Science vs. religion : what scientists really think - File PDF

Shattering Myths, Toward Dialogue 153Yet as we have also seen, those who want to talk with members of the generalpublic about science face something of a language deficit. Since they did notlearn a religious vocabulary as children, they find themselves without the righttools with which to engage religion. (What does Genesis really say about theearth’s origins anyway? Does Qur’an 21:30 describe the big bang?) Such scientistsdo not need to become religious believers to have more productive discussionsabout science with people of faith. But they do need to know more aboutreligion—at least basic facts about the variety of the world’s traditions—so thatthey might more effectively engage with a variety of religious people in a waythat advances science, perhaps preserving some of its public funding.All religion is fundamentalism . It is true that in some ways, religious fundamentalismhas posed the biggest threat that science has ever faced. We haverecounted this many times. And so have the nation’s major newspapers. Theplethora of articles published about the perceived threat of religious fundamentalismto science can lead scientists to think that there are many morepeople with these views than there really are. Yet fundamentalism is not allthere is in the great scheme of religion. Scientists who do not believe and thosewho have little experience with religion must be careful not to build caricaturesof religious people based only on the loudest current religious voice. Besides,your respected colleague just one office over could be a closeted person of faithand you don’t even know it. Scientists who wish to speak meaningfully abouttopics related to religion and science could learn more about the diverse waysin which different religions approach science by reading the works of religiousphilosophers and poets whose higher purpose and sense of religious meaninghave borne up under science.And basic stereotypes about religious people should be dispelled. For example,generally speaking, religious people have as much education as nonreligiouspeople. And they’re not all Christians. The majority of recent immigrantsare part of Christian religions, meaning that they are changing the character ofAmerican Christianity.8But there has been extensive increase in the number ofnon-Christian religions, too, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam, as aresult of recent immigration. Understanding how different religious traditionsapproach matters of science and faith can go a long way toward dispelling stereotypesfrom both sides. Scientists should take the time to recognize diversityamong religious traditions in their approaches to science, just as there is diversityamong scientists in their approaches to religion.Such understanding might even compel scientists to reach out to religiousleaders, looking for allies in unexpected places. Scientists may even play a supportingrole in the efforts of religious activists who are sympathetic to science.For instance, Jim Wallis, head of Sojourners, an evangelical Christian ministry