Nothing good on TV ? Watch this instead. A classic debate on science and religion, but about as moderate as it's possible to get. Choice highlights (somewhat paraphrased) :
The greatest atrocities of the 20th century occurred in societies which had officially abolished religion... what we see is a tendency of any fundamentalism towards evil.
The people shouting against dogmatism are themselves the most dogmatic... when you set up
an ideology as the enemy, the danger is you become your enemy. In the name of freedom, you set up prison camps in Guantanamo.
Religion is dangerous... science is dangerous. Anything that is powerful has the power to do great evil.
Physics figures out the laws of nature, not where they come from.
The faith in science is based on evidence; the faith in religion is based on a complete lack of evidence.
When it comes to my religion, I can't let my experience define your lives. What I hear [from the other panel members] is a description of religion that you guys have rejected that I would reject as well. And if that's what you think religion is, then by all means, get rid of it.
The problem isn't religion, it's ignorance...
... but if you educate a thug, you have an educated thug.
Christians have almost a religious duty to support the scientific enterprise.
There's only one dogma in science, and that is that it has no dogma. Religious education should be conducted in the same way.
It doesn't matter what your religious beliefs are; the Big Bang happened. The Universe is the way it is, I don't care what you believe about it... or what you need to feel comfortable and safe, and I won't dismiss anyone's need to believe in God if it makes them better... they have to interpret the world on the basis that this happened and use it make the world a better place.
Originally shared by Jenny Winder
Science Faith and Religion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o8xxIhMbnA
Some of the greatest atrocities has been carried out by people, communists, who banned religion in their on way of governance. They banned religion not because they themselves not believed in god or being atheists. They banned religion, because they understood the real meaning of the church: power over the masses. And they simply did not want to share power with anybody. Simply as that.
ReplyDeleteHaven't had time to watch it, but anything with Guy Consolmagno in tends towards the sane end of the spectrum (not necessarily because of him per se, but he's become the go-to person for media types who want a sane and informed religious viewpoint on science).
ReplyDeleteIndeed, he seems like a level-headed chap, as do the others (except for Lawrence Krauss' weird idea that the whole debate was pointless; several times I though he was going to leave).
ReplyDeleteThe first 15-20 minutes are just preamble and can be skipped with no ill effects.