The Miracle Pill

Sometimes theistic apologists go to great lengths to rationalize their belief in an imaginary magical man in the sky who poofed us all into existence with magic.

One of the silliest arguments that I read and hear all the time is the argument that while science is all well and good for, you know, those unimportant material things like kitchen appliances, automobiles, spaceships, and life saving medical pharmacology, the really important immaterial things, like "God" and "why are we here", can only be answered by religion - specifically, the apologist's own personal religion.

The Rev. Dan Marler, pastor at the First Church of God in Oak Lawn, IL, writes an opinion column today in the Daily Southtown and asks the question, "Are faith and science enemies?"

More below the fold...

[Rev. Marler] Also, there is a belief that science and religion are enemies because the true knowledge of science has taken the place of the flimsy, subjective, superstitious beliefs of religion. But this is not true, either. There is important knowledge and truth that exists apart from empirically verified knowledge.

Excuse me? Important knowledge that exists apart from empirically verified knowledge? What sort of "important knowledge" would this be? Imaginary stories that Rev. Marler makes up out of whole cloth? Fiction? Fairy tales? Myths?

[Rev. Marler] Obviously, the empirical method of science is good and helpful and has resulted in wonderful advancements for mankind. I'm still amazed by The Clapper, for example. But there are other areas of knowledge and truth that are important, too. Furthermore, some of these other areas of knowledge and truth lay outside the realm of the scientific method. There are other areas of knowledge and truth that are just as real, but they cannot be observed and measured and tested; they cannot be formulated into experiments that can be reliably repeated and the results accurately recorded.

So, in other words, all we have to go on is the Reverend's word that these "other areas of knowledge and truth" actually, um, you know, exist. Is that what it boils down to? Taking his word for it?

Apparently so. So, now, in an attempt to devastate us with his bleeding-edge logical skills, the good Reverend pulls out the lamest argument of all - the "True Love" argument.

[Rev. Marler] For example, the laws of logic are nonempirical entities. Morality is a nonempirical entity. Also, love is a nonempirical entity.

Yet no one -- or very few of us -- would deny the love of a parent for her child. In other words, we can know that love is a real thing. Yet, love cannot be measured, it cannot be formulated into an experiment that can be accurately quantified. Sure, we can see the effects of love and evidences of love, but the basic essence of love cannot be proven through the empirical method. And yet we can still KNOW that love is real and true.

Now, like Miracle Max, I am all for True Love, but I would still cut his miracle pill up and study it before stuffing it in my mouth.

In essence, that's what Reverend Marler is trying to sell us - a miracle pill. Taken on faith, not empirically verifiable, a wish, a fantasy.

Self delusion.

No, faith and science are not "enemies", but science trumps faith every time. The fact that love is a biochemical response triggered by millions of years of evolution that allows humans to more successfully pass on their genetic information to future generations doesn't make it any less real or any less wonderful - it makes it more real and more wonderful.

And that's the key. Nothing lies "outside the realm of science". Literally nothing. Gods, ghosts, the supernatural are all nothing. Fantasy. Fairy tales. Myths. Imaginary stories.

Our species spends a hell of a lot of time and energy fiddling around with nothing. Eventually we'll stop, because it is ultimately pointless, but I am afraid that this day is a long way off.

In the meanwhile, I'm going to go make myself a nice MLT.