Are Science and Religion opposites?

[Hulk]

Many times I see ignorant arrogant atheists say things based on this fallacy. I have no issue with anyone being atheist but when they arrogantly say such ignorant things then I should say something right?

Religion in essence is the belief that the universe has a Creator. Science is the study of the universe. To say that Science and Religion are opposites is like saying a Macbook factory and a Macbook manual are opposites. It make's no sense does it? Yet some of these people think themselves so "intelligent".

That said, the question that comes to mind is whether or not this defense is Islam-Specific. I say this because when the person who make such false statements I doubt that when he thinks of religion he thinks of Islam, or if he is then he probably has insufficient knowledge on it. I imagine that their idea of religion is as so popularly imagined "an invisible man in the sky", such a sad case of intellectual laziness. We should be grateful that we were guided, may our hearts be protected from arrogance. I believe such things can blind us from truth..

[Hulk]

"Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you'll feed him for a lifetime. Give a man a religion and he will starve to death praying for a fish."

This is another popular statement often said by atheist as "intellectual humor". Supposedly it's trying to say that religion is useless, imaginary, brings no benefit.

Does it work with Islam? No.
Islam is not a religion that expects faith without action. People of knowledge are frequently praised in the Quran. Our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged us to strive for knowledge.

The error in the statement often made by ignorant atheists is that it assumes all religions are faith without action. In Islam we have 'Amal(action) which is based on Niyah(intentions). When we want something to be done we make the right Niyah(intentions) and then we carry out the 'Amal(actions).

If we are hungry we make the proper intention to eat, we make dua, and then we use our hands and mouth to eat feed ourselves. We don't just pray for our hunger to disappear. We are blessed with the proper tools to achieve such goals.

[GodIsAll]

I find science to be very inspiring to my spiritual faith.

[cOsMiCiNtUiTiOn]

It wasn't long ago that science and religion were separated. This is the age of materialism, and it took off during the enlightenment period, also known as the age of reason.

The Enlightenment advocated reason as a means to establishing an authoritative system of aesthetics, ethics, government, and even religion, which would allow human beings to obtain objective truth about the whole of reality. Emboldened by the revolution in physics commenced by Newtonian kinematics, Enlightenment thinkers argued that reason could free humankind from superstition and religious authoritarianism that had brought suffering and death to millions in religious wars. Also, the wide availability of knowledge was made possible through the production of encyclopedias, serving the Enlightenment cause of educating the human race......

Enlightenment thinkers reduced religion to those essentials which could only be "rationally" defended, i.e., certain basic moral principles and a few universally held beliefs about God. Aside from these universal principles and beliefs, religions in their particularity were largely banished from the public square. Taken to its logical extreme, the Enlightenment resulted in atheism .

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Age_of_Enlightenment


Let's remember that Iblis was the first to use reasoning:

Ibn Jarir reported that Muhammad Ibn Sirin said that the first one to reach a conclusion by reasoning was Iblis and that the sun and moon were not worshipped except through this method.

This means that Iblis tried to compare himself to Aadam. He believed that he was more honorable than Aadam. Therefore he abstained from prostrating even though Allâh had commanded him to do so, just as He had commanded the angels. If an analogy is made we see that Iblis is vain. For indeed clay is better than fire because in it can be found the qualities of calmness, clemency, perseverance and growth; whereas in fire can be found heedlessness, insignificance, haste, and incineration.

Iblis tried in vain to justify his refusal: "Shall I prostrate to one whom You created from clay?" Iblis said: "See? those whom You have honored above me, if You give me respite (keep me alive) to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!" (Ch 17:62 Qur'ân).

Unfortunately, it has come to a place where, if it's not tangible and if you cannot make it happen in a laboratory, it doesn't exist. Supposedly, the enlightenment period ended with the french revolution, however, the fruit of the seeds planted then are prevalent today, as these ideas are what is taught to children on a regular basis, and that's what was taught to the majority of adults now, if you don't believe it, check the textbooks. After Darwin published his book on evolution, the separation of the two became more blatant and that brings us to where we are now. Before the enlightenment period we had scientists like Ibn Sina who didn't separate the two.

