HOW CAN I RECONCILE GOD AND MY RELIGION WITH SCIENCE?
On this site, I discuss what reality is, as I have thought extensively about the subject and come to the conclusion that basing one's life on reality will provide a solid foundation for moving forward with "what works" in life.
However, there may appear to be some conflicts between what science can determine and what people of religion believe.
But, as I discuss this with one person I know of a particular faith, he assures me that his religion accepts science fully.
So, how can he do that?
(Warning: This could require some openmindedness before you come to a conclusion!)
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IS MANKIND SUBJECT TO HUMAN ERROR?
Mankind could have made some human error in their writing "the word" and they could have inserted some things that they thought would work at the time to keep people in line with what is good for society. As far as we can know, they were simply attempting to create some good from it, to do what is right for mankind .
MAYBE GOD SET IT UP THIS WAY
Perhaps God had some limitations, though we prefer to believe he had none (the earliest writings about God in Kabbalah indicated that there were some mistakes made).
Either way, he could have set it up to use the laws of nature and evolution to do the creation.
Yes, that conflicts with the story of Adam and Eve, but perhaps that was just a story made up by the writers, for there is no provable or even probable feasibility to such a story. (Those who rigidly believe that "the word" is absolutely true and can never by subject to human influence and errors may be upset with that - but I would urge that they use the techniques of effective thinking, knowing that God would not have given those to us if he did not think they were good and useful for us.)
DID MAN INSERT SOME "FICTION" INTO THE WRITINGS?
When something defies logic, it seems reasonable to question it. The stories about the wrath of God and the cruelties of God were probably "made up" by the writers, to explain the unexplainable and/or to strike the fear of God into the people so that they would shape up and fly right and do what is good for society.
But surely an enlightened powerful being could never resort to such things. See the logic of that argument in Is God Compassionate?
If one really understands that argument, several beliefs that cause us humans distress would be blown out of the water. Sacrifice in misery would not make sense. Life having to be hard would make no sense. Excess guilt would make no sense.
SO...
I would suggest that there exists some reasonable ways of reconciling all of this and still believing in God and having "faith" and "knowing" (to fill in the gaps where science cannot provide us with the answer).
And the point of all of this is that I hope you won't reject the discussions about reality.
The reason I hope that is that I am thoroughly convinced that you can be happier if you construct a whole belief system (to supplement your basic faith) that is based on reality, even if it disproves some items that the writings of religious men assert.
I sincerely hope that it will be accepted by you and that you will build that belief system based on reality that will serve you to attain greater happiness and satisfaction in life.
