Billboards championing a fact-based rather than faith-based society have been popping up around the nation—most recently in Denver, site of the Democratic National Convention. The billboards, with messages like "Keep Religion OUT of Politics" and "Imagine No Religion," have now gone up in about seven cities, including Atlanta and Seattle, with more to come. They're designed to publicize the message of the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, an association of about 12,000 atheists and agnostics that works to keep church and state separate. "Religious agendas have influenced our public policy at an alarming rate in the past few years, from taxpayer-funded faith-based initiatives, to attempts to teach creationism in our children's science classrooms, to ballot initiatives that would force other peoples' religious dogma on all of us," said Denver foundation member Mike Smith in a press release about the newest billboard and its timely message. The Foundation hopes to put up a similar billboard in Minneapolis-Saint Paul in time for the Republican convention next week.
The more general "Imagine No Religion" billboard campaign, says Mike Christensen, another foundation member, "does not question any specific religion, religious doctrine, or faith. Rather it promotes the idea that society can only reach its full potential when we cease focusing on the answer and start focusing on the acquisition of knowledge based on an open minded scientific process." The message, he adds, "asks us to imagine a world where people can look at the universe with an open mind, and not make an assumption based on blind faith. A world where scientific discovery can go unimpeded without fear of contradicting someone else’s unfounded belief structure. A world where we lose the irrational fear of our own mortality and take comfort in the unknown, for it roots our desire to explore." —Heather Wax
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Anti-Faith Signs Call for Freedom of Science
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The article "Anti-faith signs calls for freedom of science' says "The more general "Imagine No Religion" billboard campaign, says Mike Christensen, another foundation member, "does not question any specific religion, religious doctrine, or faith. Rather it promotes the idea that society can only reach its full potential when we cease focusing on the answer and start focusing on the acquisition of knowledge based on an open minded scientific process."
Once again, this statement asks the question: is the statement a scientific fact or is it a faith position?
Sadly, these people show they have absolutely no concept of what has provided them with the abundant life they enjoy and seek to maintain. If this attitude had been taken 200+ years ago, there most likely wouldn't BE an America as it is today, let alone the rich diversity of country it has become as those who founded it did so on very staunch religious beliefs (primarily Christian), which have stood the test of time. It reminds me of the old saying about how guns don't kill people, people kill people - in a similar way religion isn't the problem, people are, and we are created to know our Creator whether we desire to do so or not, thus man will always gravitate towards some form of recognition of a higher power whatever they wish it to be. However, I suspect what these radical left wing liberalists are most opposed to, is true Christianity because Satan always works to oppose God wherever He may be found in the hearts and minds of the Redeemed. And Satan equally works his hardest to persuade man that he is master of his own destiny, beholden to nobody, but as Satan is the prince of this world, they are in reality beholden to him.
Man will always seek to destroy that which he fears the most!! TKR
The problem with these issues of science vs. religion, or vice versa is the definition of "religion". This is where the problems start from. This word is used in different ways and has a several meanings, making it easy for arguments to contain fallacies of equivocation. Many like to narrow the meaning of "religion" to suit their purposes. However, if one defines "religion" in a very wide sense as "a belief system", then clearly science is a religion with a specific methodology, vz. it only accepts causes that are material and efficient. Other religions or belief systems may also be organised, but in addition accept final causes in their methodology (e. g. theology). Similarly with regards to the invisible world, some religions believe in spirits, others in electromagnetic "forces" or "fields".
It is interesting that the idea of not making assumptions based on blind faith enters the argument. Precisely what is "blind faith", or rather, what are the criteria for a faith not to be "blind." It seems to me that all faith has some rational and experiential basis; faith is rarely a mere whim.
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