, and physical well-being, healed relationships, and various other measures. The Bible challenges us to taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalms 34:8). Many have tasted and found this to be true.

Looking in from the outside, the skeptic fails to see the massive foundation for our faith. Instead, they just assume that we are stubbornly impervious to the evidences. They have asked me, “What if the evidence proved that your faith was misplaced? What would you do then?”

I would answer, “Theoretically, I would abandon my faith. However, you are not able to see how well-founded it is. It is not just based upon these objective and rational considerations; it is also based upon a coherent mosaic of what I have seen and experienced. Consequently, to conclude that my God doesn’t exist would be equivalent to concluding that my wife doesn’t exist. And if she doesn’t exist, then I have to forfeit everything I thought I knew, even my doubts.”

I too believe in science and in our and reasoning and underlying sensory perceptions that have made science possible. This is why I also believe in my God, and such a belief is supremely satisfying. It is a belief that is able to embrace and unify all experience and observations.

Meanwhile, the skeptics are trying to create their own meaning upon the bedrock of a meaningless and godless world. This is like trying to create something out of nothing. They vainly attempt to lay down a basis or a moral and virtuous life in a world where there is nothing higher or more authoritative than their own evolving thoughts.

Science is built on a foundation of trusted “findings” and their interpretations. Therefore, trust is an essential ingredient of both the world of science and of faith. Instead of placing their highest trust in the Creator, they have relegated themselves to trust in themselves, their scientific consensus, and the shared values of their community, however fallible they might be.

They are aware that they are building their house on shifting sand, but they also believe that sifting sand is the only foundation available.

Science vs. religion is a false dichotomy. It is like pitting food against pleasure or parents against children. Instead, there is a place for both. It is a matter of understanding how we are to harmoniously relate these elements.