Pope endorses science

[RichardE]

Science no threat to faith, Pope says
Science made such rapid progress in the 20th century that people may sometimes be confused about how the Christian faith can still be compatible with it, Pope Benedict says.

But science and religion are not opposed to each other and Christians should not be afraid to try to understand how they compliment each other in explaining the mystery of life on Earth, he told the Vatican's doctrinal department.

The Pope made his comments at a time of heated debate, mostly in the United States, about intelligent design arguments challenging evolution.

A Pennsylvania court ruled in December that intelligent design could not be taught as science in school.

"The Church joyfully accepts the real conquests of human knowledge and recognises that spreading the Gospel also means really taking charge of the prospects and the challenges that modern knowledge unlocks," he said.

The dialogue between religion and science would actually help the faithful see "the logic of faith in God," the Pope said, speaking to members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

He headed this Vatican department for nearly 25 years until his election last April.

Scientific discoveries sometimes came so rapidly "that it becomes very complicated to recognise how they are compatible with the truth revealed by God about man and the world," the 78-year-old German-born Pontiff said.

However, the church should not fear the challenge of reconciling faith and reason because God was "in fact, the Lord of all creation and all history".

The intelligent design debate in the United States has pitted scientists - who are sometimes also agnostics - against believers, who claim that science can prove some life forms are so complex that they must have had a supernatural "designer".

Intelligent design supporters have been trying to get it taught as science in biology classes alongside Darwin's theory of evolution, which some Christian conservatives oppose.

Its opponents rejected this as having no scientific basis at all.

ClickME

Hopefully this will reverse the fundies stance on science=the devil, and we can relax some of the red tape for research.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: RichardE
Hopefully this will reverse the fundies stance on science=the devil, and we can relax some of the red tape for research.

Heh... Don't count on it. Intolerance and stupidity are fundamental aspects of human nature.

 

[magomago]

Whoever REALLLLY beleives that science is "the devil" or evil needs a brain transplant. EVERY religious leader should be encouraging the pursuit of knowledge and the way the world works. Everyone always talk about the contradictions between science and religion, but I myself haven't found them yet. Whatever

Good job to the point for pointing out the obvious

 

[Stunt]

Catholics are allowed to believe in evolution...of all the Christian groups, they are nowhere near the most extreme.

 

[Polish3d]

During a debate about religion a few weeks ago I had a guy tell me that "Science was about as useful as tits on a boar."

No comment

 

[DVK916]

hopefully the pope will admit that abiogensis is valid.

 

[slash196]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: RichardE
Hopefully this will reverse the fundies stance on science=the devil, and we can relax some of the red tape for research.

Heh... Don't count on it. Intolerance and stupidity are fundamental aspects of human nature.

Don't forget that the IDiots and the fundies usually aren't Catholics. They don't care what the pope says.

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: Stunt
Catholics are allowed to believe in evolution...of all the Christian groups, they are nowhere near the most extreme.

Catholics are allowed to be hypocrites.

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: Stunt
Catholics are allowed to believe in evolution...of all the Christian groups, they are nowhere near the most extreme.

They still reject Abiogensis, which has a significant amount of scientific evidence to support it.

 

[EatSpam]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: RichardE
Hopefully this will reverse the fundies stance on science=the devil, and we can relax some of the red tape for research.

Heh... Don't count on it. Intolerance and stupidity are fundamental aspects of human nature.

Also, the fundies that Bush listens to hate Catholics and don't even consider tham Christians. So, don't expect Pat Robertson to give a rat's ass what the pope says.

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: EatSpam

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: RichardE
Hopefully this will reverse the fundies stance on science=the devil, and we can relax some of the red tape for research.

Heh... Don't count on it. Intolerance and stupidity are fundamental aspects of human nature.

Also, the fundies that Bush listens to hate Catholics and don't even consider tham Christians. So, don't expect Pat Robertson to give a rat's ass what the pope says.

Yet Bush won the Catholic vote.

 

[EatSpam]

Originally posted by: DVK916

Originally posted by: EatSpam

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: RichardE
Hopefully this will reverse the fundies stance on science=the devil, and we can relax some of the red tape for research.

Heh... Don't count on it. Intolerance and stupidity are fundamental aspects of human nature.

Also, the fundies that Bush listens to hate Catholics and don't even consider tham Christians. So, don't expect Pat Robertson to give a rat's ass what the pope says.

Yet Bush won the Catholic vote.

He did? I forget my statistics. If he did, it was because he claims to be anti-abortion. Of course, the absolutely nothing that he does to reduce abortion rates or reduce unwanted pregnancies is another story.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: RichardE
ClickME

Hopefully this will reverse the fundies stance on science=the devil, and we can relax some of the red tape for research.

Only problem is that most fundies hate Catholics because we're not fundies, so if anything, this will just turn them against science even more.

Originally posted by: DVK916
hopefully the pope will admit that abiogensis is valid.

They still reject Abiogensis, which has a significant amount of scientific evidence to support it.

Despite the fact that there has never been a scientific observation of it? I doubt he'll say either way, as it really has nothing to do with the Catholic belief system. But persist in your defamation scheme based on your own ignorance.

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard

Originally posted by: RichardE
ClickME

Hopefully this will reverse the fundies stance on science=the devil, and we can relax some of the red tape for research.

Only problem is that most fundies hate Catholics because we're not fundies, so if anything, this will just turn them against science even more.

