Elijah is really interested in science and for a long time I have been wondering what/how I was going to teach him concerning the age of the earth and the creation and what not. I am a person of faith and whole heartidly beleive in a loving Father in Heaven who created humans and this earth, everything for that matter. On the other hand, I am also a person of reason who knows that to argue that this world is only 6000 years old just doesn't seem right. (Did I just open a whole can of worms?) Anyhow, for several years I've gone back and forth on that issue and so I was very grateful to find and read this book. It is by Henry Eyring - an award winning scientist and faithful Latter-Day Saint. He is the father of Henry B. Eyring - a leader in the LDS church and the brother-in-law of Spencer Kimball. Enough name dropping there?Anyhow, it's a short read with a lot of humor and wit - the book helped me to recognize that science shouldn't be out to get religion and religion shouldn't be out to get science. He questioned, "Is there any conflict between science and religion? There is no conflict in the mind of God, but often there is conflict in the minds of men." And here's another excellent quote from him and ultimately what I hoped to gain from this book:
"There are few ways in which good people do more harm to those who take them seriously than to defend the gospel with arguments that won't hold water. Many of the difficulties encountered by young people going to college would be avoided if parents and teachers were more careful to distinguish between what they know to be true and what they think may be true. Impetuous youth, upon finding the authority it trusts crumbling, even on unimportant details, is apt to lump everything together and throw the baby out with the bath."
In the end, it's a great read and I think everyone should check it out. It will probably only take a couple days to finish but if you're like me will change the way you see a lot of things. It enhanced both my faith and my intellect. It's not a book about his theories on science but more his approach as a man of faith to science.
p.s. Let's not get into a bunch of theories on the creation and a whole lot of other things - I just don't have the energy to host another thing like right now. Is that fair? If you still feel inclined to share some of that - why not post about it on your blog? Thanks.
p.s. Let's not get into a bunch of theories on the creation and a whole lot of other things - I just don't have the energy to host another thing like right now. Is that fair? If you still feel inclined to share some of that - why not post about it on your blog? Thanks.
6 comments:
my dad loves this book too - i should read it - sounds good.
I liked this quote - it's a great reminder - "more careful to distinguish between what they know to be true and what they think may be true."
I think Henry Eyring is a great scientific resource!! He was friends/associates with Einstein - which adds even more reason to name drop where he is concerned:)
Good suggestion, Meg!! I have more to say where science and God are concerned - but I don't want to antagonize anyone - and I totally respect your wishes where hosting such a debate are concerned. It does get pretty crazy sometimes, huh?
Lins - you've piqued my interests - so if you've got something really interesting to say........maybe I'm good for it.
Hey Megan...
I don't know that it's THAT interesting - I just believe that Heavenly Father created and uses all natural powers and forces. Gravity, entropy, physics, molecular attraction...his fingerprints are all over those:) We know He's a God of order - and He would fail to be such if He wasn't the author and governor of those forces. I've never seen a need to distinguish between science and God. They're both too amazing to be completely disjointed...and I've never felt like one threatens the others veracity.
So...where something like the creation is concerned - I think you could technically play both sides of the fence and still be right. It's completely plausible that evolution was in play and that God used that force to his advantage to allow humankind to develop to a point where He felt such creatures were ready to be inhabited by his spirit sons and daughters......OR....I think it's equally plausible that God, with unparalleled understanding and employment of power, could fashion molecules and cells independent of the process of evolution to create mankind.
The one certainty that I've seen in my brief study of science is that there is always new understanding right around the corner - and that the minute you think you can close the book on a subject, some new information is uncovered. There is still a very blurry line where fact and theory are concerned on a lot of scientific notions - and I feel like more times than not, we lock ourselves into the 'truth' of an idea, even though we're operating from a very limited perspective.
Blahhh...sorry. I feel like this is something we've already talked about - something about our all nighters used to bring these kinds of conversations to the fore-front:)
megan, you should watch ben stein's Expelled. It is an awesome movie. Just trust me.
http://www.expelledthemovie.com/
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