Many of my fellow Christians are constantly railing against Darwinism and Science in general as if they are tools of the Devil meant to discredit the whole idea of a loving Creator. Likewise; many scientists and professional persons look upon religion and faith as being things which are as outdated and archaic as stone knives and the bow-and-arrow.
It is my belief that both of these viewpoints are incorrect. Science is not the enemy of God, but a gift given to us by our Creator by which we can make better lives for ourselves and discover the many wondrous mysteries of our glorious Universe. How can we profess to seek God if we do not use all the tools at our disposal, both physical and spiritual? While it is true that no mortal intellect is capable of completely understanding the nature of our Heavenly Father and his Creation (for we are like the proverbial blind men trying to understand the elephant by touching only a small part of its body), science can be a definite aid to help us appreciate the miraculous complexity of our physical world.
Why do religious people balk at the idea that the world took millions of years to create? For if we consider that when God inspired Moses to pen the book of Genesis, He was trying to explain the intricate process of Creation to a bronze-age shepherd who had no language or concept of microbiology, genetics, or the millions of years required to establish a stable geology on a planetary body, it is obvious why the Creation story is as simple as it is. Why do Christians have such a problem with the human body being the result of millions of years of evolution, guided by the Hand of the Divine, rather than being hastily slapped together from mud? Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together sayeth the Lord:”. I do not believe that our Heavenly Father created us with intellect because he wanted us to swallow mindless dogma and not to ask questions. I believe that He gave us science and curiosity because He wants us to prove Him out, and not only love and worship Him with our emotions and heart, but with our intellect as well.
By the same token, the Atheist argument makes no sense at all. If one uses Science to examine the complexities of life on Earth and the mathematical improbability of all the necessary conditions occurring for life to evolve by happenstance; a reasonable and intelligent individual can only come to the conclusion that there was a guiding force behind the whole process. Our DNA provides only the crudest set of instructions and yet, somehow a few cells miraculously turn into a sentient, human being. Anyone who has ever held their newborn child in their arms cannot deny that their infant is a miracle and a gift from a loving Creator. Science has also proven that human consciousness has a direct effect on sub-atomic particles, and has proven out the power of prayer and shared meditation.
As our scientific knowledge increases, it increasingly proves the wisdom imparted to us by the Scriptures, and the whole Big Bang theory supports the belief that God spoke and the Universe simply exploded into being from nothingness.
For me, there is no discrepancy between being a man of Science and a follower and disciple of Christ. While God cannot dwell within a hard heart, Truth cannot exist within a closed mind. Let us therefore; strive to learn the truth of our Universe and embrace Reason as well as Faith, and in so doing draw ever closer to a more perfect understanding of our Heavenly Father.