Christians and Science

[lizloves]

So since I am new to the Christian lifestyle.. I have a few questions about the scientific side of life. I have loved science since before I even knew what science was. I have always enjoyed looking at the stars and learning about how our planet sustains life perfectly. I love looking at pictures of the universe, comets, other planets, etc. I love reading about the human body. It truly is incredible how our bodies are like a giant, very complex puzzle. Everything goes together perfectly and works together (big and very, very small) to keep us alive. There are no small jobs in our bodies or in the universe itself. I am by no means writing this to cause controversy, I am just needing some answers from my Christian friends about some things that, if answered, will strengthen my faith. Because as I said, I love science and I ALWAYS will. It is very important to me. And seeing that I am going into the medical field, I have taken numerous science courses ranging from Anatomy and Physiology to Chemistry to Microbiology.

I guess one of the things keeping me from growing in my faith is that I feel like some things might contradict themselves concerning science and religion. So I guess I will just dive right in and ask them. Please, don't be offended by what I ask. I am only asking for my own personal growth in my connection with the Lord. Some of these are just things that I have read that confuse me. So please correct me if where I have read these things are wrong. I am not claiming to be an expert in science or anything.. Just a curious newcomer to religion.. Haha

1. I have read that some creationists believe that the Earth is around 6,000 years old.. how do they believe that when there is scientific proof that the earth is older than that?

2. What do Christians think about dinosaurs? I have read some things online where some Christians say that dinos didn't even exist... that really grinds my gears considering we have physical proof of them..

3. Big Bang.. yes, I said those words on this site. I read a very interesting point not long ago somewhere (I can't remember where it was.. might have even been somewhere on this site) that the Big Bang could have been God. The Big Bang was described as an intense explosion of light. Could that have been God? "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." Genesis, people. Haha. Yeah, I'm just saying.. I believe in science. Could the Big Bang have been our God saying let there be light?

I am sure that I have more questions, but I am trying to keep it short and sweet this time around. So let's just call this "Liz's scientific questions round one." I am really sorry if I offended anyone by asking these things. But I really just want answers. If I have answers to these questions then it may help me move on to growing my faith. But I feel like I am at a road block as of right now just because I have read proof on some of these subjects and I have been exposed to science for my entire life. Of course. Please, one thing I do ask is that no one tell me that I have no faith and just to believe in God. I have faith. I am simply just asking some educated questions. Or trying to. Please, no negative or judgmental comments.

I appreciate your answers in advance and God bless you all. I hope you're all having a great Friday night. I will spend the rest of mine doing laundry and surfing the web.

-Liz

 

[Klub]

I love science as well, but I was raised in a Christian home. Believe it or not, science backs God 100%, if we use real science, and logic.
Check out answers in genesis, and listen to some of Ken Ham's speeches, they have a ton of good resources to answer your questions.

The earth is less than 10,000 years old
man walked with dinosaurs, and I personally believe they did up until the middle ages.
The big bang has little logic to it, it contradicts many parts of the laws of physics. It is false.

Most of what science is today is as big a cult as the church of latter day saints. They will not allow any speculation of what they believe to be "True" and they take half truths as fact, leaving the problems in the dirt they found the fossil in.

 

[lizloves]

I love science as well, but I was raised in a Christian home. Believe it or not, science backs God 100%, if we use real science, and logic.
Check out answers in genesis, and listen to some of Ken Ham's speeches, they have a ton of good resources to answer your questions.

The earth is less than 10,000 years old
man walked with dinosaurs, and I personally believe they did up until the middle ages.
The big bang has little logic to it, it contradicts many parts of the laws of physics. It is false.

Most of what science is today is as big a cult as the church of latter day saints. They will not allow any speculation of what they believe to be "True" and they take half truths as fact, leaving the problems in the dirt they found the fossil in.

Very intriguing point about the dinosaurs and the middle ages. I'm going to look into that. Can you be completely sure that the big bang is 100% false? Sorry, just trying to get a clear, 100% sure answer. Haha. It's just seeming like it is going to be a challenge for me to really believe in both. Have you ever had that problem, being a lover of science? Probably not, since you grew up in a religious household. Maybe it's just difficult for me because I'm so new to it. Thanks for your comment

 

[Mykuhl]

So since I am new to the Christian lifestyle.. I have a few questions about the scientific side of life. I have loved science since before I even knew what science was. I have always enjoyed looking at the stars and learning about how our planet sustains life perfectly. I love looking at pictures of the universe, comets, other planets, etc. I love reading about the human body. It truly is incredible how our bodies are like a giant, very complex puzzle. Everything goes together perfectly and works together (big and very, very small) to keep us alive. There are no small jobs in our bodies or in the universe itself. I am by no means writing this to cause controversy, I am just needing some answers from my Christian friends about some things that, if answered, will strengthen my faith. Because as I said, I love science and I ALWAYS will. It is very important to me. And seeing that I am going into the medical field, I have taken numerous science courses ranging from Anatomy and Physiology to Chemistry to Microbiology.

