I have recently read "The Language of God" by Francis Collins and i have read the science he trusts as real and true. Is this acceptable science or do some christians doubt it. i have summerised some of his scientific thinking below for clarification and of cource if you havent read the book you could still reply. i have written a short introduction to the topic and added some of my own thoughts after the facts.
Regards
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There is no conspiracy of scientists to cover up or protect a theory that doesnt line up with the facts. Most scientists hope to make a fundamental discovery that shakes up their field of research; they will always revisit the facts and check them to make sure nothing was missed.
The way science uses the word hypothesis is the way most people use the word theory. And the way science uses the word theory is the way most people use the phrase established fact. Therefore the theory of gravity and the theory of evolution should read as the established fact of gravity and the established fact of evolution. All scientific theories are open to revision and much has been revised as scientists have discovered more and more about the world, this doesnt change the fundamental theory of gravity or evolution but instead alters the explanation of the theory to reflect the facts more succinctly.
So what are these theories that christians and other religious organisations and individuals should accept:
There is so little doubt over these facts, it shows that the religious texts and practices are well out of line with reality. Im sure there are many more facts to be discovered in science and with these facts will come a greater understanding of ourselves, our planet and all the organisms we share the planet with.
The Genesis account of creation is therefore just poetic myth as far as I am concerned, it is an account written by ignorant stupid men (by todays standard) to explain how and why they exist. There is no scientific justification to put the Genesis story on a solid scientific footing, Answer in Genesis and the Creation Museum are just products of complete head in the sand religiosity.
ID is a sinking ship: The human eye is not ideal and has been shown that many types of eye exist in many transitional and useful phases; the flagellum motor components have been shown to be useful for toxin injection, and protein secretion by other bacteria. ID is the biggest god of the gaps that exists today, what happens to faith when it rests on such a sinking ship?
Regards
There is no conspiracy of scientists to cover up or protect a theory that doesnt line up with the facts. Most scientists hope to make a fundamental discovery that shakes up their field of research; they will always revisit the facts and check them to make sure nothing was missed.
The way science uses the word hypothesis is the way most people use the word theory. And the way science uses the word theory is the way most people use the phrase established fact. Therefore the theory of gravity and the theory of evolution should read as the established fact of gravity and the established fact of evolution. All scientific theories are open to revision and much has been revised as scientists have discovered more and more about the world, this doesnt change the fundamental theory of gravity or evolution but instead alters the explanation of the theory to reflect the facts more succinctly.
So what are these theories that christians and other religious organisations and individuals should accept:
- The universe came about in one significant event, this is demonstrated by the almost constant distribution of certain elements throughout the universe, if there were multiple events the distribution would not be so constant. Because of this physicists are in agreement that the universe began as an infinitely dense, dimensionless point of energy, which leads the physicist to a big bang theory or similar theory. This theory does not explain why the big bang happened and what existed before the big bang event.
- Our sun and other galaxies formed from the big bang event gradually, with our galaxy being formed around 5 billion years ago, some of the heavier elements formed into planets around the sun. These planets include earth, which became hospitable over a period of around 500 million years.
- Life on other planets and in other galaxies is possible.
- The earth is around 4.55 billion years old (+/- 1%), this is established by radioactive dating of rocks on earth.
- 150 million years after the earth became hospitable to life there is evidence of microbial life, these life forms probably used DNA, were self replicating, and capable of evolving into multiple different types.
- Transitional fossils exist that show the how life evolved from single cell organisms to plants, from sea creatures to land creatures, from land creatures to flying creatures.
- That an asteroid collision 65 million years ago caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
- Homo sapiens are only one branch of hominids that inhabited the earth between 195 million and 13 thousand years ago.
- That no serious biologist doubts the theory of evolution posited by Darwin. If there was a better explanation that fits the facts it would have come to light by now.
- DNA as a replicator shows the interrelatedness of humans and apes. We share a massive amount of DNA with apes, and decreasing amounts of DNA with other species the further down the evolutionary tree you climb.


