Conflicts Between Science and Religion

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The first conflict is Evidence vs Miracles. Scientists and religious believers are both attracted to unexplained, miraculous phenomena for different reasons. Scientists look for a natural cause and let their curiosity drive them towards an answer. Religious believers see an opportunity to reinforce their faith by declaring divine intervention. Such declarations support their existing belief system, thus helping to perpetuate the positive emotional states that the beliefs elicit.

Next, is the famous Big Bang vs Genesis. The Big Bang is the theory that the universe began with an extremely dense singularity before rapidly expanding over the course of 14 billion years into what we see today. Edwin Hubble provided crucial evidence for the theory in 1929 when he discovered that most of the matter in the universe is moving away from us. Religious beliefs appear to provide such comforting certainty. Many believers claim the universe is 6,000 years old, while others have been compelled by science to reinterpret scripture in less ridiculous ways. Religious believers like to think they possess evidence for God creating the universe. The value they attribute to this evidence is another source of conflict between science and religion.

Cosmological data has spectacularly demonstrated our insignificance in the universe. We exist on a tiny blue planet, orbiting an ordinary star, in one of the billions of galaxies that make up the universe. Though we haven't found life yet, it likely exists on some of the trillions of planets that litter the cosmos. While our place in the spectrum of terrestrial life is of great comfort, we may be mere fish in the sea for visitors from further shores.  On the other hand, the religious notion is that we're the centerpiece of God’s plan.

Lastly, evolution vs intelligent design. It claimed that living things are too complex to be explained by the randomness of natural selection. Scientists look for evidence to derive answers, but creationists look for evidence to support a particular answer. Even though some religious believers see themselves as facing an assault, science is not intentionally targeting them. Religion and science are mutually exclusive philosophies that are seeking to answer the same questions.