I guess one of the things keeping me from growing in my faith is that I feel like some things might contradict themselves concerning science and religion. So I guess I will just dive right in and ask them. Please, don't be offended by what I ask. I am only asking for my own personal growth in my connection with the Lord. Some of these are just things that I have read that confuse me. So please correct me if where I have read these things are wrong. I am not claiming to be an expert in science or anything.. Just a curious newcomer to religion.. Haha

1. I have read that some creationists believe that the Earth is around 6,000 years old.. how do they believe that when there is scientific proof that the earth is older than that?

2. What do Christians think about dinosaurs? I have read some things online where some Christians say that dinos didn't even exist... that really grinds my gears considering we have physical proof of them..

3. Big Bang.. yes, I said those words on this site. I read a very interesting point not long ago somewhere (I can't remember where it was.. might have even been somewhere on this site) that the Big Bang could have been God. The Big Bang was described as an intense explosion of light. Could that have been God? "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." Genesis, people. Haha. Yeah, I'm just saying.. I believe in science. Could the Big Bang have been our God saying let there be light?

I am sure that I have more questions, but I am trying to keep it short and sweet this time around. So let's just call this "Liz's scientific questions round one." I am really sorry if I offended anyone by asking these things. But I really just want answers. If I have answers to these questions then it may help me move on to growing my faith. But I feel like I am at a road block as of right now just because I have read proof on some of these subjects and I have been exposed to science for my entire life. Of course. Please, one thing I do ask is that no one tell me that I have no faith and just to believe in God. I have faith. I am simply just asking some educated questions. Or trying to. Please, no negative or judgmental comments.

I appreciate your answers in advance and God bless you all. I hope you're all having a great Friday night. I will spend the rest of mine doing laundry and surfing the web.

-Liz

Lol Liz...how could anyone be offended or upset at the manner in which you ask things? Your language in humble and endearing. Just needed to say that [emoji2].

 

[lizloves]

Lol Liz...how could anyone be offended or upset at the manner in which you ask things? Your language in humble and endearing. Just needed to say that [emoji2].

Hahaha, thanks Michael! I am just trying to be sensitive with the subject. I don't have much experience asking sometimes controversial questions so I am trying to tread lightly and keep everyone's feelings in mind,

 

[Mykuhl]

Hahaha, thanks Michael! I am just trying to be sensitive with the subject. I don't have much experience asking sometimes controversial questions so I am trying to tread lightly and keep everyone's feelings in mind,

Good show! [emoji106] [emoji106] lol

 

[Mykuhl]

Very intriguing point about the dinosaurs and the middle ages. I'm going to look into that. Can you be completely sure that the big bang is 100% false? Sorry, just trying to get a clear, 100% sure answer. Haha. It's just seeming like it is going to be a challenge for me to really believe in both. Have you ever had that problem, being a lover of science? Probably not, since you grew up in a religious household. Maybe it's just difficult for me because I'm so new to it. Thanks for your comment

You will find that the more you study the bible that the more you will see that the bible supports science and vice versa. Real science that is and not theoretical nonsense like evolution.

 

[lizloves]

You will find that the more you study the bible that the more you will see that the bible supports science and vice versa. Real science that is and not theoretical nonsense like evolution.

Yeah, I'll keep reading for sure. I was just wondering if anyone had any direct answers for those questions. I'm still a newbie, so I understand that I have a lot to learn.

 

[Klub]

Very intriguing point about the dinosaurs and the middle ages. I'm going to look into that. Can you be completely sure that the big bang is 100% false? Sorry, just trying to get a clear, 100% sure answer. Haha. It's just seeming like it is going to be a challenge for me to really believe in both. Have you ever had that problem, being a lover of science? Probably not, since you grew up in a religious household. Maybe it's just difficult for me because I'm so new to it. Thanks for your comment

The hardest part was going through public school, knowing the falsities that the textbooks left out. I will say that the textbook big bang did not happen with 100% certainty in my heart. Evolution is observable, just not the type of evolution that the textbooks teach. Evolution is a change over time within a species, this is why we have so many type of dog/bear/finch. But there is no, and I mean 0 proof that there has ever been a change of kind. I.E a bird turning into a lizard, a fish turning into a mammal etc...

