Faith and Reason, Science and Religion

One of the deep, almost-unshakable, beliefs in American culture is that religion - Christianity in particular - is bitterly opposed to science; and that faith and reason get along about as well as mongoose and cobra.

My faith doesn't depend on keeping up on the latest developments in science, but it's not threatened by knowledge either. I routinely update the link list on this page. You'll find it under Seeking Truth, Seeking God, below.

"Beyond These, Many Things Lie Hid..."

We've learned quite a bit in the 22 centuries since this was written:

"Beyond these, many things lie hid; only a few of his works have we seen.

"It is the LORD who has made all things, and to those who fear him he gives wisdom."
(Sirach 43:34-35)

I strongly suspect that there's even more that we haven't learned yet. I like living in a vast and ancient universe, and want to learn as much as I can about it.

On the other hand, some folks seem determined to ignore the wonders that God created, to cultivate ignorance as if it were a virtue.

That doesn't make sense to me.

I'm a Catholic, so my faith doesn't require me to ignore facts and stop thinking. Quite the contrary. I've posted about this before, and probably will again.

---

Seeking Truth, Seeking God

• "DNA, Voyager 1, Habitable Worlds, and the Universe"
  (March 22, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Assumptions, the Universe, and God
  • DNA, Interchangeable Parts, and Predictable Reactions
  • Outward Bound
  • Water, Water, Everywhere - - -
• "Designed as Stewards"
  (March 17, 2013)
• "Getting Lost, a Seismometer in Space, and Viking 'Magic' "
  (March 15, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Surrounded by Beauty and Wonders
  • Ancient Ways and the Hippocampus
  • 'Other Animals?!'
  • "...Vastly More Places..."
  • "Hitched to Everything Else in the Universe"
• Science, Religion, Technology, and Magic
  A three-part post
  • "Getting a Grip About Science, Religion, Technology, and Magic"
    (March 13, 2013)
  • "Getting a Grip about: Science and Religion"
    (March 13, 2013)
  • "Getting a Grip about: Technology and Magic"
    (March 13, 2013)
• "Stem Cell Research, Mapping Mercury, and Alpha Centauri's Cool Layer"
  (March 8, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Life, Decisions, and Research
  • Stem Cells and a Shady Reputation
  • The Vatican and SCIENCE?!
  • Honest Research and God
  • Ethics: Pesky Things, But Important
• "Popes; Earth's Past; and a High-Tech Eye Implant"
  (March 1, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Science and Technology: In a 'Religious' Blog?!
  • A Puzzle With Pieces Missing
  • Hotspots, Sunday Supplements, and the Bible
  • 'You Are Here' Over the Last 280,000,000 Years
• "Vast and Ancient"
  (February 27, 2013)
• "Science, Neural Interfaces, and Electing a Pope"
  (February 22, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Kepler-37b: Smallest Exoplanet (So Far)
  • Proper Channels, Headlines, and Vatican II
  • Neural Interfaces and Ethics
  • Mapping the Human Brain
• "Ethics and Asteroids"
  (February 20, 2013)
• "Hope, Sorrow, and a Rock on Mars"
  (February 15, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Martian - Hood Ornament??
  • Prospecting on Mars
• " '...The Man With the X-Ray Eyes,' the Tuskegee Experiment, and Seeking God"
  (February 10, 2013)
• "Seriously Searching for Life in the Universe"
  (February 8, 2013)
  Particularly
  • SETI: "Hardly Surprising"
  • Looking for Life
• "Reason, Evidence, and Searching for Truth"
  (February 3, 2013)
• "Redefining the Habitable Zone; Drilling for Bacteria in Antarctica; and Arson in Mali"
  (February 1, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Life, Planets, and Water
  • Critters, Kerosene, and Cold Water
• "Science, Technology, and Being Human"
  (January 27, 2013)
• " 'Too Many' People?"
  (January 20, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Change Happens
• "Technology, Freedom, and 'Love Your Neighbor' "
  (January 18, 2013)
  Particularly
  • BEAM in Orbit: For Starters
• "Influenza, Nostalgia, Science, Ethics, and Me"
  (January 13, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Science, Technology, Religion, and the 'Good Old Days'
  • Using Our Brains
  • Health and Ethics
