Poor, Poor, Thomas: Science v.s. Faith

Disclaimer: This post is a direct copy-paste of my lecture notes from Biology class with C. Riley Nelson at BYU. So, these aren't my words. I just happen to really agree with them all.

"How many of you have sat in on a Sunday school class and the consensus at the end was,

 “Poor Thomas. He should have believed.”?

Well, I am grateful for Thomas because it shows me there might be some hope for me.

Some won't believe until they can touch and see it.

So, what did Christ say when he appeared?

"Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world."

 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

 And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

 Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.  (3 Nephi 11: 14-17)

He told his disciples: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." (Luke 24:39)

He then told the Nephites, "And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am." (3 Nephi 12: 2)

Changing topics.

I love science.

 I want to learn everything I can about how the universe works.

But there's no way I can ever comprehend it all. 

Or prove it all.

So, I love religion.

 Because I can't prove religion either, but religion is simple, and it explains the everything.

And besides, it makes me feel good. Happy. Peaceful. 

And it inspired me to value and help other people. 

So- they're both worth it.

Science is an idea held by the scientific community to be true, based on the material evidence at hand. Theories can be thrown out if a different explanation offered more explanatory power. 

Science can be self-correcting.

 Critcs and laws of science are constantly are evaluated and changed. 

Science has built within it's structure a willingness to accept change.

Honestly, faith is the same.

So, experiment upon the word.

I have, and I like it.

Can science solve all our problems?

No. Will I be happy? Will I be rich? Why am I here? Where am I going? What should I do? 

How can I make life better for the people around me whom I love?

These are questions- very important questions at that- that only religion can answer. 

They're worth answering. They're worth religion.

But- science should not be abandoned, nor ignored.
Science also has a good record of helping us. 

Think of all the lives medicine has saved.
Babies and mothers that no longer die in childbirth.
People that eat healthier.
The blessings of people who don't live in superstitions.
The diseases we have rid the earth of.
Technology to make life better for more people.

All the animals ecology and biology has saved. All the precious life science has preserved. 

Science should not be abandoned, nor ignored.

Science can also be abused. Think of the atomic bomb.
But, in my opinion, the good outweighs the evil.

My hope is that one day all these things can be rolled into one.

Science and Religion are not at odds. 

They have the same goal- to discover ultimate truth. 

They just have different starting points and different methods.

 They work together. 

Without either, our intelligence and joy would be greatly handicapped.

It makes God happy when we use both our brains and our hearts/spirits to learn.
 He gave us both.

Let it be sure:

God lives. 

Jesus Christ is His son. 

They have a plan bigger for us than our brains can comprehend right now. 

The gospel has been restored to the earth. 

Families can be together forever.

Everything else is open for discussion."

Again- these are copy-pasted notes from a lecture by C. Riley Nelson at Brigham Young University.