Religious Beliefs Can’t Disprove Scientific Explanations

(a response to Scientific Explanations Can’t Disprove Religious Beliefs, a post by Carrisa)

I first would like to say that I agree with what Carissa argues in her post. She states that “Science and religion are separate entities, science dealing--by definition--with the physical world, and religion (and philosophy) dealing with the metaphysical.” In making this distinction one must realize that by definition, science will never be able grasp religion in its entirety.

The focus of Carissa’s post is on the limits of science in religion. She also briefly touches on the limits of religion in science, but I would like to develop this side of the argument in more detail.

In order to interpret scientific data, one must leave all religious ideas at the door. Science deals with the physical world and our observations of it, not how we think we ought to see it. There are many examples where people interpret scientific results so that they agree with their own religious beliefs (big bang, evolution, etc.). People have every right to do as they wish, but interpreting science to fit within a religious belief system changes the science itself to the extent that it is no longer science. I would argue that when individuals take the liberty of doing such an act, they in essence are changing science so that it no longer accurately depicts the physical world.

This is not an argument against Carrisa’s post, merely an addition. I do not believe this contradicts what she has previously stated, and it is not meant to. I am a religious person, but I make an effort do draw a distinct line between my religious beliefs and science.