Science, atheists and faith (1)

A Catholic priest or layman will accept any scientific discovery or any rational statement or argument so long as science or reason does not contradict his religious beliefs. If science or reason is at variance with his beliefs, then the same priest or layman rejects science or reason and he goes on to disparage any scientist or scholar who dares to question his religious beliefs.

From the very first step in his studies, the Catholic believer is taught to distrust the evidence of his senses, to subdue his reason and to rely blindly on the authority of the Church.

Catholic priests and laymen would praise Stephen Hawking to high heaven had he expounded the divine origin of the universe. Prof. Hawking, in fact, denies that the universe was created by God. Catholics, therefore, conveniently ignore him and even disparage him.

While the Church acknowledges that scientists lead the way in scientific discovery it likes to flatter itself by claiming to have answers to questions that lie beyond the realm of science. As Richard Dawkins writes in The God Delusion, “I would prefer to say that if indeed some answers lie beyond the realm of science, they most certainly lie beyond the province of theologians as well... What expertise can theologians bring to deep cosmological questions that scientists cannot?”

Mr Dawkins relates a meeting he had with James Watson, one of the discoverers of DNA. Mr Dawkins asked Mr Watson whether he knew many religious scientists today. Mr Watson replied: “Virtually none. Occasionally I meet them, and I’m a bit embarrassed because, you know, I can’t believe anyone accepts truth by revelation.”