Science vs. Religion - Introduction

This is the first part of a series of articles exploring the topic of science vs. religion. This introduction is meant to explain the basic differences between science and religion, as well as explaining how the two concepts can be justified together.

Let's start by examining the easy one: science. A basic definition of science is "The pursuit of knowledge through observation and testing.". The goal of science is to discover truth through objective, empirical experimentation. It is absolutely critical that an idea be testable so everyone can repeat the test for themselves and verify the results. This way, everyone can see the truth for themselves, verify the truth, and not have to take anyone else's word for it.

In simple terms, science is the pursuit of objective truth. Truth that is the same for any observer. Everyone who picks up an object and drops it will see it fall, and therefore see the results of gravity. Everyone who puts a piece of paper in a fire will see it burn. Objective truth is easy to share with others, as they can watch it themselves.

What then, is religion? At its heart, it is the belief in and worship of a God or Gods, but deeper down, it is also about the pursuit of truth. Largely, it is about the truth about ourselves, where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. Who is God, what is our relationship to God, and why did God create us in the first place?

With religion, we pursue subjective truth. I may experience something that tells me God exists, while the same experience doesn't tell another person the same thing. That person may see it as coincidence. Religion, therefore, is a very personal subject, but that doesn't necessarily make it any less real.

It might seem that science and religion are at odds. After all, we are told that science says we just happened to evolve into what we are, yet religion might say we were created out of nothing by God. Science says it is impossible to walk on water, but religion might say that Jesus did that very thing. So must science and religion be at odds?

Don't worry, the answer is 'No'. To understand, we need to understand the true nature of science.

True science tells us what has happened. Science can tell us that a rock fell when we held it up and let go. Science can tell us that a rock fell every time when we dropped it, over 10,000 repetitions. Science can therefore tell us that gravity pulls anything we let go of(with the exception of birthday balloons!) to the ground.

However, science doesn't really tell us what can't happen. Man has repeatedly done things that people claimed were scientifically impossible, but that simply wasn't true science. Science only provides data through experimentation. In other words, science is just looking at what happens when we do things.

So, it is important to keep in mind, that scientifically, anything is possible. At the time of this writing(January 2012), researchers are still attempting to discover why sub-atomic particles have apparently been breaking the 'universal speed-limit' of the speed of light. Perhaps they will come up with an explanation, and perhaps not. The lesson of these particles(faster-than-light neutrinos) is to never say never.

So then, if your religious and scientific beliefs are at odds, one of them is wrong. Consider if your scientific beliefs are truly scientific, and also consider your religious beliefs. Many times in my life, my understanding of the meaning of a particular scripture has changed when I learned something new about how the world works.

There is no harm to seeking knowledge, whether objective or subjective. In fact, seeking for truth through science and religion together can lead to greater understandings in each area.

As this series continues, we will examine certain beliefs that are traditionally thought to clash, and look at ways we can resolve the discrepancies to achieve a higher understanding.