Christeen
actually, I meant Louis XIV, that built Versailles
and persecuted the Huguenots.
Not Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
sorry,
denise

Dear Maximus,

What I think any good teacher (and I don't think of myself as good - only extremely popular ) should do is to show how everyone in history has their own particular axe to grind - and lay bare how they grind it.

The Catholic Church never forbade the use of the compass. Perhaps it wanted to manufacture one that pointed west rather than north .

The Church was never even against Galileo's views as such. Galileo himself could not prove scientifically his claims about the universe. The instruments and proof came after him.

Yet, there were many in the Church centuries before who believed what he had "discovered." Roger Bacon et al. foretold the coming of "flying machines" carrying people through the air i.e. airplanes and helicopters.

In attacking religion, science went too far in decrying everything that could not be quantitatively and empirically verified - which is sheer nonsense.

And I think that today more and more people are against so much of modern medicine and all the chemical dangers that science has introduced into our culture in response to "pill popping" cures to our diseases, often created by our dependence on artificially sweetened products etc.

Religious inspiration can be prophetic and can act to critically assess science's contributions to our way of life today.

If science resists that, and there is every indication it will, then how far as science become what it opposed so vigorously as being "repressive" and undemocratic?

Alex

Pretty funny Alex with the comment about the compass.

+++

One could argue that religion is not needed for moral shaping of society. That secular moral philosophers out of acidamia could be the harbingers in this force-moral parity. Taking the position that is, that all religions are man made and none are revelations from God -- a position that would certainly be taken by the secular. And a position in which Christianity could not defeat, only reach, to appeal to emotions.

Justin

Dear Justin,

Yes, secular philosophers would definitely say that!

But they have failed to influence any society to any degree, including the society built on the principles of the French Revolution that established the "Feast of the Supreme Being" in June while banning all forms of Christianity.

Physicians found a quarter-shaped piece of membrane that is in our brain.

They actually tested to see what it does in the brain. By stroking it, they found that they could induce visions of heaven and hell, angels and demons in a person.

And everyone has this item in their brain.

I'm going to find out more about it. But it does show how science is finally beginning to see how we are definitely built for something more than mere good moral behaviour toward one another.

Religion may appeal to the emotions and all good religious experience does that.

But it is very definitely something more.

The cold, rational theories of the philosophers just have no appeal to anyone outside the academic circle.

Even Stuart says he is humbled by the light of the Spirit he saw shining from the new priest whose ordination he attended.

Even Stuart has come to realize the erudition isn't all there is . . .

Good for him. He is obviously someone who is in the love of God and under His guidance.

As are you, Big Guy!

Alex

Dear Alex,

Your comments about the and scientists reminded me of a quote attibuted to Robert Jastrow, author of God and the Astronomers (Warner Books, 1980).

He is quoted as saying this:

"The scientist has scaled the mountains of ingorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak, as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries." (p. 106)

It's an interesting thought that suggests that all knowledge begins and ends in God.

It's one of my favorite quotes.

Steve

Except if the Philopsopher was someone like Simone Weil (someone I would definitely loved to have sat at the feet of!)

Before one goes off on the Christian equivalent of a jihad against anybody, I would like to quote his Supreme Holiness Pius XII who said that there can be NO conflict between true theology and true science.

There is a clear co-relation between the two. It's only the loonies in each group who cause the problems.

Blessings!

Dear Dr. John,

You're right on target, as usual!

Steve

Dear Taoseach Brian,

Simone wasn't cold . . .

Alex

Dear Dr. John,

For a self-professed theological liberal, you sure quote Pope Pius XII a heck of a lot!

I won't hold that against you, however . . .

There may not be a conflict between science and religion, but there has been quite the tug of war . . .

Pope Pius XII once told biblical Catholic scholars that they could dabble in evolutionary theory all they wanted - as long as they confessed that we all are descended from the same set of two parents.

I don't know if scientists would agree, although I did read of the studies of one group who say they can now "prove" Adam and Eve truly existed and that we all bear their DNA etc.!

So there really is quite a struggle going on between science and religion.

All I'm saying is that science is now losing the struggle as more people no longer seem to trust the "brave new world" scientists are telling us is coming along - so keep the research funds flowing.

I think I'm starting to speak like you, Doctor . . .

Blessings y'all!!

Alex

Has anyone read the news that down here in Cobb County, Georgia, the school board is putting a sticker in the front of the schools science books regarding evolution. I wish I had the exact wording here in front of me, but the ghist of it is that teachers can discuss evolution along with disputed views on the origins of man. The disputed views referring to creationism. So the literalists are thrilled and the evolutionists are mad. Both sides have their scientists supporting their view.

Is this in the news anywhere else? An article in the paper the other day listed what the various schools in the Cobb area are teaching -- that is private schools.
The protestant/christian schools that are mentioned said they are teaching creationism is correct.
We have a Catholic high school and their position is there is no conflict between evolution and creationism. "God created evolution"
Heck, years ago in Catholic elementary school we were taught about evolutionary theory! When I tell my non-Catholics friends that I can see the raised eyebrows... "Oh..."
denise

Dear Denise,

Thank you for showing further evidence to Dr. John's contention that there is no conflict between science and religion . . .

Perhaps they can play "tug of war" in the schoolyard during recess?

Alex

Well Denise, my school is a private Christian school down here in Carrollton (an hour west of Atlanta). We play many other smaller private schools in Cobb County. Our chief opponents from your area include North Cobb Christian, Dominion Christian, and New Atlanta Jewish Community School (obviously not Christian).

I read an article in the AJC a few weeks back about two scientific men from Atlanta. One was adamantly opposed to the teachings of creationism in public schools, and the other was strongly in favor of creationism being presented.

ChristTeen

Hi ChristTeen
what does your school teach?
is there talk out in Carrolton about what is going on in Cobb, or is the AJC just hyping up the
story? Ya ever notice how Cobb county is always doing something and getting into the paper?

I read the same article, scientists on both sides.
denise

Denise,

Well in Ancient Civ (which I had last year in 9th grade) evolution was taught, but it was stated beforehand that this was just "one point of view". In Bible class, creationism is taught as history, as is everything else in the Bible. Naturally, extreme west Georgia is overwhelmingly (Baptist) Protestant, and "the Bible" comprises of 66 books (minus the deuterocanons) obviously. Last year I asked my Bible teacher why our school teaches there are 66 books in the Bible (my school is neither Catholic nor Protestant) when the majority of Christians accept 73 scriptural books. Her basic response ws, "Well because the book that we use (Kerygma) teaches there are 66 books." I should have then asked why we use this particular book, but I had a hunch I wouldn't get a more intelligent answer anyways, so I just let it lie.

No, stuff that happens in the greater Atlanta area really doesn't affect us our here. I wouldn't have it any other way

ChristTeen287