Ibn Sina gives a theory of knowledge, describing the abstraction in perceiving an object rather than the concrete form of the object itself. In metaphysics ibn Sina examined existence. He considers the scientific and mathematical theory of the world and ultimate causation by God. His aims are described in [1] as follows:-

Ibn Sina sought to integrate all aspects of science and religion in a grand metaphysical vision. With this vision he attempted to explain the formation of the universe as well as to elucidate the problems of evil, prayer, providence, prophecies, miracles, and marvels. also within its scope fall problems relating to the organisation of the state in accord with religious law and the question of the ultimate destiny of man.

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/Biographies/Avicenna.html

- cOsMiC

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[True-blue]

I find science to be very inspiring to my spiritual faith.

I agree with this. Observation and systematic studies makes me understand my religion, Islam, better!

[~ Sabr ~]

:salamext:

Only 1 link comes to mind after reading this thread:

The Scientific Miracles of the Holy Qur'aan - Click to Read

[IbnAbdulHakim]

bro the way I look at it is science has facts and theories.

We take what agrees with Quran and Sunnah and what doesnt are the fallacies of man.


If you havent been enlightened by Allaah then you can never understand that man makes mistakes and Allah knows best.




honestly I find using science to discover ancient history and the origin of life etc is ridiculous. theres too much room for error.

[True-blue]

honestly I find using science to discover ancient history and the origin of life etc is ridiculous. theres too much room for error.

100% agreed on this! I mean the conclusion drawn from studies for 'knowing' ancient history, and origin of life always baffles me. I never really understood why they draw such 'secular' conclusion about these things. It looks like they try their best to not agree with Abrahamic faiths.

[Hulk]

Science is and will always be an ongoing field of study that if anything we should appreciate as it allows us to appreciate and understand the creations of Allah.

The problem when you think that science is the only source of knowledge or conclusion.

We are able to receive knowledge through our senses, reason, and revelation..

The arrangement between these three sources of knowledge is such that each one has its limits, and a particular sphere of activity beyond which it does not work. In natural sequence, the knowledge of things man collects through his senses cannot be deduced through bland reason. For instance, you know by seeing a wall with your eyes that its colour is white. But, should you close your eyes and try to find out the colour of that wall on the sole strength of your reason, this will then be impossible. Similarly, the knowledge of things that comes through reason cannot be discovered by senses alone. For instance, you cannot find out as to who made that wall by simply seeing it with your eyes or touching it with your hands. Not at all, you rather need reason to arrive at that conclusion.

In short, reason gives no guidance as far as the five senses work efficiently, and when the five senses become helpless, reason starts functioning. But, even the guidance given by this reason is not unlimited. This too stops at a certain limit. Then there are things the knowledge of which can neither be acquired through senses nor through reason. For instance, to find out about this very wall, as to what manner of its use will please Allah Almighty and what manner of its use will displease Him, is possible neither through senses nor through reason. In order to give man the answer to such questions, the source that Allah Almighty has prescribed is what is known as Wahy. And the method it follows is that Allah Almighty selects one of His servants, ordains him as His messenger and to him He reveals His Word. This Word is Wahy/Revelation.

[Excerpt from Ma'ariful Quran]

[MustafaMc]

I never really understood why they draw such 'secular' conclusion about these things. It looks like they try their best to not agree with Abrahamic faiths.

I believe that the Theory of Evolution arose as an attempt to explain where we came from in direct opposition to the faith-based story of creation by God. Brother Hulk mentioned senses, reasoning, and revelation as being sources of knowledge. ToE is an attempt to use reasoning to provide a naturalistic means for the origins of life, particularly of man. We rely upon revelation from God as a super-natural explanation for our origination. Since science by its nature denies anything that cannot be subjected to the scientific method, scientists try to develop an explanation for for our origin using only naturalistic means. Sadly, scientists who support ToE don't admit its inadequacies or point out the extreme improbability of what they propose.

[Hulk]

I believe that the Theory of Evolution arose as an attempt to explain where we came from in direct opposition to the faith-based story of creation by God. Brother Hulk mentioned senses, reasoning, and revelation as being sources of knowledge. ToE is an attempt to use reasoning to provide a naturalistic means for the origins of life, particularly of man. We rely upon revelation from God as a super-natural explanation for our origination. Since science by its nature denies anything that cannot be subjected to the scientific method, scientists try to develop an explanation for for our origin using only naturalistic means. Sadly, scientists who support ToE don't admit its inadequacies or point out the extreme improbability of what they propose.

MashaAllah well said akhi, and you are a scientist!

