Articles
Follow the Science ... If You Can
Perhaps one positive that has come from the global battle with Covid is a healthy skepticism for “science.” The most basic definition of science is “(1) the state of knowing : knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding” (Webster’s Online). But the definition goes deeper: “(2a) a department of systematized knowledge as an object of study … (3a) knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws especially as obtained and tested through scientific method; (3b) such knowledge or such a system of knowledge concerned with the physical world and its phenomena : natural science” (ibid).
I doubt any of us is opposed to science per se. Perhaps more than most, Christians are intently interested in knowledge – the truth about the world God made, how it is constructed and operates, what elements are dangerous and how that danger can be managed or overcome. Christians are not anti-science; in fact, the existence of modern science and our basic understanding of the cosmos can be directly traced to scientists who believed in God. Stephen Meyer observes: “Seventeenth-century German astronomer Johannes Kepler, for example, believed that science was only possible because God made the world to be ‘intelligible’ to the human mind. In his view, the same God who designed the world in a rational and orderly way also gave human beings rationality so they could understand the world He made. Thus, Kepler described scientists has having the high calling of ‘thinking God’s thoughts after Him.’
“Many early scientists were not only inspired to do science because they believed in God; they also thought that the natural world revealed the attributes and reality of God. The English naturalist John Ray, a founder of modern biology, wrote a book called The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation, in which he affirmed that the power and wisdom of God could be understood ‘from the things that are made,’ as the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:20. Sir Isaac Newton argued that the delicate balance of forces at work in our solar system revealed ‘an intelligent and powerful Being’” (Scientific Discoveries Reveal the Mind of God Behind the Universe, 4/1/21).
Meyer next asks the question that gets to the heart of the issue: “So how did we get from these great founders of modern science – with their conviction that science reveals the handiwork of God – to the modern New Atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Victor Stenger who think that science properly understood renders belief in God untenable?” (ibid).
In modern times “science” is marketed with crafted messaging that must be challenged:
1. Science disproves the existence of God. As Meyer notes, the overarching assertion by the broader scientific community is that science explains all modern phenomena without the need for God. Sometimes this is overtly stated, but more often it is a subtle subtext of curriculum, museums, documentaries and general media. If nothing else, there is certainly no mention whatever in popular literature that divine design has anything to do with natural laws or events. Science asserts that God has no place in its investigations, but this is just a smokescreen. There are questions of origin and glaring inconsistencies that science won’t go near even though their own discoveries beg for further investigation. Thus atheistic bias densely permeates the modern scientific establishment.
2. All scientists speak with one voice. This is ludicrous on its face, but statements like “follow the science” tacitly assert that science is monolithic. I wonder if these people ever read scientific literature. Even in layman articles – website news, magazines, etc. – headlines frequently declare “Recent discoveries invalidate previous scientific theories,” or “New research challenges everything we thought we knew about ___________.” The practice of “peer reviewed” articles or journals is based on the human factor of the scientific process; i.e., even scientists occasionally do shoddy work and draw unsupportable conclusions. The truth is, science is inexact by its very nature. Knowledge progresses by observing, testing, additional investigation, the advancement of better hypotheses, etc. The assumption that all scientists agree on everything is patently false. If true, why would anyone get a second opinion on a medical diagnosis?!
3. Scientists are merely unbiased observers. Scientists are humans; they are concerned with professional status, increased income, job security, peer approval, publicity, etc. While we may imagine a scientist at work being unbiased – an entomologist studying a fly in the lab or a paleontologist digging up a bone – he/she is merely the product of their worldview, training, professional environment, etc. – all of which affects their observations and conclusions. Further, they know that grants, publishing, promotions, tenure, etc. are riding on the conclusions of their research. No human endeavor is immune from bias and selfish motivations. The myth of scientific, “only the facts” objectivity is promoted by a profession in pursuit of unchallenged influence.
So, what has Covid taught us about science?
* That science can be used for political purposes and can be manipulated to control people.
* That scientific statements and statistics mislead by what they don’t say.
* That leading scientific authorities are often contradictory (i.e., the CDC vs. WHO).
* That we are still woefully ignorant in spite of our great advancements in medical knowledge.
The first sentence of this article mentioned a “healthy skepticism” of science. I am not advocating an anti-science bias that rejects well-based conclusions, but we should be aware of the powerful atheistic presupposition that underlies the entire field and the pressure this brings to bear upon believers. We must also be aware of the inherent inexactness of scientific research and observations and not be intimidated when anti-Scriptural conclusions are drawn. We must learn to do our own research and thinking and not be cowed by the “experts.” Immersion in God’s word is the best antidote against atheistic declarations of modern science.
