Howdy Folks!

I just read something in another thread that triggered something that I've been wondering about since I got into astronomy. How does one "balance" ones religous beliefs with scientific fact?


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We as astronomers are on a search for answers about the cosmos (well, many of us at least). Answers we are trying to seek include; where do we come from? Where are we going? How did the universe begin? How and when will it end? Are we alone out here? What is the "nature" of the universe (i.e. what is it made of)? Most, if not all, of these and other questions are driven by simple human curiousity of course...some sort of build in "need to know". It's also seems to me to be a conclusion that if we are asking these questions, then we do not take the answers that religion has given us as "fact"...or at the very least consider those answers open to interpretation. How does one balance what one "believes" with what one "knows"?

As for myself, I believe the universe is infinate...I think it goes on "forever" as we understand the term in our limited capabilitys. With this, I do also believe in the existance of "deity" but for me I feel it exists on some other level of reality or concousness (if that makes sense). I know there is more to existance than what we are able to percieve and that there must be other levels of consousness, plains of existance, dimensions...call it what you will, but I really believe that there more then meets the eye and that there is "something" out there that defys definition (at least for the moment) that is still a very real part of our lives and our existance in this thing we know as "reality".

Guess it's just a good night for considering philosophy . I'm curious what other peoples thoughts are on this subject.

Bright Blessings & Gentle Breezes to All!
Jim

Huh, since when did Fraser allow people to discuss religion?

I doubt he didn't, but let's add own spoon in the soup:
I am protestant,

religious content removed

Delete if ya wish, that was my view of "religion"

Note from moderator: this was a fairly benign post, but was structured to open discussion on religion, and so was removed.

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High school kills me... though I got A- from physics exam.. But native language sucks: C-.... I've been wondering lately that why I suck so much in native language, but understand germanic languages so well? Ah well, KeiZka signs off.

Littlemews, you are right, there has been no rule changes as far as i can tell....religion is a no no

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Damien,
International Baccalaureate Physics teacher
Optics, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Instrumentation Major
Admin: Pacific Science and Art

He doesn't. Please see The Rules.

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Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein