• Question: Are you religious? do you feel religion and microbiology and science in general go together?

    Asked by carrietrewern to Cat, Daz, Holly, Johnson, Pamela on 18 Jun 2011. This question was also asked by bethanybramhill, ad500, charlottedavies, caitlinhoare.
    • Photo: Cat O'Connor

      Cat O'Connor answered on 15 Jun 2011:


      Hi carrietrewern, bethanybramhill, ad500, charlottedavies and caitlinhoare,

      What a hard question. You guys are really tesing us!

      I was raised a roman catholic but I have to admit in recent years I’ve kinda drifted from the church. I don’t really believe in God but I do respect a lot of the teachings of the church, especially β€œDo unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

      I’m not sure that you can say science and religion go very well together. I think a lot of people now accept that some teachings like that God created man and woman are not to be taken literally and that evolution did in fact occur. But a lot of people don’t believe in that, which is fine by me. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions as long as they respect the opinions of others.

      I can’t really speak about other religions since I don’t know much about them. What do you guys think?

      Cat

    • Photo: Darren Braddick

      Darren Braddick answered on 15 Jun 2011:


      Hi Carrietrewern, Bethany, Ad500, Charlotte and Caitlin,

      I’m not sure how to answer this question πŸ™‚ but the main point is that no element of science should ever cross over with religion. I know they do, and there are many arguments between them, but in terms of what mankind can prove with science, it should always be able to stand up on its own. A terrible example would be with evolution. Science has more or less proven its potential, and yet it is thought to contradict and disagree with the story of creation. Actually, I don’t think either have to be wrong for both to be true. We just don’t know everything – and science is precisely the study of what we do not understand yet.

      And really, in the total picture of science, all of the progress of history is nothing compared to what we do not yet know!!

      I hope this helps !

      Daz

    • Photo: Holly Shelton

      Holly Shelton answered on 15 Jun 2011:


      That is a hard question. I am not particularly religious myself, I believe there is a god but not that I have to go to church every week just that I should be good (I try!! πŸ™‚ ). So for me god and science don’t conflict. I have very good friends who are also scientists and have done PhDs and stayed in science a long time who are religious and they actually don’t seem to have a problem with their beliefs and science. Sorry thats not a very good answer but its the best one I have.

      πŸ™‚

      Holly

    • Photo: Pamela Lithgow

      Pamela Lithgow answered on 18 Jun 2011:


      Hi carrietrewern, bethanybramhill, ad500, charlottedavies and caitlinhoare,
      I am not really religious, I think there might be something out there that is bigger than us and we don’t really know about yet but I don’t really know about organised religion. I think it is good to have an open mind and this is something that a lot of scientist are so I think a lot of scientist are open to the idea of religion.
      I don’t see why religion and microbiology/science can’t go together as long as you don’t let your own opinions/beliefs effect they way you do your work/science it shouldn’t matter. But this does not only apply to religion, scientists always try to be impartial and not influence their results so they try not to let any opinions or belief get in their way.
      Pam πŸ™‚

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