On the other end of the spectrum, you have the christians that will blatantly ignore all science and say it is witchcraft. Hence the people who say dinos didn't exist. That is just ignorance and blindness.

 

[Mykuhl]

So since I am new to the Christian lifestyle.. I have a few questions about the scientific side of life. I have loved science since before I even knew what science was. I have always enjoyed looking at the stars and learning about how our planet sustains life perfectly. I love looking at pictures of the universe, comets, other planets, etc. I love reading about the human body. It truly is incredible how our bodies are like a giant, very complex puzzle. Everything goes together perfectly and works together (big and very, very small) to keep us alive. There are no small jobs in our bodies or in the universe itself. I am by no means writing this to cause controversy, I am just needing some answers from my Christian friends about some things that, if answered, will strengthen my faith. Because as I said, I love science and I ALWAYS will. It is very important to me. And seeing that I am going into the medical field, I have taken numerous science courses ranging from Anatomy and Physiology to Chemistry to Microbiology.

I guess one of the things keeping me from growing in my faith is that I feel like some things might contradict themselves concerning science and religion. So I guess I will just dive right in and ask them. Please, don't be offended by what I ask. I am only asking for my own personal growth in my connection with the Lord. Some of these are just things that I have read that confuse me. So please correct me if where I have read these things are wrong. I am not claiming to be an expert in science or anything.. Just a curious newcomer to religion.. Haha

1. I have read that some creationists believe that the Earth is around 6,000 years old.. how do they believe that when there is scientific proof that the earth is older than that?

2. What do Christians think about dinosaurs? I have read some things online where some Christians say that dinos didn't even exist... that really grinds my gears considering we have physical proof of them..

3. Big Bang.. yes, I said those words on this site. I read a very interesting point not long ago somewhere (I can't remember where it was.. might have even been somewhere on this site) that the Big Bang could have been God. The Big Bang was described as an intense explosion of light. Could that have been God? "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." Genesis, people. Haha. Yeah, I'm just saying.. I believe in science. Could the Big Bang have been our God saying let there be light?

I am sure that I have more questions, but I am trying to keep it short and sweet this time around. So let's just call this "Liz's scientific questions round one." I am really sorry if I offended anyone by asking these things. But I really just want answers. If I have answers to these questions then it may help me move on to growing my faith. But I feel like I am at a road block as of right now just because I have read proof on some of these subjects and I have been exposed to science for my entire life. Of course. Please, one thing I do ask is that no one tell me that I have no faith and just to believe in God. I have faith. I am simply just asking some educated questions. Or trying to. Please, no negative or judgmental comments.

I appreciate your answers in advance and God bless you all. I hope you're all having a great Friday night. I will spend the rest of mine doing laundry and surfing the web.

-Liz

Regarding your first 2 questions:

1. I have recently read that some scientists are starting to question the validity of carbon dating. That it may not be nearly as accurate as they assumed.

2. Lots of Christians believe lots of different things about science, unfortunately some of it is false. Christians can be just as susceptible to error as anyone else.

 

[JohnP]

The hardest part was going through public school, knowing the falsities that the textbooks left out. I will say that the textbook big bang did not happen with 100% certainty in my heart. Evolution is observable, just not the type of evolution that the textbooks teach. Evolution is a change over time within a species, this is why we have so many type of dog/bear/finch. But there is no, and I mean 0 proof that there has ever been a change of kind. I.E a bird turning into a lizard, a fish turning into a mammal etc...

On the other end of the spectrum, you have the christians that will blatantly ignore all science and say it is witchcraft. Hence the people who say dinos didn't exist. That is just ignorance and blindness.

There is a good article on the differences between micro and macro evolution here - http://www.toptenproofs.com/article.php?id=6

As far as the big bang theory, my thoughts on that have always been, where did whatever exploded to create the universe come from? I'm not as grounded in science as you are, but I have never seen an answer to that.

 

[Klub]

There is a good article on the differences between micro and macro evolution here - http://www.toptenproofs.com/article.php?id=6

As far as the big bang theory, my thoughts on that have always been, where did whatever exploded to create the universe come from? I'm not as grounded in science as you are, but I have never seen an answer to that.

