Do you feel that ignorance about science reflects badly on religious people?

I feel that ignorance of any sort reflects badly on anyone. I think the problem many religious people have is that they feel science and religion are mutually exclusive, and that the sole purpose of science is to debunk religion. I'm of another school of thought, that science and faith can coexist quite nicely. I'm in good company, too:

Johann Kepler, one of the greatest astronomers who ever lived: "“I thank Thee, my Creator and Lord, that Thou hast given me this joy in Thy creation, this delight in the works of Thy hands; I have shown the excellency of Thy works unto man, so far as my mind was able to comprehend Thine infinity”"

Blaise Pascal, mathematician and philosopher, discoverer of what is now called Pascal's Law: "..the only perfect knowledge [comes] through Christian revelation"

Sir Isaac Newton: "This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being"

Louis Pasteur: "..spontaneous generation (like materialism in general) threaten[s] the very concept of God the Creator"

Wernher von Braun, one of the world’s foremost rocket engineers: "It is as difficult for me to understand a scientist who does not acknowledge the presence of a superior rationality behind the existence of the universe as it is to comprehend a theologian who would deny the advance of science. Far from being independent or opposing forces, science and religion are sisters....There is certainly no scientific reason why God cannot retain the same position in our modern world that He held before we began probing His creation with the telescope and cyclotron”

'nuff said. :-)

No more than it applies to the idiots who claim that man couldn't have been created by God because of the theory of evolution.

These are not educated men of science who do this, but people who don't understand that science is a tool for determining the most likely conclussion about observable, repeatably testable events. Evolution is only a partially proven theory (well supported, but incomplete) because we can't time travel. It is simply the best that mortal man can determine at present as the explanation of the known facts (facts being always open to question).

Yet there are thousands who still treat evolution like a religious argument. Just as silly.

Science and logic (formal logic, not just "common sense") are such amazing tools, and religion serves as a way to explore things science can't and doesn't have a reason to (yet).

Don't let the idiocy of the few even begin to reflect on the whole, for science or religion. To do so is to join them.

It only reflects badly on relgious people if they, as you say, make an issue out of it. When some people try to use science to make a point, they only end up embarrassing themselves...and you don't have to be religious to embarrass yourself.

I think what makes it more interesting to me is that science, by its nature, does not take the offensive. All science does is says, "Hey, based on the evidence, this is what it currently looks like." Science--good science, at least--doesn't try to make itself look like the current theory is the absolute honest to God truth, and no other theory will ever be better. The religious folks who are the most vocal in this area can't make the same claim.

I think some religious people have a natural distrust for science, because not all scientific answers agree with their interpretation of their religion. So they feel like they have to combat science, just like they combat everyone else who doesn't agree with them. Only with science they do it with "theories" which are based not on observation but on religion.

I think it's important to note, though, that plenty of religious people don't have this problem. It really is a minority. A very vocal minority, but a minority nonetheless.

You can't say just in religious people. All people who have little knowledge of science would be swayed into thinking otherwise. But to answer your question, it's all about their faiths. Religious people are easily manipulated because they must rely on someone/something else of a "higher power". For a scientist, it would (and should) offend you because since the beginning of society, religion always had an effect on how people think. Come to think of it, it's only religions that are European based (Roman Catholic, Protestant, etc.) that are questioning/disputing scientific fact. You don't see any Far Eastern religions doing the same.

If people believe differently than you, they could certainly word things a little politer than making a statement that appears to be in attack mode. If you want to understand a Christian point of view, please look into Dr. Kent Hovind at www.drdino.com - very interesting guy with a lot of interesting information. He was a science teacher and now travels around speaking on evolution over 700 times a year.

Yes, I think ignorance does paint Christians in a bad light. Just because you beleive in creationism doesn't mean you cant beleive in evolution. In fact, if you are a Christian it would be more probable to say the two go hand in hand. For instance, the Bible says in the creation story that God created the universe, Earth, waters, skies, animals, and humans each in a different day. This could correspond to evolution. No one said that God's definition of a day is 24 hours.

I believe it is the fact that science contradicts thier religious views that they speak out so vehemently against science. Since the only alternative is to re-evaluate thier beliefs it is easier for them to go on the attack.

It is very sad, especially when misinformation and movements such as Creationists and "Flat-Earthers" are trying to change what is taught in school (to impressionable children) as facts. And this is backed by politicians.

And people wonder why we are losing our scientific edge in this country.

I am fortunate in that my religion embraces science, if we find that something contradicts our beliefs it is the beliefs that must change not reality. It is unfortunate that more religions can't do this as well.

I know a lot of Christians who are very intelligent ,But a couple of things that seperate Christians and non-believers are Christians have 1)Wisdom 2)Faith

I think science is wonderful,but I think a scientists time would be wiser spent trying to figure out a way to eleminate the problems you described,hate,violence,murder.....rather than debating the age of the earth,Right?

Maybe i'm wrong but I don't think so.

Do you believe in GOD?

http://www.gotquestions.org/

Ignorance about science reflects badly on every body, as it was previously mentioned. I believe in God and have a good understanding on science, so you cannot generalize about the religious community as a whole.

no more then self seeking scientist using science to try to prove what they already believe reflects badly on science ! i mean isn't this where this big bang stuff come from? sure it is! you can take two scientist' where one believes and the other does not, and both use the same science, and come up with what each believe!.... and us christians are ask to have faith in science!... i don't think so.