I subscribe to quite a few science and physics feeds on Twitter and something occurred to me this morning as I flicked through the feeds to read over and over again "scientists have discovered..."
I have never read the words "the Pope/Archbishop/Imam/ has discovered..."
There is a very good reason for this, and it isn't because they are not scientists; you don't need science to make discovery, more to dissect it. It is more a case that they don't allow themselves to discover. Let me give you an example:
A Catholic Priest, working in Uganda, is sat with local aid workers who present him with their opinions on how to reduce the number of sexually-related incidents in what is one of the poorest and most ill-educated places on the planet. They suggest that the use of condoms in Uganda would significantly reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies but also - and even more importantly - dramatically reduce the number of incidents where unprotected sex spreads HIV and other serious STI's.
The priest now has a decision to make, based on opinions that contradict the teachings of his faith. Does he go with the decision that would benefit all the followers of his faith in that country, or does he stick rigidly to out-dated and barbaric teachings? We all know that he will choose to continue suffering, poverty and disease because his faith doesn't allow birth control.
He is unable to discover and let his ill-informed followers discover.
It is because they cannot discover. Religious people forbid themselves and their followers from discovery. Discovery means truth and reason and for every truth and reason discovered there is another pin prick in that balloon they call faith. Belief in a supernatural being can only survive for as long as faith is there. Faith needs ignorance. Faith is the intellectual equivalent of running away from a debate, or just sticking your fingers in your ears, squeezing your eyes shut and singing "Lalalalalaaaaaaa" as loudly as possible. Whenever you ask a vicar or a priest a difficult "why?" question, I guarantee the response will be one along the lines of "just have faith."
That's not a valid answer to any question ever posed in human history, yet people buy it.
Discovery is asking questions, finding logical and reasoned answers and then applying that information. The Church won't allow that, ever, because the more that's discovered gives less room to the idea of a divine being.
A second thought:
One thing I wonder. In history, and since the birth of modern science from its founder, Alchemy, how many religious people have been diagnosed with some illness and just closed their eyes and accepted it? Maybe quietly praying to their particular deity for help, or even thanks if they have been true to their faith?
None. As soon as the shit hits the fan they turn to science, go see the doctor, have that MRI scan, have injections, chemotherapy, have their eyesight corrected, IVF treatment and pray to get better.
And that is one of my problems with religion. If you are true to your faith - genuinely true to it - then you won't go and seek the help of science when you get ill or if you can't conceive, because it is all part of your particular god's plan. And actually, as it is part of his plan, why pray to be saved or cured and think it will make any difference anyway?
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