Simplify simplify simplify. Trusting science, right or wrong, is wrong. If science is right, it is still bringing a curse to trust science. If science is wrong, is even worse, but at least if not trusting science, no curse for that.
I'm having a difficult time finding any passages that support your science=curse statement. Perhaps it's from Genesis? Eating from the tree of knowledge? Perhaps its
Proverbs 3:5? Or maybe
2 Corinthians 5:7? If we have the ability to understand and interpret the world around us, isn't that a gift from God?
Within various theological frameworks and religious texts, including the Bible, the ability of humans to understand, interpret, and engage with the world is often attributed to God.
Several passages and narratives underscore the belief that human intellect, understanding, and capacities are endowed by the divine. Here’s a look at some Biblical passages and concepts that support this perspective:
1. Creation in God’s Image
Genesis 1:26-27: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Interpretation: Humans being made in God’s image is often understood as being endowed with capacities such as reason, morality, creativity, and the ability to relate to others and to God.
2. Wisdom and Understanding
Proverbs 2:6: "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
Interpretation: Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are seen as gifts from God and are to be sought after and valued.
3. Human Capacity for Knowledge
James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
Interpretation: God is portrayed as a generous giver of wisdom to those who seek it.
4. Intellectual and Artistic Abilities
Exodus 31:3-5: "And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts."
Interpretation: God is described as endowing individuals with various intellectual and artistic abilities, here specifically in the context of building the Tabernacle.
5. Language and Communication
Acts 2:4-6: "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken."
Interpretation: God is seen as enabling communication and understanding, even across linguistic barriers.
The Bible shares that God gives people the ability to think, learn, and understand the world. Some people who believe in God also think that learning about our world, including through science, is a special way to explore and appreciate God’s creation. So, it's like using the thinking abilities, which they believe God gave them, to explore and celebrate the world God made. There's a variety of thoughts on how science and faith fit together, but lots of folks find ways to embrace both.
Here is an example of universal understanding of a scientific concept that I don't think brings a curse:
The Bible doesn't talk about germs and bacteria since these concepts were developed long after the texts were written. However, it does include various laws and practices related to cleanliness, isolating the sick, and handling waste that align with what we now understand about preventing the spread of diseases.
For instance, in the Old Testament:
- Leviticus 13:45-46: "Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp."
- Deuteronomy 23:12-13: "Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement."
Though these practices were largely based on ritual purity and societal norms of the time, from a modern perspective, they can be seen as aligning with principles of hygiene and disease prevention. In contemporary times, understanding bacteria, viruses, and the importance of hygiene is fundamental and widely accepted due to the scientific knowledge we have today. Such understanding helps in maintaining health and preventing disease, not bringing any form of curse but rather contributing to societal well-being.
