If science had the facts to prove that all religions are false, would people still believe in them? Must there be truth and facts behind every religion? Is truth a vital and necessary part of every religion? The answer to all these questions is no. "Without risk there is no faith... If I am capable of grasping God objectively, I do not believe, but precisely because I cannot do so I must believe." (Objective and subjective reflection, Soren Kierkegaard). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Some say that religion is part of human nature, and the same can be said about questioning religion. Nonbelievers, whether scientists or not, may believe that “…science and learning will banish religion” and that religion “…is but a tissue of illusions” (EO Wilson, On Human Nature, page 1). In a sense they believe that the facts will prevail over what one may feel in one's heart or spirit. While this may be true for some, others are content with their beliefs regardless of the facts they learn. Before science gained the knowledge it has today, people were fine with their beliefs and way of life. Are the two unable to coexist? They also forget the relativity of truth. The truth is usually black and white; either it's true or it's not. In dealing with something like religion, the situation is more complicated because what is true for one may not be true for another. For example, in Christianity, Jesus is believed to have been the Messiah. This is the truth of a Christian. Yet for others this is not the case; Judaism, Muslims, and Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus was not the Messiah. Therefore, truth is relative in relation to religion. On another note, the facts brought by science can make a believer's faith stronger. For example, when scientists discovered that Jesus of Nazareth was a real person and was famous for performing miracles. Surely the believers were enthusiastic about it. Or when it was discovered that the great flood in the story of Noah's Ark had actually happened. Results like these do exactly the opposite of “banning religion.” Although, just as science can help strengthen religion, it can also bring clarity to things that don't make sense. The book of Genesis has always been very important to the dispute between science and religion. Jeff Randall explains:11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: plants bearing seed, and trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed, according to their various kinds.” And so it was. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning: the third day. On the third day we see that the earth was created and vegetation arose on this earth. This is despite the fact that plant life as it exists on earth requires energy, which comes from the sun. “The atmosphere was created after the Earth, plants were created before the sun, and the earth was created six thousand years ago. We all know that the Earth is more than three billion years old. Even if one were a Christian, one would have to admit that it makes no sense. So, after this information was brought to light, did Christians lose their faith? At all. Religion doesn't need the truth behind it for people to believe it. Christianity is not just a religion, but an institution that controlled some of the most historic countries known to man. It would take much more to ban it, as can be said of all religions deeply rooted in society. For a religion to be popular, or widely practiced,there is no need for science to back it up at all. Religions created from works of fiction are a perfect example. Some that have become extremely popular in the last twenty years are Jediism, The Elvin, and the Church of All Worlds. Firstly, Jediism obviouslycomes from the famous Star Wars film series. Even if they like to part with it. Unlike the three great religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, the Jedi's beliefs should not worry about whether science can prove them wrong. They don't believe in cruelty or discrimination, they believe in exploring your spirituality, expression and self-determination. Do they believe they can move objects with their mind? No, it's a bigger picture than that. The popularity of Jediism is growing rapidly. Secondly, the Elvins, “…share the belief that they are the reincarnated souls of beings commonly found in any of Tolkien's works of fiction: elves, dragons, and the like. They speak of “Desire,” in which there is a pervasive feeling of not being of this world and belonging to some other.” (10 religions generated from works of fiction). Finally, the Church of all worlds. Their mission is to "evolve a network of information, mythology, and experience that provides a context and stimulus to awaken Gaia and reunite her children through a tribal community dedicated to responsible stewardship and the evolution of consciousness" (10 Religions Spawned By Works Of Fiction).Can scientists prove that the practices or beliefs of these religions are false? It's not likely that they can. “Science and religion are based on different aspects of the human experience. In science, explanations must rely on evidence drawn from examination of the natural world…Religious faith, by contrast, does not depend solely on empirical evidence, is not necessarily modified in the face of conflicting evidence, and typically involves supernatural forces or entities. ” (National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine). You might wonder why scientists seem to have such an agenda toward religion. They can't seem to accept that people can believe something they have no evidence for, something they can't explain, something they feel in their soul or heart and don't feel the need for an explanation for it. The definition of a scientist is “studies or has in-depth knowledge of one or more natural or physical sciences” (Google). Obviously they would like to analyze a (supernatural) topic like religion. It is definitely human nature to have questions about life and why the Earth, plants, animals, and humanity have been able to progress as they have. But is it impossible for religion and science to coexist? It could do this, if people respected the beliefs of others and did not try to discredit others for their way of life. For example, when evolution was starting to become part of the core curriculum in many public schools, many religious people had big problems with it. Their children had been taught that God created man separate from animals, not that humanity descended from primates. That was their truth. They didn't want their children exposed to any other explanation. As if believers were afraid of the "truth" presented by science. Peter MJ Hess observes: “These are complex issues and deserve careful consideration before making a decision. Theologians, priests, scientists, and others from many religious traditions have concluded that their religious views are compatible with evolution and are even enhanced by the knowledge of nature provided by science. Equally vigorously, other theologians, priests, and members of other religious traditions reject evolution as.
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