Originally posted by: DVK916
hopefully the pope will admit that abiogensis is valid.

They still reject Abiogensis, which has a significant amount of scientific evidence to support it.

Despite the fact that there has never been a scientific observation of it? I doubt he'll say either way, as it really has nothing to do with the Catholic belief system. But persist in your defamation scheme based on your own ignorance.

Actually it does have to do with all religions since it deals with the origins of live. Biogensis is fundamental to Christianity, even though biogensis is nonsense.

Biogensis requires a some creator god.

Abiogensis life originated from something that wasn't living. I.E not a god.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: DVK916
Actually it does have to do with all religions since it deals with the origins of live. Biogensis is fundamental to Christianity, even though biogensis is nonsense.

Biogensis requires a some creator god.

Abiogensis life originated from something that wasn't living. I.E not a god.

So you want the Church to come out and support something that has never beene experimentally observed simply to placate your bastardized version of what THEY believe? That's pretty open-minded of you.

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard

Originally posted by: DVK916
Actually it does have to do with all religions since it deals with the origins of live. Biogensis is fundamental to Christianity, even though biogensis is nonsense.

Biogensis requires a some creator god.

Abiogensis life originated from something that wasn't living. I.E not a god.

So you want the Church to come out and support something that has never beene experimentally observed simply to placate your bastardized version of what THEY believe? That's pretty open-minded of you.

Ofcourse it hasn't be observed, how can it. We don't have the technology yet to create life from non life. But it still has more scientific support than god creating life.

Like my college human biological evolution proffessor said, abiogensis and evolution are facts, that theist have to deal with. This was a public school too.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: DVK916
Ofcourse it hasn't be observed, how can it. We don't have the technology yet to create life from non life.

But the theory states that it happened naturally. Why haven't we seen it happen in nature? Or could nature only pull it off once?

But it still has more scientific support than god creating life.

There is no scientific support, as it hasn't been observed. Any evidence for it is mere extrapolation, a very dangerous practice in science.

Like my college human biological evolution proffessor said, abiogensis and evolution are facts, that theist have to deal with. This was a public school too.

Are you Catholic? Doesn't sound like it. Then why do you care what Catholics believe? Or are only Christiants not allowed to push their beliefs on other people?

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard

Originally posted by: DVK916
Ofcourse it hasn't be observed, how can it. We don't have the technology yet to create life from non life.

But the theory states that it happened naturally. Why haven't we seen it happen in nature? Or could nature only pull it off once?

But it still has more scientific support than god creating life.

There is no scientific support, as it hasn't been observed. Any evidence for it is mere extrapolation, a very dangerous practice in science.

Like my college human biological evolution proffessor said, abiogensis and evolution are facts, that theist have to deal with. This was a public school too.

Are you Catholic? Doesn't sound like it. Then why do you care what Catholics believe? Or are only Christiants not allowed to push their beliefs on other people?

Let me guess your a Christian/Catholic who still thinks some "god" created life.

I am not trying to push my atheistic views on other, I just think it is time for christians to admit that god didn't creat life.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: Frackal
During a debate about religion a few weeks ago I had a guy tell me that "Science was about as useful as tits on a boar."

No comment

I bet that argument got far

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: DVK916
Let me guess your a Christian/Catholic who still thinks some "god" created life.

Let me guess, you're some atheist that believes life was created from nothing by random processes, despite the complete lack of scientific observation of this phenomenon. How would this belief be any different than someone believing that some 'god' created life? Neither have any scientific observations to back them and, as such, are simply theories from which you may select. In either case, you're exerting faith in your decision.

I am not trying to push my atheistic views on other, I just think it is time for christians to admit that god didn't creat life.

You come into this thread with no clue what Catholicism teaches, badmouth it, promote some theory that has no data to back it up, then state that the Catholic Church should come out in support of your theory that has no data to back it up. Very smart.

 

[kage69]

While it's a nice gesture, I don't put much stock in anything coming from the church. Maybe I'd start if the vatican recanted on it's idiotic position on birth control for example, or stopped protecting pedophiles. This just seems like an irrelevent organization trying to keep up with these changing times... Let's see you uphold your self-ordained lofty position and say something that can actually benefit the people who follow you!

 

[DVK916]

Anyways didn't the church admit that the story of Genesis was infact fiction. A story that never happen. A lie told to masses.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: DVK916
Anyways didn't the church admit that the story of Genesis was infact fiction. A story that never happen. A lie told to masses.

More of your ignorant jackassery. If you knew anything about Catholicism, which you obviously do not, then you would know that it has never taught that the Bible is a literal document. Why do you insist on spouting BS on a subject you obviously know nothing about? Or are you really calling out the Jews, who are really the authors of the Old Testament, including Genesis?

 

[joshw10]

the problem is evangelical christians and to them the pope is the anti-christ

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard

Originally posted by: DVK916
Anyways didn't the church admit that the story of Genesis was infact fiction. A story that never happen. A lie told to masses.

More of your ignorant jackassery. If you knew anything about Catholicism, which you obviously do not, then you would know that it has never taught that the Bible is a literal document. Why do you insist on spouting BS on a subject you obviously know nothing about?

I do know they believe in some god that created life. This is enough to turn me off.

I don't hate Christians, but I don't understand how they can accept something like a creator god with no evidence.