Science, faith cannot co-exist without clashes
SCIENCE is indeed a God-given, human ability, to recognise and classify natural patterns for survival. As such, what is known as science, can only comprehend natural and physical things, based on the development of theories, patterns that describe such theories, and proofs or evidence either through experiments or experience.
This is the reason why there isn't and can never be, a purely scientific instrument to detect evil spirits or the Holy Spirit since science is spiritually blind and only naturally applicable.
Therefore science can not lead to salvation or spiritual revelation although it does help spirituality by "discovering" natural patterns to enhance the spiritual understanding of divine phenomena. Even so, in Christian terms, faith is the proof or evidence of things and realities not yet seen or realised as recorded in the book of Hebrews 11 verse 1.
Basically, science is seeing before believing whereas faith is believing before seeing or the realisation of anything, so the two cannot co-exist without clashes.
Yet, for what is termed religion or the practice of routines according to certain experiences and theories towards a deity or paradigms, science can work without any problems. Since religion relies mainly on the human effort in terms of worship, it is bound to have the human or natural will, like science, as the main foundation for paradigm shifts and behaviour. This is the reason why many bad things have been done by religious people in the "name of God" and religions. Therefore Muslims should not associate Catholic crusades and apartheid with Christianity and faith but with the sinful will present in humans.
The Catholic church in the past is not Christianity but the Catholics of today are our brothers and sisters in Christ. The danger of science and theoretic religion is that it almost always leads to the recognition of humans as self-made gods as well as the proclamation that God is nonexistent.
This is the main reason why many theologians in biblical studies have become atheists and unbelievers in robes, suits, ties and collars who see faith and miracles as foolish and mythical.
But those who do worship in spirit and truth (not lies) are beyond the machinations of the natural realm and cannot function well in highly religious and scientific contexts. These are the true witnesses who are misunderstood and persecuted by religious and scientific humans. KHOTSO KD MOLEKO
| Mangaung Bloemfontein