Thou Shalt Not Scoff!: A Rational Unity of Religion and Science second edition

By David R. Miller

Science, and Religion. Material vs. Spiritual, Concrete vs. Abstract, Tangible vs. Ethereal. Seemingly opposite concepts, with very real implications for life and reality, often considered incompatible on various points, a conflict that has seemingly gone on forever. Rarely is there true mediation, a sincere attempt to present both aspects in a

• Language: English
• Publisher: Island Time Books
• Release date: Apr 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088124246

Book preview

Thou Shalt Not Scoff!

Thou Shalt Not Scoff!

Thou Shalt Not Scoff!

A Rational Unity of Religion and Science second edition

David Robertson Miller

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Island Time Books

Contents

Dedication

Forward to the Second Edition

Prologue

Introduction

Part 1

1 THE CONFLICT

2 IN THE BEGINNING…

3 THE SOURCES

4 THEN THERE WAS C

5 WHENCE WE’VE COME

6 HOW DO YOU KNOW?

7 JUST ONE GOD?

8 JUST ONE THEORY?

9 IN GOD’S IMAGE

Part 2

10 THE SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE

11 THE RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE

12 LIFE AFTER DEATH

13 WHY DO WE SUFFER?

14 WHERE FROM HERE?

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Index

To Ann, with love

always, and all ways

Copyright ©2020 by David Miller

This edition Copyright ©2023 by David Miller

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.  For information write to:

Island Time Books and Music

Post Office Box 3184

Topsail Beach NC 28445

or contact us at [e-mail]

Miller, David R.

                Thou Shalt Not Scoff!

                Rational Unity of Religion and Science

ISBN- 978-1-0881-2416-1

BISAC:    Science / General

                Religion / General

Book Design by David and Ann Miller

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God

who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect 

has intended us to forego their use."

 – Galileo

God is a mystery. But not an incomprehensible

mystery… Science without religion is

lame, religion without science is blind.

 –Albert Einstein

We cannot know. All we can do is try to listen

carefully and with full attention to each voice

in turn as it addresses the divine."

—Huston Smith

The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

  —Carl Sagan

I'm not into isms and asms. There isn't a Catholic moon and a Baptist  sun.  I know the universal God is universal.... I feel that the same God force that is the mother and father of the pope is also the mother  and father of the loneliest wino on the planet.

  —Dick Gregory

Science can purify religion from error and superstition; religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.  Each can draw the other into a wider world, a world in which both can flourish.

– Pope John Paul II

The heavens are telling the glory of God,

and their expanse is declaring the work of his hands.

– Psalm 19:1

Forward to the Second Edition

Thou Shalt Not Scoff, a Rational Unity of Science and Religion , was first published in 2020. Although in the grand scheme of things, that does not seem like a long time ago, in the scientific community, it is eons. Every day, literally every day, advances are made; every day there are new discoveries, new theories, which refute our previous understanding. And literally every day there new discoveries, new theories, which refute the refutations. The particle colliders delve ever deeper into the world of the small; the James Webb and Hubble delve ever further into the world of the large. Big gets bigger; little gets littler; complicated gets more and more and more complicated. Along with all of that come advancements in computing, genetics, AI and so on, seemingly very few of which carry much by way of advancement or improvement of our lives.

There have been advancements in the world of Religion as well, although they are, by and large, fewer and further between. Sacred truth seems not to evolve so much, even if our understanding (or lack thereof) might do so, and even if the populations at large have trouble agreeing  about what sacred truth actually is. Denominations can and do split apart over one issue or another. A new religious order, or new variation on an old one, might crop up from time to time. These are generally called cults by adherents to the more established ones, although I hold that cultishness is in the eye and heart of the beholder. Undoubtedly, there were those among the Pharoahic Egyptians who deemed those Hebrews wandering the desert a cult, and those Levites in the Jerusalem Temple who considered fledgling Christianity a cult. You get the picture.

Religion, science, society, business, music and art… as the old adage goes, the only constant is change; the second law of thermodynamics in alive and well. I mean, Aaron Rodgers is even leaving the Packers! (With all the divisiveness, conflict, and hatred we experience, wouldn’t it be wonderful if the whole world could follow the example of the Green Bay Packers, and usher in an era of Love? Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself.)

So, as I contemplate this Second Edition, my desk is piled high with notes, and my browser crammed with bookmarks. This book would grow larger (hence, more expensive!)and more complicated every day if I try to keep up with it all.

So, I won’t.

Of all these advancements, modifications, discoveries, adaptations, mergers, splits, refutations, and refutations of the refutations, none of it really changes the basic premises of Thou Shalt Not Scoff. None of the advancements of Science can honestly disprove an intelligent first cause. And these advancements will continue, try as some try to deny them or hold them back. If everyone is truly honest, Science cannot in fact discredit Religion, and vice versa.

So, if some of the facts reported herein are proven outdated, or wrong, the reader is welcome to fill in the blanks for him or herself. All I ask is that you believe what your mind, heart, and soul guide you to believe, respectfully disregard the rest, and allow others the same right. But please, Thou Shalt Not Scoff.

Prologue

Ihave two friends, two good buddies, Ralph and Andy. They are both really great guys – fun, witty, intelligent. They both know how to laugh and have a good time, but they also know when to be serious. I really like them both.

The only problem is Ralph and Andy despise each other! This goes way back; their fathers hated each other, their grandfathers hated each other; it’s like Hatfield-and-McCoy! It all goes back to some stupid spat their ancestors had a long time ago; in reality, they don’t even remember what it was all about.

Ralph calls Andy an idiot, when in fact, Andy is very intelligent. Granted, he holds onto some silly ideas once in a while, but Ralph just blows all of that out of proportion.

Andy calls Ralph a liar, but he’s not that at all. Sometimes he runs off with some crazy whim, but that’s usually all in fun, and those times when he turns out to be wrong, he’s very quick to admit it and move on.

This is all so tragic because I know what great people they both are. If they would ever get together in the same room and talk things over, and just listen to each other, they would learn to get along. Hell, they might even get to be good friends.

Damn it, I’m going to try!

Introduction

Science, and Religion.

Material vs. Spiritual, Concrete vs. Abstract, Tangible vs. Ethereal.

Seemingly opposite concepts, with very real implications for life and reality, often considered incompatible on various points.

I have read many, many books and articles on the subject. Usually these tend to accentuate the differences; they generally come with an obvious bias toward one side or the other. Naturally, there are exceptions, but generally speaking, even the books ostensibly making the case for conciliation nevertheless come off as sarcastic or patronizing. More often, for the loudest and brassiest voices, the purpose is to ridicule or repudiate, often with much vitriol.

My intention is to provide commonality, accentuate areas of compatibility, clear up some common misconceptions, and propose plausible solutions.

First, kindly indulge me as I lay some groundwork.

I love football. (Stay with me here.)

From September to February, on Thursday nights, Monday nights, and all day Sunday, you will find my wife and me firmly ensconced in front of the TV, and if my beloved Green Bay Packers are playing, you don’t even want to be in the same room with me!

But I have to admit, for all of my fervent fandom, I could not really explain the intricacies of the flex defense or any of those really fine points of the game. I am a knowledgeable and dedicated fan, but other than my illustrious high school career (punter and third string quarterback) I’m definitely on the outside looking in. I’ll never be a coach, and, as I recently turned fifty-eight (and much more recently turned sixty-four), I’ll certainly never play again.

As much of a football fan as I am, I am equally a fan of both science and religion; I read all