Exactly, the whole idea of modern science can be dumbed down into "in the beginning was nothing, and it decided to explode, and then decided to become alive"

They have more faith than I do

 

[Siloam]

These kinds of thoughts are how the Lord drew me to Him, although it took spiritual leading of committed Christians before I accepted Christ and began my personal relationship with him.

Other methods of determining TRUTH have always been controversial. In the early church, when Christianity was beginning to spread, the relationship between the teachings of Aristotle (and his 'school' of philosophy) and the teachings of the Bible were as much of an issue as Cosmology and Evolution is today. In the early church, it was the shape of the universe that was being fought about. Aristotle taught that the universe was a series of concentric spheres. As persons who were taught the Aristotelian view became Christian, many 'fundamental' Christians thought that was heretical.

Augustine addressed this issue when he wrote:

Usually, even a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the other elements of this world, about the motion and orbit of the stars and even their size and relative positions, about the predictable eclipses of the sun and moon, the cycles of the years and the seasons, about the kinds of animals, shrubs, stones, and so forth, and this knowledge he holds to as being certain from reason and experience. Now, it is a disgraceful and dangerous thing for an infidel to hear a Christian, presumably giving the meaning of Holy Scripture, talking nonsense on these topics; and we should take all means to prevent such an embarrassing situation, in which people show up vast ignorance in a Christian and laugh it to scorn. The shame is not so much that an ignorant individual is derided, but that people outside the household of the faith think our sacred writers held such opinions, and, to the great loss of those for whose salvation we toil, the writers of our Scripture are criticized and rejected as unlearned men. If they find a Christian mistaken in a field which they themselves know well and hear him maintaining his foolish opinions about our books, how are they going to believe those books in matters concerning the resurrection of the dead, the hope of eternal life, and the kingdom of heaven, when they think their pages are full of falsehoods on facts which they themselves have learnt from experience and the light of reason? Reckless and incompetent expounders of Holy Scripture bring untold trouble and sorrow on their wiser brethren when they are caught in one of their mischievous false opinions and are taken to task by those who are not bound by the authority of our sacred books. For then, to defend their utterly foolish and obviously untrue statements, they will try to call upon Holy Scripture for proof and even recite from memory many passages which they think support their position, although they understand neither what they say nor the things about which they make assertion.
John Hammond Taylor;Augustine. St. Augustine: The Literal Meaning of Genesis: 001 (Ancient Christian Writers) (Kindle Locations 496-508). Kindle Edition. ​

And later, in that book Augustine wrote

But someone may ask: "Is not Scripture opposed to those who hold that heaven is spherical, when it says, who stretches out heaven like a skin?" Let it be opposed indeed if their statement is false. The truth is rather in what God reveals than in what groping men surmise. But if they are able to establish their doctrine with proofs that cannot be denied, we must show that this statement of Scripture about the skin is not opposed to the truth of their conclusions. If it were, it would be opposed also to Sacred Scripture itself in another passage where it says that heaven is suspended like a vault. For what can be so different and contradictory as a skin stretched out flat and the curved shape of a vault? But if it is necessary, as it surely is, to interpret these two passages so that they are shown not to be contradictory but to be reconcilable, it is also necessary that both of these passages should not contradict the theories that may be supported by true evidence, by which heaven is said to be curved on all sides in the shape of a sphere, provided only that this is proved.
John Hammond Taylor;Augustine. St. Augustine: The Literal Meaning of Genesis: 001 (Ancient Christian Writers) (Kindle Locations 708-715). Kindle Edition.
​

The interesting thing is, in the interim from Augustine (circa 400 AD), the words used in scripture to describe heaven have been examined. There is one word meaning the air (where Elija was taken to heaven in a whirlwind), another for the location of the planets, another for the location of the stars, and for various spiritual planes. One I was a young man, I had a chart which was titled "The Biblical View of the Structure of the Universe", which was a series of concentric spheres. The point is, what was considered heresy in 400 AD is now considered, at least by some, the biblical view of the Universe.

For myself, there are many things I am unsure about. I believe that the Lord reveals Himself in creation. It is illogical to hold that God teaches us about Himself through creation, but only allow His message to confirm what we already "knew".
At the same time, uncritically taking the teachings of Science at face value is also illogical, but there are many areas where one approach to the Lord's world is useful in understanding the other. Many Christians would have it only work one way (The Bible help us interpret the world) and not the other (Creation help interpret the Bible), but to me the truth of God's Creation is just as reliable as the truth of Scripture.

