When we look back over time, we don’t have to look far to see how science has changed. Many so-called scientific statements have fallen to discoveries that invalidated them. Writers have often made comparisons to a “caveman being shown a flashlight” and how they might think a god stood before them with the power of light.
Some of the more notable mistakes include the notion that the earth is the center of the universe, that the earth was flat, that the age of the earth according to Darwin was approximately 100 million years old, or later that the age of the universe as astronomers dated it in the 1920’s to less than 2 billion years old, that we lived in a one galaxy universe, that neutrinos were faster than light, that there was a new form of water called polywater, and an arsenic-based life form. Further, this says nothing about scientists who reported faked data such as that done by Harvard researcher John Darsee who was faking data in a heart study during the 1980’s or the alleged discovery of cold fusion at the University of Utah in 1989. This is but a short list of what many consider to be the errors and frauds offered in the name of science and yet, corrected by science as time went along.
Now compare the history and evolution of science to the descriptions of the universe as offered by religion. We all know there have been religious quacks, but have you ever considered how early civilizations characterized the universe and its Creator. The knowledge available to them would be akin to the earlier mentioned cavemen analogy. It would have begun as the self-aware questioned life and death. Stories were told to children, perhaps those who lost a parent, about the hereafter and God. Slowly these stories would become theology and the gods would become stronger and more powerful as they competed with the gods of other tribes. In the Christian culture, ultimately Yahweh, the God of the Jewish people, would become the most powerful and beneficent of all gods and Yahweh would demand, as a commandment, that His people would put no gods before Him.
Religions formed around diverse cultures around the world, and they all had stories of their founders and their god. These stories contain common threads, such as:
- Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25 to the Virgin Mary. A star in the East guided three kings to his birthplace. He was a prodigal teacher and started his mission at age thirty. He had twelve apostles and performed many miracles, such as walking on water, healing the sick, and turning water into wine. He was crucified and then resurrected three days after he died.
- Horus was born on December 25, to a virgin mother (Isis) and a star in the East (Sirius) pointed the way for three kings. He was a prodigal teacher at age twelve and began his mission at age thirty. He was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, crucified, and resurrected three days after he died.
- In 1200 BC, Mithra of Persia was born to a virgin on December 25. He had twelve disciples, performed miracles, was dead for three days, and then resurrected.
- In 500 BC, Dionysus of Greece was born to a virgin, was referred to as God’s only begotten son, performed miracles such as turning water into wine, died, and was resurrected.
- In fact, a short list of such stories would include Zoroaster, Indra, Balai, Beddru, Krishna, Buddha, Odin, and more.1
Indeed, as organized religion expanded, holidays and symbols were copied from pagan traditions such as Easter2 and the Christmas tree.3 My point, the evolution of religion lacked the same dynamic self-examination that led to so many scientific discoveries. Religion stagnated as culture changed and education levels increased.
Tell a small child about Santa Clause and they get all excited. They do not evaluate the size of Santa and compare that to the size of the chimney flue. They are willing to believe in magic, even if they do ask tougher questions. But children grow up and they become wiser. So, if you tell someone that you believe in an all-powerful (omnipotent) God, you may be met with a response like, “That’s a contradiction of terms for how can god build a rock so large he cannot lift it?” Thus, you find yourself flummoxed. And this is but the simplest of the questions that will follow if the subject is pursued.
In the end, many people, particularly our younger generation here in America, no longer believe in any god. And that is a particular shame, because given the state of today’s world, they have been robbed of hope!
I wrote Questioning Spirituality to demonstrate that spirituality is a more rational answer than some would have you believe. Indeed, it is the only truly rational answer if we apply science and reason to our enquiry. That said, until organized religion chooses to evolve, to self-examine outdated and pagan inherited ideas and traditions, the divide between reason and religion will only become more exacerbated.
If you somehow sense or ‘know’ that there is more to life than the mechanistic secular perspective, I would encourage you to just let go of all those old religious definitions and go within. You can be spiritual, believe in life after death and a higher power, and at the same time be a rational human being with the full intellectual power of reason.
Thanks for the read,
Eldon Taylor, PhD
NY Time Bestselling Author of Choices and Illusion
- Taylor, E. 2023. Questioning Spirituality: Is It Irrational to Believe in God? John Hunt Publishing. April 2023
- Valente, F. R. 2019. “7 Pagan Festivals We Still Celebrate Today.” Through Eternity Tours. March 22, 2019
- Inman, T. 2012. “Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism.” Project Gutenberg. November 17, 2012.