azureabstraction > out of the blue

God vs. Science!

An in the New York Times claims that there is a recent trend of scientists willing to speak up about their faith. Apparently the "stereotypical" scientist is a bit shy on the subject.

"Their belief in God challenges scientists who regard religious belief as little more than magical thinking, as some do. Their faith also challenges believers who denounce science as a godless enterprise and scientists as secular elitists contemptuous of God-fearing people", says the article.

This quote made me laugh. I don't know if I'm unusual or sheltered from conservative religious thinking (I come from a moderately conservative background myself, so I don't think that's it), but do many staunch religious folks see science as "godless", or scientists as automatically "secular"? This view must surely be a rarity.

Another quote that fascinated me was said by Steven Weinberg, who won the Nobel Prize for work in particle physics. "I think one of the great historical contributions of science is to weaken the hold of religion. That's a good thing."

What do you think?

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