In the beginning (Just after the Big Bang) the universe was too dense for structure, and any photons that may have been generated were quickly absorbed making it dark, (Genesis 1:2). As the universe expanded, it passed a critical point and suddenly became transparent to light (Genesis 1:3)

 

[Lanolin]

Answers in Genesis is a good site to go to, theres also books that answer your questions. You may not agree with everything, but its thought provoking. I go by the Bible anyway.

 

[Cosmicwaffle]

1. I have read that some creationists believe that the Earth is around 6,000 years old.. how do they believe that when there is scientific proof that the earth is older than that?

2. What do Christians think about dinosaurs? I have read some things online where some Christians say that dinos didn't even exist... that really grinds my gears considering we have physical proof of them..

3. Big Bang.. yes, I said those words on this site. I read a very interesting point not long ago somewhere (I can't remember where it was.. might have even been somewhere on this site) that the Big Bang could have been God. The Big Bang was described as an intense explosion of light. Could that have been God? "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." Genesis, people. Haha. Yeah, I'm just saying.. I believe in science. Could the Big Bang have been our God saying let there be light?

1. We believe the Earth is around 6,000 years old based on God's word, the Bible. We put our faith in his word instead of the secular theories of this evil world.

2. Dinosaurs existed but many have gone extinct for various reasons, probably hunting. The Bible doesn't say much about them because why would it need to? They are just animals.

3. God spoke creation into existance in a period of 6 days, the Bible doesn't say there was a big bang.

I would ask who do you believe more, God's word or man's? Yes science reveals much of the complexities of God's creation, but many theories contridict his word because they were conceived with an unbelieving bias.

The Bible says God spoke for 6 days, man says there was a single bang

The Bible says God created all life, man says it evolved

The Bible says the world is less than 10,000 years old, man says it's more than 10,000,000 years old

Which do you believe?

 

[Fish Catcher Jim]

Exactly, the whole idea of modern science can be dumbed down into "in the beginning was nothing, and it decided to explode, and then decided to become ali

1. We believe the Earth is around 6,000 years old based on God's word, the Bible. We put our faith in his word instead of the secular theories of this evil world.

2. Dinosaurs existed but many have gone extinct for various reasons, probably hunting. The Bible doesn't say much about them because why would it need to? They are just animals.

3. God spoke creation into existance in a period of 6 days, the Bible doesn't say there was a big bang.

I would ask who do you believe more, God's word or man's? Yes science reveals much of the complexities of God's creation, but many theories contridict his word because they were conceived with an unbelieving bias.

The Bible says God spoke for 6 days, man says there was a single bang

The Bible says God created all life, man says it evolved

The Bible says the world is less than 10,000 years old, man says it's more than 10,000,000 years old

Which do you believe?

Does the bible really say this ? Many preach that the written word of God say it is only 6000 years old. Does Gen, really say this ?

 

[Klub]

Does the bible really say this ? Many preach that the written word of God say it is only 6000 years old. Does Gen, really say this ?

Nope, but through historical dating, genealogies in the bible, and evidence, we can find that the world is somewhere between 6-10,000 years old.

 

[Fish Catcher Jim]

Nope, but through historical dating, genealogies in the bible, and evidence, we can find that the world is somewhere between 6-10,000 years old.

Sure about that ? Some Christians whohave dug into this seem to believe that a lot of people mis-read Genand come upwith this 6000-10000 years.

 

[Klub]

Sure about that ? Some Christians whohave dug into this seem to believe that a lot of people mis-read Genand come upwith this 6000-10000 years.

We can debate about it, but it won't do anything. In the end, I wasn't there, you weren't there, and it does little to expand the kingdom of God. From the evidence that has been presented to me, and my biblical studies, I earnestly believe that it is within that age. If I am wrong, it wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Fish Catcher Jim]

We can debate about it, but it won't do anything. In the end, I wasn't there, you weren't there, and it does little to expand the kingdom of God. From the evidence that has been presented to me, and my biblical studies, I earnestly believe that it is within that age. If I am wrong, it wouldn't be the first time.

rofl big time..........
Brother I have no clue my self.....That is why I asked if you were sure. I just read and heard some teachings on this and somesaid the 6 to 10 and others had a different out come.
Not trying to debate this......
Bless You