[Insaanah]

:sl:

ToE is an attempt to use reasoning to provide a naturalistic means for the origins of life, particularly of man. We rely upon revelation from God as a super-natural explanation for our origination. Since science by its nature denies anything that cannot be subjected to the scientific method, scientists try to develop an explanation for for our origin using only naturalistic means. Sadly, scientists who support ToE don't admit its inadequacies or point out the extreme improbability of what they propose.

What baffles me, is that those who mock the fact that people of faith believe that the universe was created, come up with theories that if people of faith came up with, they'd be rolling on the floor laughing at their ridiculousness. Yet they are accepted as plausible theories and published in scientific journals. Like this one, which states that in the early years of the earths history, the earth was warmed by giant dinosaurs farting (pardon the crudeness).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17953792

[greenhill]

This has always been a subject that interested me. Signs and Science. And I'm walking into the firing zone :skeleton:.

I believe that science became all the rage (although it was not like how science is taught in school these days) when it started to disprove some claims made by religious leaders with regards to nature and stuff. Hence, there were people who wanted to prove religion is inconsistent with the 'facts' and 'findings'.

Examples like the Earth is the centre of the universe only to be proven wrong by 'scientific observations', or that the Church will be protected from lightning (believed to be God's wrath(?)) whilst the brothel down the road installed lightning rods, the church did not, and was struck, bringing down the steeple and stuff and the churches eventually installing lightning rods, or that the Jews calculated when the earth was created by counting backwards to the creation of Adam and 7 days of creation amounting to thousands of years only to discover dinosaur bones dating back millions of years, made some people even more motivated to prove these men of God wrong.

However, the same situation does not apply to Islam, especially the Quran as the Quran IS the word of Allah, and Allah is the creator and it is impossible to be wrong. Like the examples of life made out of water, the embryo, and many more statements made in the Quran including the creation of the universe although commonly viewed as 'days' it also means 'periods'

So it was from this ideology that the belief of science and religion do not mix, when actually it does not conflict with Islam or the Quran. It may conflict with other Books due to the inaccuracies of their text.

Fire away.... :D

[Hulk]

Some atheists say that we believe in God because we don't understand how nature works. They call it "God of the gaps". Funny thing is that this reasoning is made up by them to try to make sense of why we believe in God. So actually the "gap" is on their side. Argument of the gaps.

It is not that we don't understand how nature works and we attribute it to God because we are too lazy to think of an explanation. It is through reason that we understand that the things we perceive around us must have a Creator. And, if we were to study how they work. I'm sure most muslims would say "SubhanAllah!" or "MashaAllah!", because it gives us even more to reflect upon.

That said, I think that aligning verses from the Quran and modern scientific discovery should be considered only as additional knowledge to have. The Quran is enough by itself. It does not need to lean on the fallible discoveries of modern science.

[MustafaMc]

It is through reason that we understand that the things we perceive around us must have a Creator. And, if we were to study how they work. I'm sure most muslims would say "SubhanAllah!" or "MashaAllah!", because it gives us even more to reflect upon.

I agree with what you wrote. The thing that is odd to me is that those who believe in naturalistic evolution accept what some so-called scientist said as 100% true, but seem to not understand the basic biology of life.

[Gator]

"God of the Gaps" means that you are filling a holistic human ignorance with a made up explanation that has no proof or reliable basis.

Thanks,
Gator

[جوري]

human ignorance with a made up explanation that has no proof or reliable basis.

Precisely what atheists do and militantly so!

best,

[IbnAbdulHakim]

nice last post hulk and i agree.

religion is the ultimate truth from the Creator and science is simply the investigation of faulty limited man

[MustafaMc]

human ignorance with a made up explanation that has no proof or reliable basis.

Precisely what atheists do and militantly so!

I assume you mean the Theory of Evolution. If so, I agree that it is a made up explanation with no proof or convincing evidence of veracity. Faith in ToE for the purely naturalistic origin of existing and extinct species of life is held as tenaciously by its adherents as faith in their creation by God is held by theists. Science does an excellent job of helping us to understand the intricacies of the natural world as it exists today and it can render some understanding of the past, but it can go only so far in answering questions of a metaphysical nature including those of where we ultimately came from and where we are eventually going. Science rejects anything that cannot be measured, observed or quantified to one degree or another. Science is incapable of determining the existence of a human soul that continues after physical death and it cannot accept the supernatural as an element of explanation for the origin of human existence.

