People of Science Vs. Spiritual People.
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
November 7, 2011 4:32pm CST
It seems there is a huge rift between people of science and people with spiritual beliefs. However, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that it's not as wide (or as prevalent) as it would seem.
Being of the spiritual kind, but having taken science classes in college, I know that the two aren't mutually exclusive. However, while I took college science classes, my degrees are in paramedicine and health. Two disciplines that dabble in both the arts and the science sides of acedemia.
So, I decided to do a little research of my own. I have a lot of friends who are scientists, and also of the spiritual type as well as some who are agnostic and atheist.
I asked them how they deal with the rift, either at work or when they get together in their free time. Almost without exception they have answered about the same way. Mostly, they laughed that I'd even ask the question.
With few exceptions, the answer has been something to the effect of "you know, it just doesn't come up very often". Like anyone else, they know their friends basic beliefs, and once in a while they talk about them... but they don't argue over "science vs religion". They simply accept what each other believes (or doesn't) and move on.
A few went a bit further, saying that the supposed "rift" is a lot more prevalent in online discussion groups and forums than in their lives. But they almost never see it in their lives.
The one exception that most of my friends brought up was in academia. Professors of sciences who are atheist seem to be more outgoing with insisting that the science and spirituality don't mix. They all seemed to remember a few professors or teachers who insisted that it was part of their job to convince students that people of science can't believe in any kind of spiritual mumbo jumbo.
But that's just my experience. How about you? If you are a scientist, do you get in arguments with your collegues who have spiritual beliefs? Are the spiritual scientists more argumentative about it than your friends who aren't scientists?
Personally, I've come to the conclusion that the "rift" is more between laymen, and actual scientists just don't bother with it.
3 people like this
10 responses
@TheMetallion (1834)
• United States
8 Nov 11
My bachelor's degree is in physics, and I've worked in physics labs. Physicists don't seem to have any trouble with spiritual beliefs -- they have plenty of 'em. The small lab I worked in had Atheists, Reform Jews, Orthodox Jews, Catholics, Protestats, Hindus, and Wiccans.
There is a conflict if one subscribes to a flavor of Christianity that requires a belief in a 6,000 year old universe. It's hard to be taken seriously as a physicist and assert that the entire field of isotropic decay-based dating is invalid.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
8 Nov 11
And yet people who are pretty high up in my church's leadership are physicists.
But as your life shows, it's not so much the people, or our beliefs that cause the rift, it's more the difference in people at online forums. ;~D
@GardenGerty (160721)
• United States
8 Nov 11
I have known more than one scientist of academia who are also men of Godly beliefs. I think some people are delighted to stir up any perceived disagreement into a full blown fight. They want a disagreement to exist where there really is not one.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
8 Nov 11
Perhaps in US but I don't think here we feel such a conflict
all the best urban
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
9 Nov 11
I think you're right. I think that online we have many problems we don't see in the real world. I have quite a few friends and relatives who are scientists and there is rarely an argument in their midst about science and religion.
@inertia4 (27960)
• United States
8 Nov 11
Well I am not a scientist. But I do believe that science make a whole lot of sense about the way things are. Religion is, in my opinion, an individual belief. Science can be shared by all. I do not begrudge anyone who believes in religion, that is their right to do so. I am not religious even though I was raised catholic. I turned away from any belief because of catholic school. Not because of the subjects I was learning, but because how they, those supposed religious people treated me. They were very rude and very nasty and became physically abusive to me as a child and to my classmates as well. So, as far as respect for those people, I have zero. But I do not interfere with them or push my views upon them.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
7 Nov 11
Hi Ted,
I have to say that I really don't deal with this much at all in my personal life either. I was raised Catholic. I worked for a fairly well known Medium in my teens and did a ton of reading up on anything and everything paranormal. I've also read up on many various religions and talked to people of various religions with great interest. I've come to no conclusions and remain open minded on the topic. I've listened to the atheists and I've really never had a problem at all with them. I "get" their views. Maybe because I'm so open on both sides, we just don't clash. For all I know, they could be right. I will say that the only ones who have ruffled my little feathers are the Jahova Witness people and I have friends of that religion. If any are going to be pushy, it's been my experience that it would be them.I'm always polite to them when they solicit me but there have been a couple of times when we came close to butting heads. Last Christmas was the final straw. They came knocking on my door early Christmas morning. The knew full well that it was Christmas and that they were intruding on family time. I had my family over. It isn't often that we can all get together at the same time. I found it very rude to deliberatly intrude upon families on that day in an attempt to push their religion. I politely turned them away but trust me ...I was fuming!
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
8 Nov 11
I believe in science. I believe that all things follow the rules of science and all things can be explained by science. I am also very spiritual. I am not, however, religious in any way. You are right in that science and spirituality are not mutually exclusive, but I'd like to remind you that one can be spiritual without being religious and also that one can be spiritual and also be an atheist.
The most primitive spiritual beliefs and practices were directly connected with nature. As religion developed and people became more "civilized", this changed. I believe that spirituality is our connection with nature. I hold my best educated guess and continually add information as I receive it. If the new info conflicts with my beliefs, then I change my view.
This is why I am spiritual and not religious. Firstly, I would rather figure things out for myself rather than have others tell me what to believe. And second, my spirituality is mutable. It can grow and evolve. Religion is set. It doesn't change. It slowly does change over a great deal of time, but it is very stubborn and I'm not sure how far anyone can really get with such an attitude.
I see that there is a lot of truth in religion. All religion is really just trying to get the same message across, however, I think that people take it much too literally and even worse, fail to accept that something that old, no matter how true, could not be wielded by the powers and still miraculously remain untainted. The religious right still have their own interests to serve and something that has such a strong influence on people can most certainly be hijacked by anyone seriously looking to advance theirs.
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
8 Nov 11
God and the science of the universe fit perfectly. They both always add up. I think it's more about people wanting to be right yet there is so much of the picture undiscovered by mankind. Still, let's group and fight it out seems to be the answer for some caring little about the real truth. I think you are right. The arguments seem to rarely come up except on the internet or where they are deciding what to teach in schools. We must all keep an open mind ready to discover the next piece of the puzzle. God created the universe to unfold in such a way that mankind in time would be able to figure it out. The problem only comes when we think we already have all the answers. There is so much left to learn.
@enelym001 (8322)
• Philippines
8 Nov 11
This is rift makes me confused at times. I am spiritual and I believe about God's creation.. but when I read and watch what scientist has to say about everything, I sometimes end up saying... yeah they are also right.
When I talk about a friend about the scientist findings about Christ and God, saying that the God is actually the sun... he seems to argue and explain to me that scientist tells something because they think they are smarter than God or something. Well I ended up closing the topic
