This is my first diary. I hope that when people read this they can understand that not all religious people are narrow minded people as I have seen portrayed in many comments.
I myself am a Reform Jew. The following is my interpretation of how I perceive what is taught and how I reconcile it in todays world. The Bible (yes I call the Old Testament the Bible and it is correct. I know some people of other faiths will disagree)
The Bible was written almost 6,000 years ago and as such the world has progressed far beyond those days.
More below the fold
Now I am not going to go point by point through the Bible because: 1) I am not a biblical scholar & 2) This diary would read more like a theological thesis. I am going to pick a few exampls and relate them to today
1) Eating Kosher, specifcally pork. Back in those days refridgeration was non-existant. It was a desert climate. Trichinosis was unknown, but its effects weren't. People died from it back then. In those days a taboo against eating pork makes sense. Today, we scientifically understand trichinosis and people rarely die from it these days.
It made sense in Biblical days, it has no real meaning now, just symbolic. Also for food to be Kosher it had to be blessed by a Rabbi who oversaw the food being prepared. (Think of those Biblical Rabbis as the earliest form of the FDA)
2) Birth control. Back in those days land and resources was plentiful as humanity encompassed just a tiny portion of the world. Infant mortality was naturally high due to VERY limited. It would make sense to make sure the gene pool was expanded by having as many chidren as possible.
Today? With overcrowding and resources limited on this overcrowded planet, it is actually COUNTER PRODUCTIVE to follow the rules of Biblical days on the stance of Birth control
3) The world was created in 6 days. This will speak to evolution. The original Hebrew states 6 periods of time NOT 6 days literally. If you follow the book of Genesis, it FOLLOWS EVOLUTION! My belief here is that G-d created us through evolution. The 6000 years mark? My belief is that, that would correspond to about when the evolutionary first man/woman (as distinguised from the previous evolutionary primate) appeared.
4) Sex, the subject that make many people despise religion. Back in Biblical days sex was needed to procreate (hence homosexual taboo) & STDs were not understood and could also have devestated humanity in its early days.
Today: While we still have some diseases without cures (AIDS), we do have the scientific medical knowledge to prevent transmission and cure some forms of STDs. Using common precautions, this isn't a problem except for those who choose it to be (or those who were forced against their will).
5) Homosexuality, see points 2 & 5. We know longer need to worry about a limited gene pool & scientific medical knowledge can can people safe who choose to engage in it.
Today: There is no longer any need for this, and is only used by small minded bigots for evil purposes
Now why do I consider myself religious as I have just explained away some flaws of how the Bible doesn't work anymore? The Bible was written in a different time and it worked. We have today scientifically evolved to a point where many of the laws no longer are applicable. But that should not negate the entire work, but we should be intelligent enough to see the entirety for what it is and understand the laws of 6000 years ago may no longer hold true today.
Also some mysteries can never be explained fully. The universe had to start from somewhere (take a scientific answer and as what came before that and ask how did that come to exist). Random chance that evolution just started? Those odds are extremely low.
I hope I have shown a little that a person can be both religious and not rejecct science.