Religion is by definition metaphysical as its core is belief in God that is beyond reduction to human comprehension. Religion addresses questions that science is incapable of answering including our purpose for existence and what comes after our death. I don't see that science and religion are mutually exclusive, but rather that they are complimentary. The issue at hand is that some people hold that ToE is a scientific theory; however, macro-evolution is not subject to experimentation or falsifiable in the same way that creation is not. ToE did not really take hold until Mendelian genetics was rediscovered in the early 1900's and some people latched onto genetics as the means for heritable changes over time from a basic Common Ancestor to give rise to the various species of life through natural selection that gave rise to survival of the fittest. I find it exquisitively revealing that ToE has not advanced beyond a most rudimentary level despite tremendous advances in molecular biology and genetics with sequencing of the genetic code of several species.

Note the definition of Theory:
1) a coherent group of tested general propositions,commonly regarded as correct, that can be used as principles of explanation and prediction for a class of phenomena
2) a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural and subject to experimentation, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.

[Hulk]

Science rejects anything that cannot be measured, observed or quantified to one degree or another.

Interestingly the word for "measure" in arabic is also the word for "power". For when we are capable of "measuring" something we in a sense have "power" over it.

"And they measure not the power of Allah its true measure.."
- Quran Sura Al 'An`Am Verse 91

"No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him.."
- Quran Sura Az Zumar Verse 67

SubhanAllah.. God is beyond what we can measure.

[Ahmad H]

Science and religion are two very separate things. It isn't that one should take scientific evidence over the Qur'an, if science agrees with the Qur'an then it can be counted as true. There are a lot of errors in observation among humans. We are very limited. Allah has granted the scientists of this age a lot of knowledge, but they are blind in all spiritual matters. So as far as science is concerned, it is wise to listen to them since they are experts and not anyone here (unless they are qualified PhDs). But as far as their opinions on religion is concerned, they have no authority to speak against the belief in God.

They claim themselves some sort of authority on the belief in God because they observe nature. It is really absurd when you think about it. It really is a challenge towards God that they have made. In fact, I would go so far as to say they try to place themselves in God's place because they think they are so powerful with their wisdom. They say things like, "We're playing God" when they play with animals genetics placing one set of genes into another animal to bring an odd result, or when they make the sky rain with lasers (which is being researched), when they make it so that people who are very much dead come back to life with new medical technology, finding vasts reserves of wealth around the world and keeping it for themselves, coming up with new crop technologies and growing vast quantities of food while leaving the rest of the world hungry, etc.

Kind of reminds me of something which Rasul-e-Karim (saw) mentioned, can you guess?^o)

[MustafaMc]

It isn't that one should take scientific evidence over the Qur'an, if science agrees with the Qur'an then it can be counted as true. There are a lot of errors in observation among humans. We are very limited.

We are also limited in our understanding of the entirety of the Qur'an per ayat 3:7 "He it is Who has sent down to you the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah..." There are verses that are allegorical and yet are sometimes interpreted literally in opposition to what is known scientifically such as 23:14 "...then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh..." unless a person more knowledgeable of human embryology than me can verify this ayat is literally factual.

Allah has granted the scientists of this age a lot of knowledge, but they are blind in all spiritual matters. So as far as science is concerned, it is wise to listen to them since they are experts and not anyone here (unless they are qualified PhDs). But as far as their opinions on religion is concerned, they have no authority to speak against the belief in God.

And, according to you, are all scientists 'blind in all spiritual matters' and therefore atheists? Science and faith in God are not mutually exclusive.

They claim themselves some sort of authority on the belief in God because they observe nature. It is really absurd when you think about it. It really is a challenge towards God that they have made. In fact, I would go so far as to say they try to place themselves in God's place because they think they are so powerful with their wisdom. They say things like, "We're playing God" when they play with animals genetics placing one set of genes into another animal to bring an odd result, or when they make the sky rain with lasers (which is being researched), when they make it so that people who are very much dead come back to life with new medical technology, finding vasts reserves of wealth around the world and keeping it for themselves, coming up with new crop technologies and growing vast quantities of food while leaving the rest of the world hungry, etc.

