by bobcousins » Mon 27 Feb 2006, 22:01:56
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bobbotov', 'C')hristianity has a history of railing against rational thought as witnessed by Galileo, the flat earth, age of the earth, etc. It has also either exterminated many of the tribes and civilizations that cultivated other creation myths or converted them. The final frontier for them is to either exterminate or convert scientists who foster the Darwinian theory.
I think that is an interesting point. As far as the public is concerned, science has gone plenty far enough, to the point where we have all the toys and conveniences that we take for granted, and beyond that science appears to be actually doing bad things. (There's a whole lot of esoteric stuff the public don't care about, like looking for Higgs bosons).
Intellectual thought, having wrought freedom of thought from the tyranny of the Church and brought forth microwave ovens, now seems to be counter-productive. Evolution for example brings no moral guidance nor any sense of comfort about an uncertain world. Worse, it brings the bogeymen of cloning, GM crops etc.
I am not surprised to learn that 47% of the US believe in biblical evolution, but I am surprised to learn that only 48% of the UK believe in evolution. If people are only giving a 50/50 chance to such an important Law (I have promoted it to avoid confusion), it clearly is not relevant to them.
Now is probably a good time for religion to regain some market share, by providing a moral framework, some definite direction and answers to the 'big questions', which science only answers in an unsatisfying way (for them).
I hate to use the stock cliche, but it seems scientific culture in the public mind is in danger of peaking. The great scientific advance is largely a Christian phenomenon, other religions have not really bothered. In other places, 'western' science coexists happily with traditional religion, e.g. Japan, although Islamic countries obviously resist the influence of 'western culture', they don't seem to have a problem with science.
Evolution is a peculiar threat to Christianity because of its unique doctrine, so is a good place for Christians to attack. Briefly, if evolution created the world, then there was no state of Grace for us to fall from. Therefore, there is no need for Jesus to come and save us, so it is vital to Christians that the Creation story is literally true. Other religions don't have this conflict, but I find it ironic that the Christian Church fostered scientific activity (contrary to popular belief), and ends up shooting itself in the foot.
Scientifically, ID is going nowhere, but with a powerful religious lobby behind it, I can see it being granted equal time in schools. What that will do to the quality of science graduates can't be good, but I guess if embryo research is banned why do we need genetic engineers?
It seems difficult to believe that science could decline back into certain areas approved by religious authorities, but if religious thought regains ground and insists that its view of the world is correct over science, then science must lose out.
Oh, the topical answer to the WTC7 conundrum is that God did it, or at least an Intelligent Dismantler caused the concrete molecules to lose their cohesion.