Why are people afraid of science and all too quick to shoot down anything that sounds even remotely feasible?

Blind faith is put into religion why do we not question it so vigeriously when some of the things said in the bible are either appauling or rediculious. Are people scared of those who have more knowlege.

2007-10-14T16:20:12Z

Science is based upon theoris that have been scrutenised and tested and if these tests fail the theory is regected or refined. Why is it so hard to imagin that these incredably smart people have found the cause of climate change or a cure for a disease

2007-10-14T16:28:36Z

Dont be silly i think only a handful of actual scientists would refuit the theory of evolution. Are you saying that scientists really should give up because if it wasnt for science advanceing we would be stuck in the dark ages run by cruel kings and who used god as a weapon agaist man kind by keeping him ill informed and uneducated.

2007-10-14T16:30:21Z

Of couse that is the crux of science and formes the basis of science. The ability to admit you were wrong or that a new and better theory exists.

2007-10-14T16:32:37Z

Maybe if you added to the debate and were not so critical i would care what your opinion was "spell checker"

2007-10-14T16:43:24Z

I think religion was invented to quam people’s fears about the world because people are inherently scared of what they don’t understand and therefore a simple god did it or its gods will explanation makes complex situations seem very simple or very easy to understand. The problem is that people don’t recognise the amount of work it takes to develop some scientific theories (not all of which are theoretical). Some which have passed many tests both in conceptual modeling and physical testing. I think that if the bible were written today and not thousands of years ago it would include much of modern day scientific theory because that is what is based its answers on essentially was an attempt at explaining things.

2007-10-14T16:48:46Z

I have greatly enjoyed this debate. It has given me time off from my research and given me a chance to talk to a wide range of people. My research is on plankton ecology so I don’t think anyone has a problem with that but i think everyone (scientist and the religious) should be willing to accept change upon overwhelming evidence. For example the church now accepts that the earth revolves around the sun and that we are not the centre of the universe.

Cheers

?2007-10-14T16:45:39Z

Favorite Answer

The word I think that we're looking for in this question is fear. People use their religions to cope with things that are not understood (death and what happens after that, if anything). So when something (like science) pokes holes in beliefs people hold and have believed their whole lives, it frightens them to think that they have been wrong.

Some people have a closeminded way of thinking and if anything contradicts what they believe, they will strive to find an excuse to keep themselves from pondering about it.

Then you have the ones who see something that contradicts the bible (like a piece of science), and automatically say it was planted by satan to cause disbelief (some actually believe satan did and others use it for the previous reason).

Some are actually ignorant to science itself. I'm pretty sure if more were educated on science, that it would be more appreciated and respected, but its not the only reason that people hold disbeliefs for science, some are just not going to believe it no matter what you tell them or what you do.

There are actually people who still believe the world is flat, because they refuse to accept that the bible is wrong. They call themselves 'The Flat Earth Society'. This is a prime example because we have complete proof that the earth is in fact round. I mean we couldn't have much more proof, we have pictures of it and this just proves how much it actually would take to change the way people look at things and why we have those that refuse to believe anything scientific.

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cadisneygirl2007-10-14T23:25:15Z

I could ask the same thing about people that read a few articles on possible scientific theory and then hold to them like they are the only possible explanation for anything.

Ex. evolution btwn species
Still theory with many many flaws and yet soo many evolutionists act like if you dont believe that this is the only way humans came into existance you are a brainwashed religious zealot.
You can believe that it is the best possible explanation, but to hold onto the theory like gospel, which is what many do, is just as ridiculous and it takes just as much faith. A good scientist would be open to the possibility that there just might be another explanation given the fact that there are holes in the theory or at least acknowledge the flaws and be working towards finding explanations for those flaws.


There is no reason why you cant believe in science and religion because there is no reason why you cant believe that God works thru scientific principles.


Just because there are a few theories to suggest possible explanations for things doesnt mean you have to accept those theories as facts or as absolute proof for any specific theory.

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Anonymous2007-10-14T23:21:56Z

There's a lot of good prayer time invested for most of them. Once you've gone down the wrong road for so long it's hard to accept you've been wasting your time!!

WTIM58: Actually, religion isn't asking the "why" questions...everyone is! Atheists, scientists...everyone! The fact is that religion is providing "answers" to something that no-one really KNOWS anything about. And where do these answers come from...? Well...take your pick of the varied texts and tales that people read and recount as fact (without any evidence..naturally). Hardly reason enough for normal people to doubt science. If you can understand it of course..which many people on YA clearly can't.....which is a shame. Almost makes me want to become a teacher, so I can equip them properly to consider these intelligently thought through ideas.

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Anonymous2007-10-14T23:22:48Z

Very good question. I think it's because of a lack of science being taught to people on a very serious level. Most people take their religions and superstitions more seriously than they take science, for whatever reason. Probably laziness as the first answerer suggested. Science simply hasn't been given enough time to spread to individuals as religion has. Religion has had thousands of years. Science has only had a few centuries.

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thundercatt92007-10-14T23:31:01Z

I see them as being complementary. Science is looking at one aspect of the world - telling us how things happen, what is the process of the world, how matter behaves and things like that. Religion is asking a deeper question - is there a meaning and purpose behind what is happening? Is there a divine will - a mind behind what is happening?

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