Separating Science and Religion

Once again our friend Stan over at Atheism Analyzed is indulging in his usual nonsense about the intellectual jurisdictions of science and religion.

In short, science adopts a voluntary (“functional”) materialism because it cannot empirically address or measure non-material issues. So any output from science has no bearing – by definition – on the non-material realm.

So let me get this straight: scientists should stay out of religion because science is only concerned with material things?

But this is a fantastic idea! In fact, let’s go one better. Let’s have a complete separation of duties between science and religion!

I can see it now. Science will concern itself only with the material world (that should be easy . . . it’s what it does anyway) and religion will concern itself only with the non-material world.

Both sides will solemnly promise not to encroach on the other’s turf.

Of course that completely does away with the idea of an interventionist God. Such interventions are necessarily material and therefore only in the realm of science.

But that’s ok.

And religions would no longer be able to claim that God works in people’s lives in any material way. Or heals the sick. Or answers prayer.

Still, that sounds workable.

It also does away with all these silly debates about Creation vs Evolution. Evolution wins by default because it’s a material issue, and hence outside the realm of religious enquiry!

Wow. I could really get used to this. Excellent idea, Stan!