You actually reveal a lack of understanding. Do you not know that some scientists look at the intricacies of life or the vastness of the universe itself at levels that are utterly incomprehensible to the general public and that this understanding reinforces their faith in God? Ayat 2:164 illustrates this point as in "...in the changing of the winds and clouds that run their appointed courses between the sky and earth: there are signs in all these for those who use their minds." Do you not think scientists use their minds more than most people and rather instead say, "Glory to God, the Creator of all that exists!"? Scientists definitely do not claim, "We're playing God". Do you not understand that man can do nothing except that it is the will of God that it should come to pass? Yes, scientists have taken genes from one species and genetically engineered other species to express those genes and nuclear physicists have produced nuclear explosive devices that can instantly incinerate millions of people, but they are not able to do a single thing contrary to the will of God. Conventional breeding of turkeys has resulted in animals that are incapable of natural breeding due to extremely large breast that are much in demand as Butterball turkeys on Thanksgiving. Genetic engineering just takes this genetic manipulation to the next level to produce changes that are beneficial either to the producer or consumer of these animals and plants.

Kind of reminds me of something which Rasul-e-Karim (saw) mentioned, can you guess?^o)

I assume you are talking about Dajjal splitting a person in two then bringing him back to life.

[Ahmad H]

I understand very well that science can do a lot of good for mankind. I am not against science. I am against how scientists use science to use as a ruse against religion and the very idea of religion - that is why I said what I said.

Scientists definitely do not claim, "We're playing God"

Scientists do in fact say things like this. Look at the video here on this article:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/09/tech/i...iref=allsearch

Perhaps not all scientists feel this way, but it becomes natural that when one interferes in the running of nature in so many ways, then they become elated and start to think that God doesn't control anything and that anything can be controlled by man when he puts his mind to it. That is what is meant by 'playing God'.

We humans are very limited in our observations. As for the Qur'an, you brought up verse 3:7. Why would a sign which Allah gave to us to see in the universe around us be given in an allegorical verse? Honestly, I don't see any sense in that. If Allah wanted us to not understand the universe around us, show us a verse which He will never allow us to understand, then I guess it would have been better to leave the verse out of the Qur'an in the first place. But that's not the case. It would eb against the wisdom of Allah to tell us a sign that we wouldn't benefit from.

It isn't as if a scientist who understands even the Arabic of the Qur'an and some Tafsir wouldn't be able to see the connection between what the Qur'an says and what he observed in nature. It is really silly to say that no one will understand the signs mentioned in the Qur'an related to humans and the universe.

[MustafaMc]

As for the Qur'an, you brought up verse 3:7. Why would a sign which Allah gave to us to see in the universe around us be given in an allegorical verse?

You completely missed my point which is that some verses of the Qur'an have a meaning that only Allah knows, for example can you tell me the meaning of the ayat 36:1 Ya-Sin. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings].? In the same way that our scientific knowledge is incomplete, so also is our understanding of the Qur'an in its entirety. What I wrote about signs and ayat was meant to show that some scientists can see what they know from scientific studies and knowledge evidence for a Creator instead of a completely naturalistic,undirected processas the means for the origin of the species.

I have never heard a scientist say he is playing God and if he did so in ignorance there is no denying that his knowledge and success in his efforts came from none other than Allah. I have some knowledge of taking a gene from a bacteria, genetically engineering it and transforming a plant to express that gene. I also have the means through conventional breeding to combine traits into a single plant that most likely does not exist anywhere in nature. The same can be said for the scientists who first took unrefined oil and made gasoline that does not exist in nature, but is beneficial to man through powering automobiles and trucks.

Scientists do in fact say things like this. Look at the video here on this article:

The scientist in the video did use this phrase, but then he went on to explain the limits of making rain with lasers, particularly being dependent on a certain level of humidity already being present and the limitation on sphere of influence. I see that this phrase is in itself allegorical as man is capable of exerting considerable control over the environment such as irrigating crops, building massive dams, generating electricity, extracting minerals, oil and natural gas from the earth that no other creature can do. However, we are dependent upon God for our means and ability to do so. When a scientist comes up with a novel idea or make a new invention, he should not boast of his achievement but rather acknowledge his dependence on God for his successes.

[Ahmad H]

As for the scientists who come up with discoveries to help humankind, yes, I do believe that. But a lot of them do not believe in God, so they use science to deny God. I'm starting to think you keep missing my point on purpose. Have you been to a bookstore and went to the science book section, and seen just how many more books have recently popped up by Dawkins and others to try and disprove the existence of God using science? There are a lot. This is just one avenue being used to eradicate religion altogether. Some of these Biologists and Physicists really try their utmost best to make religion seem irrational. This includes Islam, it is not just Christianity which they are after.

