Fallacies of Science (Shepherd’s Echo)

The intersection of faith and true science is beautiful as it seeks to put “hows,” and maybe “whys” to the wonders and mysteries of God. 

In the past, true science, faithful science sought to align the ways of God with the logic of the mind. And science was “a legitimate area of study oriented to a particular object, and possessing appropriate methods of investigation.” “Appropriate methods of investigation” refers to consistent legitimate methodological procedures.

When science goes astray from those procedures (and I might add values), it errs. When emotions come into play, it errs. When subjective biases are interjected, it errs.  When numbers are carelessly asserted, it errs. When established protocols are compromised, it errs. Rather than peeking behind the curtain in order to understand, to explain the astonishments of God, it seems the thrust of modern science has been to remove the Sovereign hand altogether from the order of Creation. 

For science, the struggle in the early days was to “figure out what God had hidden under the walnut shells” –to explain from a natural perspective what in the world, what in His world, He had done. It was beautiful to identify that which we could in the macro world, and in the micro world. To understand molecular science, chemistry, geology, the Body beautiful (biology), and the cosmological expanse. And God gave us greater abilities and understanding along the way.

Yet, I wish the posture of today’s scientists was a little more humble. It used to be that a hypothesis, or a theory was proposed, and then explained… with some element of humility. Today, it feels like that scientific, and at times the academic, and philosophical communities are in cahoots to scientifically deny the existence of God, and to position themselves as enlightened intellectual enemies of Christ. 

It’s not that I do not believe in science, it’s that I do not believe in all that is promoted to be science. After all, science was originally that discipline that sought to explain the wonders of God. But, somewhere along the way it became distorted with theories promoted as absolute truth… what is termed “Hard Science.”

Rather than allowing a theory to advance upon researched, repeatable merits and exchange, the “other side” is demeaned, dismissed as “conspiracy theorists” if we question these “facts.” To disagree with the majority is to deny what is termed as “hard science”; but hard science has had some soft spots; has it not?

Once upon a time, Flat Earth was hard science.
Once upon a time, it was asserted that the Sun revolved around the Earth (geocentrism).
Once upon a time, leeches were used to cleanse our bodies from the curses of sickness.
Once upon a time, “bloodletting” was thought to cure disease. 
Numerous “medications” have been endorsed only to discover later their detrimental effects. 
Once upon a time, it was posited that maggots spontaneously generated from meat, which in turn produced flies. 
And, many other fallacies of scientific truth have been arrogantly promoted with seldom any contrition for an errant claim. 

Yes, a little more humility would be great in regards to present-day claims. 

Evolution was once presented as theory… Now the arrogance of the scientific realm has stated that theory as fact. Add to that the ridicule of evolutionists toward any that disagree with that viewpoint and, it is clear that truth is no longer the pure objective of the scientific community.

Is global warming true… well, it seems like that has occurred cyclically over time, so yes, climate change does happen. Are humans going to be the cause of warming Armageddon? I don’t think so… At least, I wouldn’t bet the farm.

Presently, the scientific narrative would go something like this… after an infinity of nothingness, something happened. That something was an incredible release of energy from somewhere which produced previously non-existent matter flying in all directions. After a time, a ball of (previously non-existent) energy-matter congealed and floated around a fireball, and developed goo on it… That goo spontaneously generated into life forms, which evolved into greater life forms, more complicated life forms (opposing the Second Law of Thermodynamics), which evolved into complex ambulating life forms, which became binary (reproducing) humanoids, hominids. This greatest of theories, of course, is non-reproducible in the lab, but the evolutionary society seems content to give this mandate of experimentation a pass. And those which insist otherwise are relegated as ignorant, and resistant to the “reality” of hard science. 

Scientists do not always get things right. Theories are theories, working guesses, operational hypotheses in order to eventually map out truth. On one hand we can give grace when they do not get it right. And, we can applaud them when they strike gold. But, a little humility may better serve their integrity, and, moving forward, go a long way to foster greater trust from the “non-scientific” classes who still embrace the Divine hand of God. 

The whole earth is filled with His Glory–Oh! That we would see it, and recognize it!

O LORD, how many are Your works! 
In wisdom You have made them all; 
The earth is full of Your possessions (Psalm 104:24).

[The Shepherd’s Echo is a previously published TheShepherdsPen]