Do you find science immoral?

[ThatRobGuy]

For conservative fundamentalists,

A member of my parents church recently bought a creation science video for kids (Jr. High age) to watch. I was disgusted when I saw the brash generalizations and personal attacks against science authors.

They stated that secular scientists are working for the devil and that the evidence they find was planted by satan to cause the population to question the bible.

They used direct personal attacks on people like Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins.

Do you feel it's okay to produce a video that lies to children in efforts to make an attempt at child indoctrination?

 

[Ectezus]

I doubt you'll get responses from people who acknowledge themselves as "conservative fundamentalists".

But basically the answer is yes, personal attacks are sometimes the only thing left to do when science constantly disagrees with the views you have and there's no normal way to prove them wrong.

Yep, it's hard to be on the losing side.

- Ectezus

 

[Luminaire]

Science isn't immoral, but an awful lot of scientists are.

The problem is more and more people these days (including atheists) are now seeing "science" as a religion, and are making a lot of science ideas dogmatic. Which...is not science at all.

 

[Skaloop]

Science isn't immoral, but an awful lot of scientists are.

But you could say that about any group.

 

[bigbadwilf]

Science isn't immoral, science is amoral.

Scientists are moral, immoral, good, bad and indifferent, just like everyone else.

 

[seashale76]

Science isn't immoral, science is amoral.

Scientists are moral, immoral, good, bad and indifferent, just like everyone else.

 

[csp1073]

Science isn't immoral, but an awful lot of scientists are.

The problem is more and more people these days (including atheists) are now seeing "science" as a religion, and are making a lot of science ideas dogmatic. Which...is not science at all.

Very interesting point. Kind of like how scientists push the big bang theory as (near) proven truth.


Science is not immoral at all. There are many passages in the Old Testament where God tells his people that they should diligently seek knowledge because it is more valuable than gold.

 

[quatona]

Science, by it´s very definition, doesn´t deal with religious/"supernatural"/metaphysical claims. I guess that´s what makes it - in the eyes of some conservative theistic zealots - immoral in the first place. Science can, by definition, never help to provide evidence for the existence of a god, but it certainly can (and has done so countless times) replace "godditit" by rational explanations.
I´m not surprised it has such a bad rep with certain brands of Christianity.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

Well, I don't consider myself to be a fundie, so I am jsut throwing this in with the peanut gallery, so top speak.

I consider science to have no moral side. I suppose I could say it is amoral.

As for the vid talked about in the OP, yes. I certainly think that it is immoral to do so. If the statements are lies and/or slanderous, then it is indeed not the right thing to show the children.

But I do, as a believer in God, think that [much of] the knowledge in science is provided by God.

 

[TheBear]

Science isn't immoral, but an awful lot of scientists are.

An awful lot? How do you arrive at that conclusion? What is meant by "an awful lot of scientists"? What's the percentage? What are you basing this on? Where's the data?

I'm not saying that zero percent of scientists are immoral. But I'd hardly say that "an awful lot of scientists" are immoral.

The problem is more and more people these days (including atheists) are now seeing "science" as a religion, and are making a lot of science ideas dogmatic. Which...is not science at all.

Is that what your church is telling you? If so, get out quick! They're grossly misinforming you.

 

[white dove]

For conservative fundamentalists,

A member of my parents church recently bought a creation science video for kids (Jr. High age) to watch. I was disgusted when I saw the brash generalizations and personal attacks against science authors.

They stated that secular scientists are working for the devil and that the evidence they find was planted by satan to cause the population to question the bible.

They used direct personal attacks on people like Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins.

Do you feel it's okay to produce a video that lies to children in efforts to make an attempt at child indoctrination?

Yes, I'm against that type of indoctrination. I think for someone to outright teach children not to trust in science at all is irresponsible -- and hypocritical, unless the parents/teachers in question are Amish. If you benefit from science, you shouldn't knock it. That's just my thought.

However, I also think it's wrong to teach children that science is always the go-to source for any and everything. Findings can be proven and disproven, shown to be inaccurate or wrong... the scientific world itself is constantly evolving.


I don't think science always has to contradict Biblical principles, just as I don't think the Bible always has to bash the foundations of science. God gave us brains for a reason.


Edit: Sorry, I just read the first line. I don't consider myself a conservative fundie.

 

[quatona]

An awful lot? How do you arrive at that conclusion? What is meant by "an awful lot of scientists"? What's the percentage? What are you basing this on? Where's the data?

Well, in the context of a religious doctrine according to which everybody is a sinner "an awful lot of scientists are immoral" is a surprisingly mild verdict.

 

[Andreusz]

Science isn't immoral, but an awful lot of scientists are.

The problem is more and more people these days (including atheists) are now seeing "science" as a religion, and are making a lot of science ideas dogmatic. Which...is not science at all.

I am a scientist, and I know many scientists. I would say that on the whole they are a particularly moral bunch. Why do you see them as immoral?