Science, Religion, Magic, Miracles, and Republicans. How do these fit together and how do they affect recent news. My thoughts below the fold.
First, let's provide definitions to work with.
A Miracle can be defined as a supernatural event sponsored by one's religious group.
Magic can be defined as a supernatural event sponsored by other than one's religious group.
Science is a process whereby the question "HOW" is answered. How do atoms fit together into molecules and how do molecules interact when brought into contact is Chemistry. How species adapt to their environment through natural selection is a biological field called evolution.
I will leave the definitions of Religion and Republican to the tender mercies of any reader.
According to the definitions given above for Science, Magic, and Miracles; Science is the enemy of both. In answering the question, "HOW?", science takes the mystery out of both Magic and Miracles, and makes them understandable to anyone who has the intelligence to understand.
Religion is based, in part, on Miracles. Since pre-history, religions have proven their supernatural basis for existence on miracles. It is therefore understandable that religions will hate, and try to undermine science. Besides, science requires much mental effort for understanding. Religion provides a shortcut to understanding through "Faith". Therefore, religion is much easier to embrace than science. With religion, all a person has to do is to say; "I have faith." With science, what is required is many years of study, mental effort, and understanding. Science accepts neither miracles or magic. It asks: "How was that done." And in answering that question science may, at times, debunk invalid religious concepts. In thinking about both magic and miracles: Both magic and miracles are by definition supernatural. In other words, they both are a result of defying natural laws. Since, according to most religions, natural laws are God's laws, both miracles and magic are violations of God's laws and therefore must be evil in nature.
It is interesting to me that what would have been a miracle or magic 100 years ago is now commonplace and is accepted through "science". There is Television, computers, temperature controls, medicine, and nuclear energy, just to name a few scientific advances which would be miracles or magic 100 years ago.
The Republican "War on Science" is actually a religious "War of Science". Religious leaders, not understanding science since their world view is based on "faith", cannot stand the fact that science is proving that their world view is incomplete and inaccurate. Their belief that the "God" they believe in did not have the capability to design an evolving world is based on their egocentric concept that they are the center of the universe, are created in the image of God, and that they must therefore be the ultimate in creation.
Religion, and Faith both have their place. They provide answers to questions for which science is not yet able to provide answers. However, as science and understanding progress, the answers science supplies need to be incorporated into the religious world view, not rejected outright by religious leaders protecting their own turf and who lack any understanding of science or it's relation to the functioning of the world God created.