Haven'e you seen this side of things at all though? If you live in the US, surely you went to a Chapters before or whatever chain of bookstores and seen how these sections of science books which used to focus on purely scientific knowledge now have books on which they speak against the existence of God as well. These same people may have been given their knowledge from Allah, but you should remember that not everyone is grateful for the favors which Allah shows them. Instead they create Fitnah for the Muslims, most specially the Muslim youth who know very little about their own religion.

[Insaanah]

:sl:

While there are many scientists who do not believe in God, and that may be the popular notion, there are esteemed scientists like our brother MustafaMc and others here, for whom science makes them proclaim sub'haanallah at their Lords creation. Let's not put them all into the same boat.

[Ahmad H]

While there are many scientists who do not believe in God, and that may be the popular notion, there are esteemed scientists like our brother MustafaMc and others here, for whom science makes them proclaim sub'haanallah at their Lords creation. Let's not put them all into the same boat.

You and MustafaMc still do not see what I said because you've come to your own opinion. I never put all scientists in the same boat. He knows that because he must have read what I wrote and understood that I wasn't hinting at the believing scientists. My point was that <<There are arrogant scientists who challenge God>> It is not a point of dispute, it is the truth and it is reality. Trying to argue out of it is itself blinding oneself to the truth.

[Insaanah]

:salam:

Posts predominantly on the huroof muqatti'aat (letters that begin some surahs of the Qur'an) and allegorical verses have been moved to a new thread, with some posts edited accordingly, to avoid taking this one off topic:

http://www.islamicboard.com/quran/13...al-verses.html

[truthseeker63]

Science and Religion are not opposites in my view.

[MustafaMc]

SubhanAllah.. God is beyond what we can measure.

Assalamu alaikum, Yes, God's existence is beyond our comprehension. The best that I can imagine is another dimension of existence that may be somewhat approximated by our dreams.

[MustafaMc]

While there are many scientists who do not believe in God

Assalamu alaikum, Sister Insaanah, you and I acknowledge there are some scientists who do not believe in God; however, you are correct that there are others "for whom science makes them proclaim sub'haanallah at their Lords creation". The same can be said for any other profession with medical doctors coming to mind as perhaps being arrogant in holding another life in their hands.

[Pygoscelis]

Science and Religion are not opposites. But Science and Revelation are opposites.

Science works from the bottom up, forming theories, testing them, trying to take nothing on authority, seeing faith (assumptions) as a limitation, constantly changing and revising, and never claiming absolute perfect truth.

Revelation works from the top down, dictating what is true, taking everything on authority, holding faith as a virtue, resisting change and revision, and claiming to have absolute and perfect truth.

Science and Religion can be compatible. But they look at the world from opposite points of view.

[MustafaMc]

Science and Religion are not opposites. But Science and Revelation are opposites.

I see that science and religion are not opposites, but that they are concerned with different things and principles. Measuring a person's height and weight, and observing the color of his skin, hair and eyes can be seen as an analogy for science while having some sense of his personality, morality, likes and dislikes, ambitions, etc can be seen as an analogy for religion. Science is concerned about the physical world while religion is concerned about the metaphysical world. The limitations of science can be illustrated by the movie "Flatliners" when one of the medical students "becomes obsessed with the notion of really dying, the better to experience the Afterlife before being revived--if he can be revived." This illustrates the critical element of faith without which the others are in a way irrelevant and that is resurrection of the dead to face Judgement Day and spend eternity in either Paradise or the Hellfire. If there is no resurrection then science proves completely adequate to live one's life and to reflect reality. If there is a resurrection then religion points to the ultimate reality and science is mererly concerned with measuring "dust blowing in the wind".

[Hulk]

Indeed there are different sources of knowledge. Observation, reason and revelation. To use a short analogy, if there was a giant wall in front of you, you can use your senses and reason to know as much about the wall as you possibly can but only revelation can tell you what is behind the wall.

[loveofgod]

"Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you'll feed him for a lifetime. Give a man a religion and he will starve to death praying for a fish."

I'm not atheist but I do agree with the above statement. There's a difference between religion and God. Loving God isn't the same thing as loving a religion. They are two separate things.

[facethetruth]

I have no issue with anyone being atheist but when they arrogantly say such ignorant things then I should say something right? "..

Brother you should have a big problem with them, they are human devils. I debated with hunderds of them and when you stun them they go and repeat the samethings to other believers taking advantage they dont have knowledge.