The Language Of Ignorance

[filkertom]

Francis Collins -- physical chemist, medical geneticist and head of the Human Genome Project -- has written a book entitled The Language of God. In it, he attempts to demonstrate that there is "a consistent and profoundly satisfying harmony" between 21st-century science and evangelical Christianity.

Scientist and philosopher Sam Harris disagrees.

Comments

And I hope I don't...

[salkryn.livejournal.com]

A couple of things that religious people seem very unwilling to talk about...

1) The whole "original sin" thing. God says "You can have anything in the garden, except that one tree". If God didn't want us getting at it, why would he put it there in the first place? The single best way to make sure somebody does something and make them think it is their own idea is to make a big show of saying "NO!" and then turning your back.

2) Lucifer. Okay, if he's all that EVIL...then why doesn't he just open up the gates of hell and let it loose on Earth? I mean, really? As it is, his sole purpose in existence seems to be punishing those that deserve to be punished. I mean if there is any chance at all of saving your soul, you go to Purgatory right? It seems to me that the CEO of the infernal regions seems to be doing God's work for him...

Anyone care to give me an explanation for these two issues? Any time I ask a really religious person about them, they tend to get really offended. Either that or they do the equivalent of closing their eyes, covering their ears, and chanting "Not listening, not listening..."

Re: And I hope I don't...

[connor-campbell.livejournal.com]

okay, i'll try to field this one, based on my learning. to give some background: i do call myself a "Christ-follower", and i believe in the whole Protestant Bible, including the Old and New Testaments. i also have a love of science and i do believe that they can and do work together. i also believe that until there is solid evidence in support of it, what people call "evolution" takes just as much faith as the belief in intelligent design. at the moment, there is equal evidence for both. now, to the points asked here.

1) why did Jehovah (i use this name, as there are lots of gods. personal preference, not any religious reason. would you always call your best friend by what he is?) Why did Jehovah put the tree in the middle of the garden if he didn't want it to be eaten from? very simple answer here. Jehovah holds one thing to be ultimately dear - free will. he wants true loyalty to him. if he had stuck Adam and Eve in the garden where everything is perfect and kept all not perfect from humans, he would also be keeping from them choice, and the right to make one's own decision. he wants true loyalty, not forced slavery or robots. he also does not want blind faith, and has no problem with asking questions. the problem comes in what questions are asked, and how they are asked. reason #1 why i think science and the Bible work together. properly done, science is just asking Jehovah about what is around us.

2)Lucifer...this one is harder. first, Lucifer is in heaven, not Hell. not yet, anyway. he is there constantly trying to condemn us before Jehovah. trying to show how sinful we are. he has "angels" of his own who work in his favor, influencing us to do things to make us sin. *please note i said INFLUENCE* the ultimate decision is still ours. again, free will is what is important.

and as i am not a follower of the Catholic traditions, i cannot comment on purgatory. i do not believe in it. i can support this with scripture if you like. one of the big problems is that the Biible was put together in a very interesting manner. it was not written in the order you see it in today. actually, the first book written was Job. and there are places where one of the scribes (i say this because the Bible was written by Jehovah, and just put down in physical writing by men. sort of like dictation) mentioned both the past and future, as well as the present. this can get confusing. i must admit, i don't fully understand it all myself, and am still in the process of learning about it.

for the record, i, as a believer, will never cover my ears and shut my eyes to any questions concerning this matter. nor will i take it personally or try to B.S. my way out of it. should you have further wuestions, please ask

one last thing. i realize that i have not really answered the question of Lucifer. i need to study on that one some more. if you would like to keep working on this one, or are interested in learning more about it, again, keep in touch with me, and i will give you a straight answer. even if it is "i don't know". but there are rules, that even Lucifer follows. i know this.