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Wellll... I think that there is not right or wrong for either - science could be used to support religion - - or not support it... blaugh
So like with most everything different prevails. Pick a side... I personally have a very strong spiritual faith in "God" and some of the philosophies and beliefs that I have been exposed to - including Christianity - Judism - Budism - but I also find science fascinating... I think that Religion is more of a history and science topic than not and should not be viewed as Science vs. Religion - but as how can religion be examined along with science. 3nodding
Have you seen the movie - "What the bleep do we know?" confused xd
Break down matter into atoms - then break down atoms - into energy - "ideas - thoughts" and so ultimately there is not matter - only the thought of it - Can we control matter with our minds? Can we shape the world through thought? rolleyes

Well I don't think anyone has a monopoly on truth.

I think Science does an excellent job explaining the physical universe. I think nothing in science is absolutely true (all theories are continualy refined as we get more and more information, and make new observations).

I always saw Science is the fractured pieces of a mirror, it shows something very clearly but you can't see the whole picture. Whereas religion always seemed more like a big foggy mirror, trying to see the big picture but very blurry on the details.

I think religion does an excellent job of covering matters of faith, and that faith is and should be a very important part of peoples lives. Most religions lay down excellent rules for maintaining a harmonious society, and tellin people to treat each other decently (I always find it sad when people use religion for the opposite purpose, but I think that has more to do with human nature than what any major religion I have looked into says). I do not in fact think science would have been able to develop if it were not for the stabalizing influence of religion on society.

As far as making claims about the physical Universe religion has a very very poor track record and thus poor credibility. (if anyone wants to contest this I can start a new thread and post ~ 100 examples with lots of factual proof to back them up)

I think it is natural for religion and science to overlap since they are both an attempt to explain everything. Religion looks at the big picture and tries to intuitivly (or with divine guidance as some would say) grasp the truth of existance and apply it to everyday life. When there wasn't such a thing as science around (or when it was very young, chemistry started out as alchemy which was pretty mystically influenced) it made sense for religion to try to explain everything since that was the best tool we had for doing so.

Science on the other hand starts with observation. You try to understand how things work bases on your observations, then you create an experiment to see if you can generalize those understandings to a broader range of situations, then you have to be able to repeat, to show that these observations do indeed hold. Once you begin to really understand something with science you have a very clear idea of how it functions with relation to you, although you may not understand the big picture (we understood the basic laws of motion a long time before Einstien came up with relativity, which in turn showed that all of our basic equations of motion were in fact incorrect [or at least imcomplete]). Theories of course just start out as ideas and sometimes science goes out on a far limb when someone makes a theory that cannot be falsified at present (Some theories we just don't have to technology to design experiments to test, and some like string theory keep getting redone [refined] around even after their first several predictions have been shown to be false).

And of course we can't really take the human element out of this. Both science and religion get massive funding, and are run by fallible human beings who enjoy the prestige and power their positions bring them. Religion wields huge influence over everyday peoples lives without regard for nation, wealth, or race, and it does this because of the positive role it plays in their lives. Science likewise has huge power because of its excellent track record in making accurate predictions (although bad science has led to scientists making more than a few bad ones as well). Science has a tendany to lead to very useful technology (like airplanes and television and computers). The problem with science is that very few people overall have enough background and training to understand it, and scientists like anyone else can let preconcieved notions color their opinions, beliefs, and work. So on most important topics special interests can get a "scientist " to come up with an explanation for whatever they want and through out enough technical stuff to confuse anyone without the knowledge to make the decision for themselves. (the moon hoax thread really brought this point home to me, especially the part about personal beliefs since initially I wouldn't even consider the argument for it being a hoax before responding.)

In conclusion the world is complicated and confusing. Both religion and science have a place in it. Science is generally correct about physical phenomena, but you better know something about it yourself or you might be being decived by a salesman in a lab coat.

I think religion should stay within their territory of spirituality.

The problem is that religion was a leading instance on spiritual and political and other surfaces... They had to shape a reality that a Midieval citizen had to understand.

Science now has taken the place on determing how the world funtions around us.

Oh yes. Fallible as we may be, we humans make life interesting! 3nodding

perhaps or maybe forward?? - - Or culturally influenced - - politically & power driven at times??? Religion is not good if left to those idle with money and power - - = war - repression - Who would change their point of view if threatened by death - -

It seems that many people have confused science with religion.

But, the Bible actually speaks of scientific facts that was already written before Christopher Columbus realized that the Earth was round.

The Bible has verses pointing out that the Earth is round and all these other things. I am looking for the verses right now, so don't expect evidence just yet.

In my own opinion, science is the only thing that makes sense. Also, religion is just a way of controlling people (not like brainwashing, okay?). Religion was made during a time when mankind was ignorant and primitive. Also, it's a cause for many disputes in history. For example:
Nothern Ireland
the Spanish Inquisition
9/11
The Crusades
The Divine Right of Kings
Witch Trials in Europe and Asia
the perpetuation of slavery
The Dehumanization of other religious believers(and non-believers)
The Subjugation of Women
The refusal of some parents to give their children medical treatment, relying only on prayer and faith-healers
the supression of science and indeed reason itself
the decades of violence in the Middle East
capital crimes against Women's Health care
the war terror that we are currently in now

See, the Bible potrays God as all-loving, all-knowing, and all-powerful. But when you look at society now, and read the bible closely, you'll notice that this is false. If God allows children to get cancer, sick men to rape women, and people attacking us, then he allows evil. So either he isn't all loving, so he doesn't care, he isn't all powerful, which means he can't do anything about it, or he isn't all knowing, meaning he doesn't know about it. You can have two outta three, but you can't have all three. There are many other ways to bust religious questions. For more info, go to youtube.com and search for An Atheist Answers Common Religious Questions. This is the source for my examples.(just wanted to say that so it isn't copyright or something sweatdrop )