Science And Religion

Question 1

Define creationism.

Answer 1

A view which only accepts that God created the universe, as laid down in the sacred text followed by the believer (book of Genesis).

Question 2

Define evidence.

Answer 2

Facts that can indicate whether something is true.

Question 3

What is scientific truth?

Answer 3

Scientists use observation, hypothesis and repeated testing to prove something is true. They are objective and are most trustworthy type of truth because of evidence support them.

Question 4

What is historical truth?

Answer 4

Use evidence from the time they are researching to discover the truth about an event or historical era. Subjective- cannot be proved in the same way as a scientific truth.

Question 5

What is religious truth?

Answer 5

It’s what believers claim to be true about the existence of God, the origin of universe and the purpose of life. The evidence involves experience, belief, trust and faith.

Question 6

Why can’t science and religion agree?

Answer 6

Scientists who are atheists can never agree with religion as they totally reject any aspect of religious belief. Religious believers argue that it is dangerous to change religious truths to fit scientific laws as it rejects teachings in the bible.

Question 7

Define absolute truth.

Answer 7

Fixed, unaltered facts. Something which is true for all times and in all cultures.

Question 8

Define authority.

Answer 8

Something or somebody accepted as having the power or right to expect obedience.

Question 9

Define evolution.

Answer 9

The process by which plants and animals developed from the earliest and most primitive life form to reach their present state.

Question 10

What was Jean Baptiste Lamarck’s evolutionary theory?

Answer 10

Organisms change to meet their needs according to their changing environment.

Organs that a life form uses most in order to survive will grow bigger and stronger.

Changes that are useful for life form’s survival are inherited by their offspring eg. Giraffes.

Question 11

What was Darwin’s evolutionary theory?

Answer 11

Organisms produce more offspring that can survive- they vary. Some variations will survive better which will produce offspring with variations that will increase in number and help the species to survive- natural selection.

Question 12

Do atheists believe the Genesis account and evolution to be compatible?

Answer 12

No as they do not believe in God.

Question 13

Do creationists believe the Genesis and evolution theory to be compatible?

Answer 13

No as it conflicts with Genesis which is the truth. States life forms were complete by day 6, one species cannot evolve into another.

Question 14

Do religious believers think the evolution and Genesis account to be compatible?

Answer 14

Yes if the account is not taken literally but as a myth. Possible evolution was god’s plan for development as both state first life began in the sea with final being humanity.

Question 15

True or false, the world has become more secular?

Answer 15

True, fewer people attend a place of worship regularly and new scientific discoveries mean that people turn less and less to religion for answers to the questions.

Question 16

What was religions roll thought to be in the 19th century?

Answer 16

It was felt religion was to fill in the gap is that science cannot explain

Question 17

What is the Buddhist view on creation?

Answer 17

Do not believe in God, creation story based on teaching of the Buddha. Little attention is given to creation.

Question 18

What is the Muslim creation account?

Answer 18

Found in Qu’ran and explained by Muhammed. Allah created the universe and the creation of the universe is ultimate proof of the existence of one creator, Allah.

Question 19

What is the Sikhism creation story?

Answer 19

God created the universe and was all that existed before creation. God planned universe and when he was ready enclosed everything needed in an egg. When time was right, the shell burst and elements to create the universe started to move out and away from the point of bursting.

Question 20

What is the Hinduism creation story?

Answer 20

No time and space, endless ocean. A giant cobra floated on the surface within its coils the god Vishnu was asleep. A humming sound (Amum) filled emptiness and silence, waking Vishnu. Light entered darkness and a lotus flower grew out of Vishnu with at the centre of Blossom was Brahman. Vishnu said it was time to start creation. Brahman divided lotus flower into three, heavens sky and Earth. On Earth, he created vegetation, life in sea, land then humans.

Question 21

Which creation stories are not compatible with Big Bang theory?

Answer 21

Sikhism as they believe nothing in science can contradict the teaching of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Question 22

Why does the Muslim creation story compatible with Big Bang?

Answer 22

Additional evidence that Allah is the creator. The Qur’an’s account does not conflict with the scientific account.

Question 23

Why is the Hinduism creation story compatible with Big Bang?

Answer 23

According to Hinduism, the universe is created and destroyed in cycles so could be how universe is created after its destruction.

Question 24

What is the Big Bang theory?

Answer 24

An explanation for the origin of the universe and development of laws of physics and chemistry. After half a million years, temperatures had cooled so hydrogen and helium could form. Another billion years stars and galaxies appeared with some stars dying before our own sun and planets were formed in Milky Way. Death of early stars provided material for life to develop on Earth.

Question 25

What is the Genesis account?

Answer 25

In the beginning darkness and God. Then light, separation of heaven and earth, land and sea. Life began in sea until development of humans. Took 6 days and on the 7th God rested and thought his creation was good.

Question 26

Where is the Genesis account of creation found?

Answer 26

Scriptures of Christians and Jews.

Question 27

What is the fundamentalist approach to the scriptures of Genesis?

Answer 27

Direct word of God, dictated to writers as if a heavenly voice. Exact, literal truth and a factual historical record.

Question 28

What is the non literal approach to Genesis?

Answer 28

Writers did not record gods word exactly but brought own personalities and writing styles to each event. Inspired by God but in the scriptures gods word interpreted so meaning is clear. Teaches a religious idea and written in a way that people of the time with limited scientific knowledge would understand.

Question 29

What is the myth approach to Genesis?

Answer 29

They see it as a myth with not scientific or historical truth in it but moral or religious. Story passed down to help people understand gods role in creation and shouldn’t be taken as a scientific account.

Question 30

What are religious believers views on Genesis and Big Bang being compatible?

Answer 30

If accepted as a myth with religious truth, it is compatible. God could have made the Big Bang happen. Scientists suggests nothing happened before the universe began- same as Genesis. Stages of creation are similar.

Question 31

What religion was Charles Darwin brought up in?

Answer 31

Christianity, he continued to accept these teachings when developing theory of evolution.

Question 32

What did Darwin believe the evolution theory would support?

Answer 32

The argument for the existence of God based on design. Show how God had a plan for the creation of the world and everything in it.

Question 33

What did Darwin become gradually convinced about?

Answer 33

God created life and laws of nature, but left details to random chance.

Question 34

When did Darwin reject the evidence for God in nature?

Answer 34

1860s causing him to doubt the bible, God etc.

Question 35

How did Darwin account for human characteristics?

Answer 35

Natural selection from other life forms and humans descended from apes. Most biologists say humans and apes are descended from a shared ancestor.

Question 36

How does evolution undermine Genesis?

Answer 36

Living things developed in small steps, could be result of chance. Demonstrated animals and plants not in final form by 6th day, if natural selection is random- rejects work of designer God, shows that things change to fit in with environment so it wasn’t shaped for their needs conflicts that God created environment for benefit of living creatures.

Question 37

What are the religious reasons for accepting Darwin?

Answer 37

Process through which Gods creation took place, shows power of God and design for development of humanity, huge and sudden jumps in evolution- unexplained changes at certain times could be God’s plan.

Question 38

What are the religious reasons for rejecting Darwin?

Answer 38

Humans were made in gods image- cannot evolved from other species.
Spiritual soul distinguishes us from animals- cannot have evolved.
Never found clear fossil evidence to link humans and apes.
Gaps in fossil records- no conclusive evidence evolution took place.
Natural selection random chance, advance to higher life form require careful selections of variations in a species- no evidence this happens.