Religion Debate (Essay Sample)

Religion Debate
Name
Institution
Science and Christianity
1 Yes it is possible to believe in both science and Christianity.
* There is specific sequence of creation events.
* Moses provided the sequence of creation that is starting with the light and ending with human beings (Wallace, 2013). 
* According to the ancient Hebrew the sequence provided by Moses was important out of 87,000,000,000 possible sequences so God must have been there to help him give the sequence. Science did not have the actual sequence until 100 years ago (Smart, 2015). 
* According to the sequential analysis of Genesis 1 and science the scientific evidence and Genesis references they seem to be in nearly perfect harmony with each other (Houtman&Aupers, 2007).
* There is agreement in some aspects.
* In case of a "soul" it is something that science cannot study or detect so scientists cannot have opinion on it but the bible contains the fact that God installed it in Adam.
* The evolution theory which states the reason why children look like their parents is a scientific study that all Christians can agree with.
* Christians accept some scientific discoveries and rejoice as they see them as God’s doings (Wallace, 2009).
* Science is basically a product of Christians world view.
* Most modern science founders were not only scientists but Christians who wanted to ensure that we live in an orderly world.
* Scientist only assumes factors which are explained by Christianity such as the world is orderly, this orderly word can be known and there is motive to discover the order(Smart, 2015).
* Popular scientist had a belief in Christianity for example, Boyle who explained the differences between compounds and elements was basically a lay preacher, and Faraday who discovered electromagnetic force once read from the bible in a sermon and said his words could add nothing to God’s (Houtman&Aupers, 2007).
2 No, it is not possible to believe in science and Christianity.
* Methods of acquiring and evaluating issues are different between the two.
* Sources of information in Christianity are Bible and Holy Spirit but in science sources are natural universe and events.
* Validation of information is through biblical principles and personal experience but in science it is through empirical tests (Houtman&Aupers, 2007).
* Language used in Christianity research is qualitative and subjective but in science it is quantitative and objective (Wallace, 2013)
* Science and Christianity address different sort of questions.
* Christianity is concerned with morality while science emphasizes on knowledge about the universe and its behavior.
* Christianity answers the question who and theologically why but science answers the question how and immediate why.
* Christianity answers the questions about supernatural world but science addresses questions about the natural world.
* Christians do not agree on some scientific inventions and issues.
* Most Christians are against test-tube babies as it alters with God’s creation (Downing, 2001).
* Some Christian denominations like the Roman Catholic do not agree with family planning issues which are scientific inventions.
* Blood transfusion is another issue which conflicts with some Christian like the Jehovah’s witnesses.)
Science and Buddhism
1 Yes Buddhism is compatible with science.
* It encourages investigations of the nature
* Dhammavicaya which can be translated into analysis of qualities implies discernment in order to deliver one from ignorance and craving(Smart, 2015).
* Pāli canon preserves collection of scriptures and study works done by various scholars about nature.
* The match between science and Buddhism is supported by canonical teachings such as "Kalama sutra”.
* Buddhism is empirical oriented rather than theoretical
* It accepts results of scientific research.
* Information must be gained from research rather than sacred scriptures and texts (Downing, 2001)
* Leadership in Buddhism is validated by experience rather than hierarchical or scripture authority.
* Buddhism is less of a religion but a way of looking at the world.
* There are no creator deities in Buddhism
* Buddha described himself as being not a god and should not be treated as such (Baer, 2003)
* There is no holy writ in Buddhism.
2 No, Buddhism is not compatible with science.
* Buddhism is not compatible with science because it involves daily devotions to the religious issues.
* Believers of Buddhism observe its rituals on daily basis.
* Members of Buddhism religion believe in amulets and some other special charms (Harvey, 2012).
* Buddhism ascertains the existence of divine beings such as Siddhartha
* Science and Buddhism differ in the position of human beings in the universe.