• "News, Good and Otherwise: and Billions of Worlds"
  (January 11, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Asteroid 99942 Apophis Missed Us
  • Planets Like Earth: Billions of Them
• "Guns, Gamma Ray Bursts, and Roller Coasters"
  (January 4, 2013)
  Particularly
  • WR 104: Cosmic Time Bomb, Maybe
• "Ulysses, Tennyson, and Me"
  (December 30, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Scholar, Nerd: Tomayto, Tomahto
  • "...To follow knowledge, like a sinking star..."
• "Studying Thousands of Worlds; Defending Life and Conscience on Ours"
  (December 28, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Looking for Earth's Twin
• "Freedom, Joy, and Tau Ceti's Planets"
  (December 21, 2012)
  Particularly
  • More Worlds: Planets Orbiting Tau Ceti
• "Solidarity and Silly Ideas"
  (December 17, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Ethics Matter
• "The Pope and the Christmas Tree"
  (December 16, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Science and Technology: "Precious Resources"
• "Conscience in the News; a Radar Map of Titan; Exploring Mars"
  (December 14, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Titan's Longest Known River, So Far
  • Another Picture from Mars
• "Freedom, Fear, Mayan 'Doomsday,' and a Solar Super-Flare (Maybe)"
  (November 30, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Science, Religion, and Getting a Grip
  • Mayan Apocalypse, December 21 2012 (or not)
  • Something Zapped Earth
• "Recovering from a Hurricane; Defending Freedom; Studying the Cosmos"
  (November 22, 2012)
  Particularly
  • 'Super-Jupiter' Photographed: Kappa Andromedae b
  • Of Points and People
• "Defending Religious Liberty; and Living in a World of Wonder"
  (November 16, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Mars, Microbes, and a World of Wonder
  • Step Back, and Look
• "Liberty, an Election, and a Rock on Mars"
  (October 26, 2012)
  Particularly
  • A Little Martian Pyramid Named Jake
• "Alpha Centauri, Freedom, and Me"
  (October 19, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Alpha Centauri, Planets, and Life
• "Defending Religious Liberty; and Living in a World of Wonder"
  (November 16, 2012)Particularly
  • Mars, Microbes, and a World of Wonder
• "Liberty, an Election, and a Rock on Mars"
  (October 26, 2012)
  Particularly
  • A Little Martian Pyramid Named Jake
• "An Ancient Brain, Politics, and Searching for Life on Mars"
  (October 12, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Simple Critter with a Complex Brain,
    a Half-Billion Years Ago
  • A Scoopful of Mars
• "9/11, Religion, and Assumptions"
  (September 11, 2012)
• " 'Think Nice Thoughts About Eugenics,' and Good News"
  (August 24, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Eugenics: 'It Can't Happen Here?'
    • Dealing with Unpleasant Realities - or Not
    • Rehabilitating Eugenics?
    • Don't Worry, But Don't Look at Sweden
• "Principles, Politics, Parkas, and a Robot on Mars"
  (August 17, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Messages from Mars
• "Sikhs, Catholics, and Prayer; Evangelization; and Exploring Mars"
  (August 10, 2012)
  Particularly
  • "We are Not Afraid of the Truth"
    • Phlogiston?!
    • Back to Mars
    • Fragile Faith?
    • Humanity and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
• "Blind Mice; Heroism During the 'Batman' Killings"
  (July 27, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Blind No More: Sight Restored (for Mice)
    • Humans in Medical Experiments: Sometimes Okay, Sometimes Not
    • Blindness Cured: But There's a 'Down' Side
• " 'The World is On Fire' - Again: Saint Teresa of Avila and the New Evangelization"
  (July 22, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Accepting Creation 'As Is'
• "Tennessee Mosque, Fundamental Rights, and a Mission to Mars"
  (July 20, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Mars Mission, Robots, and "...a Grownup's God"
    • 21st Century: Flying Cars, Not Yet; Robots, Yes
    • Orbital Outpost, News, and Waiting
    • Science: In a 'Religious' Blog?!
    • Taking Creation 'as is'
    • "Your God is Too Small"
    • "Stronger than the Ancient Mountains"
• "Taking Life a Thousand Years at a Time"
  (June 10, 2012)
• "Population Explosion, Birth Dearth, and a Changing World"
  (June 9, 2012)
• "The World isn't Flat"
