Re: Science and religion - who needs either?

Leo Thomas Walsh (ai653@KSU.KSU.EDU)
Fri, 21 Oct 1994 11:01:55 -0500

On Fri, 21 Oct 1994, Steve Mizrach wrote:

> >I challenge anyone to name a
> >(surviving) religion that emphasises finding new religious truths through
> >exploration of other religions.
>
> Ummm... Jainism?


>From what I have read, Jainas strive for thruth through certain physical
practices, like fasting and meditation, and by following the teachings of
the Mahashivas (sp?). As far as I can determine, the don't regularly
search out new religions and their doctrines. Until a new Mahashiva
comes along, they follow the teachings of the previous ones.
I am not a Jain and don't even know one. If I am off base, would someone
let me know?

> > People have been dropping things since we
> >first had people, and as far as I know, none of those things has fallen up.
> >I can put my faith in that.
>
> Hmmm, there are reports of things (including people) falling up - in
> religious literature this is often called "levitation" or "ascension,"
> although there have been cases in modern times.
>
> Of course, scientists say this can't happen. It's not that there are no
> reports of things falling up. It's that scientists don't accept the reports
> of things falling up, because things falling up can't happen.
>
> Why can't falling up happen? Because scientists say nobody has ever seen
> anything falling up. Reductio ad absurdum.
>
> The only thing I put my faith in is that scientists are occasionally wrong.

This is where science and religion differ. A scientist can be wrong but
a priest is a heretic. In a religion, the truth is the truth and it
changes about as fast as culture changes (although I am sure there are
exceptions to that, there always are). As far as levitation goes, to a
religious devotee, it might be part of their doctrine. Whether the
person actually levitated or not is insignificant. If Mary didn't ascend
into heaven body and soul, then what would that do to a Catholics faith?
It would probably destroy it. That is why religions don`t seek to
falsify their beleifs. If gravity really doesn't exist, science will
have more fun with the new reason for objects falling. Some might give
up science in the face of such a dramatic discovery, but most wouldn't.

>
> To quote one of my favorite authors, Charles Fort, "I close the front door
> on Christ and Einstein, and open the back door to frogs and periwinkles."
>
> > Leo T. Walsh (ai653@ksu.ksu.edu)
>
> Yours,
>
>
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Leo T. Walsh (ai653@ksu.ksu.edu)