Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!microsoft!uw-beaver!cornell!vax135!ariel!houti!hogpc!houxm!hocda!spanky!burl!duke!mcnc!ebs
From: ebs@mcnc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: God and Science
Message-ID: <1744@mcnc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Jul-83 12:34:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: mcnc.1744
Posted: Tue Jul 19 12:34:38 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 20-Jul-83 21:01:00 EDT
Lines: 43


    One of the most interesting aspects of the ongoing debates
regarding divine creation vs. evolution is that scientific theories
which "contradict" the Bible were arrived at by strict
adherance to the scientific method.
These theories (evolution, etc.), however, are NOT the only
results of the application of the "scientific method". Other
modern results of science are radio, television, nuclear power,
automobiles, AND COMPUTERS.

    I said COMPUTERS!

    My point is that the Christians who literally interpret the bible
are perfectly willing to accept the vast majority of the products
of the application of the scientific method, even to the point
of using computer technology (i.e. electronic news) to argue against
and attempt to "disprove" evolution. This seems to be insincere at
best.

    In other words, if the scientific method produced the theory of
evolution, and the theory of evolution is inconsistant with your
idea of God, then mustn't the scientific method also be inconsistant
with your idea of God? Shouldn't you therefore go out into the
forest somewhere and live the rest of your life without cars,
computers, radios, manufactured clothing, electronic appliances,
processed food, etc.?

    I believe that the scientific method is a gift from God to
man in order that man better understand God's universe. I also
believe that true religion MUST conform to scientific theories.
In other words, what we know about science is a pitifully small
subset of "true religion". In order to understand science fully,
we must also understand God fully, and vice-versa. It is, of
course, impossible for us to fully understand anything, since our
minds have limited capacity. Thus, it would be to our benefit
if we started from what we know (computers and evolution included)
and attempted to increase the knowledge of the human race, rather
than debating on whether or not God created the universe in 7 days
flat, since the probability of this occurance is exceedingly small.

    Confidential to David Wright: Yes! I can!

                       Eddie Stokes (mcnc/ebs)