Whenever science and religion clash, we expect the internet to explode into bouts of fiery anger and vitriolic name-calling. While these reactions are not unexpected, they are counterproductive in that they press the debate until it is not a debate at all. Ire and finger-pointing accomplish nothing but collectively raising our blood pressure.
I have written much on the concept of science and how it relates to religion. To be sure, the two are entirely different concepts. Comparing religion and science isn’t like examining the differences between a Volkswagen and a Rolls Royce. It is more like discussing the virtues of a Ferrari versus a pogo stick.
Both can be fun in different ways and may even get you from place to place with the right technique, yet they were created to fulfill different purposes.
Religion is about exploring our world by looking within ourselves and evaluating our spirituality, while science is about learning our world through observation and making educated guesses to answer questions. The two battle constantly on the internet, but if we allow them to thrive together, they can better shape the world we knew.
Nature is another name for science. These subjects are too broad to discuss with any purpose. So it is with religion, yet we still try.
In the age of the coronavirus, climate change, and all their implications, the debate has grown darker. In asking why we are afflicted with these dire circumstances, we have turned to blame. As humans, we always tend to ask why and to look for handy explanations, even when there may be none, or worse, when much of our condition is dependent upon our own choices. It takes humility and bravery to accept fault and commit to change, but these actions are necessary if we wish to combat either issue.
Some religious leaders have taken the all-too-common approach of blaming God for the travails of mankind, saying that climate change and COVID-19 are God’s punishment for gays, abortion, and banning school-sanctioned prayer.
Controversial as it may seem, I view God as a being of love, rather than of wrath. We must each face judgement at our own time. In the Bible we learn that God has promised us not to condemn mankind for the sins of the few again. He has sent floods, plagues, and locusts, but I do not believe God to be a hateful figure. Rather than causing all this anguish as punishment for some wrongdoing, he allows such catastrophes to take place to test us. How are we going to react to worldwide disasters? Will we put aside our differences and band together in love to solve our issues, or will we blame the other guy (or God) and sling hate wherever the internet will allow?
Our response to the novel coronavirus has been largely positive in my view. Disparate religions have joined hands in prayer and fasting. Despite all the news of hoarding and selfishness, charitable contributions of food and supplies have inspired. Worldwide, we are proving that science and religion are not at war on this issue. Doctors and scientists work around the clock to educate us on safety, while religion is handling our spiritual response.
Why can’t the issue of climate change enjoy a similar reaction? The politics of the whole affair have gotten too ugly and views far too entrenched to trace any kind of measureable progress. A large segment of the population denies that it is even an issue, or that God is causing it all in his anger.
The mechanics explaining global climate change are many. The only role God plays is that His beautiful creation is not immune to our destructive habits. In the Bible, God exhorts us to be good stewards over the earth. We are to take care of the home God has created for us. Today, that caretaking needs to extend to cutting and limiting our greenhouse gas emissions because this climate change is affecting many creatures. Biologists say that we are now in the clutches of a sixth mass extinction event.
God didn’t wave his hand and make all this happen, and certainly not as punishment for harboring different opinions. This is a test. It is only a test. We can pass or we can fail, but be warned: Failure can prove life-altering and even fatal.
Because of both science and religion, we have guidance on how to pass these tests. In these tests, unlike those horrible fill-in-the-bubble-with-a-number-two-pencil-or-else exams, eyeing the answers of a classmate is encouraged. This test is open-book and research on demand.
I fervently hope that we can pass these tests without trying to explain it all by the will of God. God doesn’t like to be blamed for the ills of the world any more than our common man, so let us work together and listen to scientists to solve the many trials we face as a species. We are a team and God is rooting for us.
-image courtesy of Bible500.org