  (June 9, 2012)
• "Adam and Eve and All That"
  (May 15, 2012)
• "Politics, and a Sexologist's Preferred Reality"
  (May 10, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Boys, Girls, and Dealing With Reality
    • Intersex Condition(s): Rare, but Real
• " 'Human Costs Always Include Economic Costs' "
  (May 7, 2012)
• "Love and Intelligence, Faith and Reason"
  (April 30, 2012)
• " 'Deeds Without Knowledge are Blind' "
  (April 23, 2012)
• "Earth Day, 2012: This Catholic's View"
  (April 22, 2012)
• "Genesis, Optimus Prime, and Victorian America"
  (April 10, 2012)
• "Transhumanism, Bioethics, and Me"
  (April 8, 2012)
• "The Eighth Day"
  (April 4, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Genesis, Days, and All That
• "The Beauty of the Universe, God, and Respect"
  (March 21, 2012)
• "Beauty, Science, and a Crazy Idea"
  (March 14, 2012)
• "My Take on the News: Hack Attack; Double Standard; Purloined Heart"
  (March 9, 2012)
• "God, Science, and Getting a Grip"
  (March 5, 2012)
• "Upset Applecarts: A Hopeful Sign"
  (March 5, 2012)
• "Life, Death, the Establishment, and Some Guy in Minnesota"
  (March 2, 2012)
• "My Take on the News: "Jesus-Eating Cult;" Godly Scientist; Insulting Our Intelligence"
  (March 2, 2012)
  Particularly
  • The Case of the Godly Scientist
• " 'Only a Few of His Works Have We Seen' "
  (February 27, 2012)
• "Angels, Art, and Aliens"
  (February 15, 2012)
• "Science isn't a Four-Letter Word"
  (January 29, 2012)
• "Clay, Elementary Particles, Photons, and God"
  (January 25, 2012)
• " 'In a State of Journeying' "
  (January 18, 2012)
• " 'Inevitable Progress;' 'We're All Gonna Die;' and Getting a Grip"
  (January 16, 2012)
• "God Doesn't Make Junk: Or Mistakes"
  (November 27, 2011)
• "My Take on the News: Stem Cells, Science, and 'The Man with the X-Ray Eyes' "
  (November 18, 2011)
• "Mephistopheles, Cosmology, and Doctor Faustus"
  (November 7, 2011)
• "7,000,000,000 People, More or Less: Why I'm Not Alarmed"
  (October 31, 2011)
• "Ancient Style and Today's Discussions at the 'Vatican Science Academy' "
  (October 2, 2011)
• "Faustus, Mephistopheles, and a Simple Contract: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?"
  (September 20, 2011)
• "Sex, Science, and the Home Schooling Parent"
  (September 17, 2011)
• "Gregor Mendel: Friar, Scientist, and Abbot"
  (July 20, 2011)
• "Evolution, Space Aliens, and Two Millennia of Dealing With People"
  (July 5, 2011)
• "God, Genesis, the Catholic Church, and Getting a Grip"
  (June 22, 2011)
• "Climate Changes: So What Else is New?"
  (May 16, 2011)
• "Arithmetic, God, and Getting a Grip"
  (April 25, 2011)
• "Earth Day, 2011: Environmental Concerns, Catholic Faith, and Me"
  (April 15, 2011)
  [mostly links]
• "'Frail, Delicate Little Mother Nature?!' (or, getting a grip)"
  (April 15, 2011)
• "Earth Day, Captain Planet, and Getting a Grip"
  (April 11, 2011)
• "Pope Benedict XVI, the Big Bang, and Science: No Surprises Here"
  (January 15, 2011)
• "When to Call Tech Support, When to Read the Bible"
  (January 14, 2011)
• "Life on Other Worlds, and the Catholic Church"
  (January 11, 2011)
• "The Pope, Science, and Technology: My Take"
  (October 30, 2010)
• " 'Endless Cycles?' Science, Analysis, and Getting a Grip"
  (October 13, 2010)
• "Archaeology Paleontology, Science, and Wishful Thinking"
  (October 12, 2010)
• "God's Creation: He Seems to Think Big"
  (September 23, 2010)
• "Science, Religion, and the Pope"
  (September 17, 2010)
• "Physics and God, Hammers and Architects"
  (September 7, 2010)
• "Stem Cell Research in the News: My Take"
  (August 23, 2010)
• "Science, Faith, and Auto Mechanics"
  (August 19, 2010)
• "Report of a UFO Would 'Destroy One's Belief in the Church?!' "
  (August 6, 2010)
• "Science and Religion: Another Blogger's Take"
  (August 3, 2010)
• " 'To Infinity, and Beyond' - And a Plug for Home Schooling"
  (June 21, 2010)
• "It's Faith and Reason"
  (June 19, 2010)
• "Science vs. Religion: the Same Tired Old Line"
  (June 5, 2010)
• " 'Artificial' Bacteria, Genetics, the Vatican, and 'Courage With Caution' "
  (May 22, 2010)
• "Home Schooling: It May Not be What You Think"
  (May 20, 2010)
• "Stem Cell Research: Backed by the Vatican, No Kidding"
  (April 28, 2010)
• "The Catholic Church: Universal. Really"
  (April 19, 2010)
  Particularly
  
  • "Universal?" You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet
• "Home Schooling, Religious and Moral Instruction, and American Culture"
  (March 6, 2010)
• " 'God Created Man in His Image'" wasn't Written by An American"
  (January 25, 2010)
• " 'If you must see ghosts ...' Materialism, Being Spiritual, and Uncle Deadly"
  (December 18, 2009)
• "Why Did I Convert to Catholicism?"
  (November 24, 2009)
  Particularly
  • The paragraphs starting with "I grew up in America..."
• "Astrobiology, the Vatican, and the Meaning of Our Existence"
  (November 12, 2009)
• "Copernicus, Galileo, Science and a Reality Check"
  (October 26, 2009)
• "A Patron Saint of - Scientists?!"
  (October 25, 2009)
• "Data Dump: Major Earthquakes During the Last Week"
  (October 3, 2009)
• "Really Old Dust Grains, a Galactic Collision, and a Lively Interest in God's Creation"
  (August 10, 2009)
• "Dinosaurs, Mutant Chickens, Evolution, and Faith in God"
  (June 29, 2009)
• "The Pope: Looks Like Saint Paul is in the Tomb of Saint Paul"
  (June 29, 2009)
• "Donating Umbilical Cord Blood: Good Idea!"
  (June 15, 2009)
• "Organ Transplants, a Boy's Life, and Japanese Laws and Customs: This Catholic's View"
  (June 14, 2009)
• "Faith and Reason, Religion and Science"
  (March 20, 2009)
• "Stem Cell Research: Change Some of Us Won't Live With"
  (March 9, 2009)
• "Obama's 'No Reproductive Cloning' Promise Doesn't Reassure Me"
  (March 9, 2009)
  Particularly
  • Human Clones: For Reproduction, or for Parts
• "Catholic Church, Creationism, Evolution, Facts and Faith"
  (March 5, 2009)
• "Medical Ethics and Human Experimentation: Why I Take it Personally"
  (February 3, 2009)
• "Human Clones Possible: Don't Worry, They're Just for Parts and Research"
  (February 2, 2009)

More related posts in blogs written by:

• Me
  • "Mice Feel Pain (We knew That) - And Show it Like We do ('No One' Knew That)"
    Apathetic Lemming of the North (May 11, 2010)
  • "Neanderthals and Me: New Data About Old Relatives"
    Apathetic Lemming of the North (May 7, 2010)
  • "Emotions, the Frontal Cortex, The War on Terror, Anarchists, and the Illuminati"
    Another War-on-Terror Blog (December 23, 2008)
    
    • Emotions and reason do not play well together
• Other folks
  • "Unintelligently Designed Article..."
    Catholic and Enjoying It! (August 19, 2010)
  • "Compatibility of Faith and Science"
    Christopher's Apologies (August 3, 2010)