I've had a pull pulls from the flask so please excuse if this doesn't make a whole lot of sense but here goes. I'm prety naive to the world of religion. I've never been to church and I've never read the bible. I actually work in science as a tech but that is sort of why I am posting this thread. I'm curious to hear from people who are religious that work in science. Do you feel obligated to choose one or the other? The balance of faith and academics is a tricky one that I seem to be hung up on in a big way. I don't think I'm an atheist but I don't know if I am religious either. Am I a whats the word agnostic? I hate feeling forced to choose one or the other. Is it possible to balance the two? How do you handle it? Scientists love to say there is no god but I always find it odd that the biggest argument that they bring to the table is when we die thats it! To me, thats not an argument thats a cop out. They never seem to explain why we are alive to begin with. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to fry in hell if I turn my back on faith and embrace the teachings of science. They say that the church is a boogie man story to keep people in line with unbending and outdated teachings but having worked with scientists, I kind of figure that science is even more ridid and unbending than the church! Its sad because the more that time passes the more I get pissy with both sides of the coin. People love to say that there is no god but that isn't what scares me. what scares me is what if there is!! hate to break it to you but if you put your life in a religious context, we're all pretty much screwed and that is more frightening than the though of god not being real! On the flip side though, its hard to believe in god or should I maybe say christianity because if you don't like the old testament, no problem we will just write a new one. It makes the whole thing look like a total hoax that gets rewritten to meet new arguments. If i've to believe its some divine text then who the hell are we to just up an re write it? In my mine, either it is or it isn't. YOu can't just write a new book that seems more appealing to the masses to win more people over. Granted I've never even read either testament so I'm totally niave on what they actually say. I'm not looking to be converted and I don't want to hear about which is right or wrong, I want to hear about how you balance both! does that make even an ounce of sense? Well I'm going to hit post now so hopefully you don't want to burn me at a stake or anything!

I agree

you sound pretty naive about religion

Nothing new about that

Most people are

The difference being

Your honest about it

The old testament Was Gods plan for his people to live by his laws
in order to go to heaven. However people were to weak to keep those laws. So he sent Christ to die on the cross So we may enter heaven

To true mirror, I don't deny it! but thats kind of the point. On the flip side, I don't really understand scientist either. The whole thing kind of freaks me out. The closest thing to religious counsil I have ever had is a friend I grew up with who has gone to church his whole life and all he ever said is through your fears you will discover what you really believe! Trouble is, both sides kind of freak me out! science just seems to suck the life out of everything and it gets to me sometimes! I just figured I would ask people who do know. I just don't really know how to phrase what it is that is nagging at me!

Honesty with yourself is the first step

You have to ask yourself

Do you want YOUR truth?

Or do you want "GOD"s truth?

Religion was a swear word in my house while I was growing up. I've spent my life bursting with questions so I finally figured what the heck. I'm finally going to ask some of them. I really did try and read the bible a long time ago but.......

Spirituality is one mans concious contact with god. Religion is a group of people with similar beliefs sharing them. Perhaps it might be wise to stop believing in the book and believe in the god it's suppose to represent?

All religions are tainted by man. History has shown many religious leaders have altered facts, and outright lied to bring forth there agenda. Seldom have they ever held true to what any of the religious beliefs they claim. Is it that far of a stretch to believe a god exists, and that no human can comprehend its thoughts or actions? Not even the brightest and wisest religous leaders? Human's make mistakes. They misinterupt things. If god choose the pope to speak through him, is it not possable that the pope also speaks through himself? Is it not possable that the pope may choose not to listen to god?

All religions agree on one thing. A higher power is in your heart first. That would probly be the best place to starting listening. As one of my friends use to say, most men have a big 10 inches. From there head to there heart.

I am both Christian AND a scientist, so let me be the one to help you balance the 2.

We humans are simple creatures who make life complex...my answer is, keep it simple. And I do this every day by keeping this one phrase in mind:

"Science is the blueprint of God's design."

There ya go. Any questions, just call.

The problem is Religion can not be explained with just a few words in a post. I have read the Bible cover to cover. And studied it and there are still things I do not understand

Part of the mysteries of God.

Interesting statement! I don't know if I'm religious or not, thats the thing. some say they are christian, some say they are atheist, me I say i'm just plain lost!

Which statement? Mine or Max's?

Yours spaceman, I like the way you look at it but I still have no idea if I believe in god or not. I guess I just can't wrap my head around the idea that one can believe in creationism but still say that evolution is valid. I guess I don't make a lick of sense but thats why I started the thread. I always felt kind of forced to choose one or the other. Like max says though, religion can't be explained in a simple chat thread.

Yes, very true...although I don't believe in the evolution that is taught in the scientific community, there are things that link science and the bible together..example:

In the Bible, we read of the great flood and Noahs Ark. In science, we know that when the Earth was created, as with any other planet, there is a lot of water vapor locked away in the atmosphere...this can explain the excessive rain. In addition, dinosaur fossils: when it rains fo rthat long, sediment, rocks, sand, and whatever sloshes back and forth across the "ocean" bottom...a great flood could cause this.

There are many others, but like Max said, it wouldl take FOREVER to explain it all....

No worries, I wasn't looking to have the whole thing explained to me. Its hard to explain the conflict I have going. I guess I have always like the idea of god in that it give peace and seems full of life. Science just always seems so cold and sterile as though they were in denial or something. I've always wanted to ask a doctor if they see themselves as healers of life or if they see themselve as naught but tissue mechanics. I liked what you said about science being the blue print. Thats sort of what I was looking for. maybe thats a cop out of my own but it makes sense in that it allows for both to exist side by side. maybe thats cheating though. who knows!

Well....good luck to ya...I'm glad I could be of help...

I will pray that you find the peace you seek

thanks max, with my job, its kind of a double edge sword if you will. I collect the data that wildife biologist use. So for them its all numbers and gps locations but for me its mountain tops, animals, sunsets and life. I guess it just makes it hard to by into the fact that there is nothing else. The feeling is to powerful but I just don't know what to believe. I figured at least once in my life I would ask people who do know because I sure as hell don't.

I'm baptised............but,I dont think that saves me.
I guess I'm lost or just confused....