to be surprised that a scientist with a doctorate is religious

[Margaritapracataz]

I assumed she was joking, but no she's a very intelligent woman (double first) but she has deeply religious beliefs.

Aibu to think this is a bit strange and to think less of her professionally?

You are being ridiculous. Most of the congregation at my church are well educated professionals - doctors, lawyers, architects etc, who are capable of rational thought. You don't have to be stupid to have a faith.

It is possible to be intelligent and have a faith in a higher being. In fact I would argue that anyone who thinks otherwise is not as intelligent as they think they are.

YABU

A lot of scientists are religious. They are used to dealing with facts, theories and hypothesis. Much of their work is based on as yet unproven beliefs.

One of my biggest bugbears as an atheist is people who equate Christianity with Creationism. The Pope believes in evolution. The Archbishop of Canterbury believes in evolution. Linking the two does a terrible disservice to both Christianity and science.

Sorry lots of replies quickly.

She's catholic and study's the spread of diseases.

I just can't see how the two different views don't clash. Surely one has to give way to the other?

My doctorate was in biophysics with a bit of evolution thrown in for good measure.

I am still a Christian

Are you taking the piss?
I don't have a religion, but i don't think less of those who do.
she was clever before she believed in god, but not now?

Religion is very personal as well. She can call herself "deeply religious" but that doesn't mean she holds to the same beliefs as a creationist.

"She's catholic and study's the spread of diseases.

I just can't see how the two different views don't clash."

What's anti-religion about studying how diseases spread?

I know loads of medics and scientists who are religious.

The Vatican is awash with religious scientists doing really good work.

Many religious people enter science and medicine out of a sense of vocation, coupled with intellectual curiosity.

I can't imagine why you'd think less of them. Open mindedness is the hallmark of a good scientist.

YABU - if you think there is a clash there you either have a profound misunderstanding of the nature of science, or a profound misunderstanding of the nature of faith, or both.

I'm a scientist with a PhD who is also a Christian and regular church-goer. If someone thinks those things don't go together they lose a lot of respect for their own intelligence in my view.

In answer to your question, yes. YABU and it just reveals your prejudice against religion (or certain types of religion). Very curious as to whether you'd instinctively think less of her if she was a Muslim, Buddhist etc.

I have a biochemistry PhD (specifically developmental biology). If anything, my scientific knowledge re-enforces my faith. I also have a strong interest in physics.

I am a Catholic and whilst i don't hold/believe all of it, i know there is a God.

The most intelligent person I have ever met was a priest.

Why does one view have to give way to another? Disease exists, it spreads, the study of this spread helps with prevention. WHAT has that to do with religion? either for or against?

Biology isnt a view though its fact based religion is faith its different by saying she is religious and you think less of her is pretty arrogant what about Drs or nurses who see pain and suffering daily and are religious are they not supposed to be either,

"Which aspects of Biology?"

evolutionary biologists would find it hard to reconcile what they know to be scientific facts with what it says in the bible, torah, koran etc i would imagine

There's more to life than meets the eye OP. I'd recommend reading the book 'Proof of heaven' by neurosurgeon Eben Alexander..

Why do you consider it a conflict?

Is someone unable to believe in the existence of God and norovirus at the the same time? YABU

Most mainstream religions endorse the theory of evolution araiba".

Certainly the Catholic church does.

I am also a biochemist. The richness and complexity of the natural world driven by only by the simple rules of evolution is mind blowing.

Look down a microscope and you are looking at the work of God. It is literally awe inspiring.

I don't have any conflicting views between my Christian faith and my science. In fact, my faith informs my science. I believe that God has called me to be the best doctor and scientist that I can be, that he has created all things (not necessarily via a 7 day creation!) and it is the role of science to reveal some of that and to use that information for the good of humankind and the world.

This appears to be a view shared by:

Francis Collins, who headed up the Human Genome Project
John Lennox, Professor of Maths at Oxford
Denis Alexander, cancer research scientist and head of the Faraday Institute in Cambridge

There are loads of others but these are the ones that come straight to the top of my head. Our church is full of Christian scientists, doctors, mathematicians, all teaching or studying at the best university in the country.

araiba - i think that is where most (including myself) people fall foul, i think (and i could be wrong) that the bible (can't speak for the other texts) contains quite a bit of metaphor. I don't think i am alone in that thought. CS Lewis certainly shared that thought, he was pretty bright, although im not sure if he was trying to prove or disprove?

That is the thing with faith, you have to have it, you shouldn't be going around trying to prove it.

I was taught geology by a Christian lecturer, who has written books on evolution, he had no trouble at all reconciling the two. We used to be encouraged to explore creationist theory and discuss the weaknesses in the claims as a learning exercise.

My current boss is catholic and holds a Ph.D. In Chemistry. We work in an environmental discipline.

I'm athiest.

So long as personal beliefs does not affect their work, I see no problem. They both have obviously found ways to reconcile the two.

Not all Abrahamic religions teach the early books as fact, more analogy. Many consider them to be a viable explanation where no other was available, and so totally in line with the scientific method.

In fact I believe a Muslim scholar recently proposed that Genesis was an analogy of the Big Bang theory.

YANBU, OP. It baffles me too. Once you accept that evolution by natural selection is an accurate description of how we all got here, it's difficult to understand how people can believe that humans play a central role in God's universe. Lots of life forms preceded us - the dinosaurs died out 64m years ago. What was God doing with them? Just mucking around?

"Most mainstream religions endorse the theory of evolution araiba".

Certainly the Catholic church does."

maybe i need up on brush up on my religious books but I was fairly sure that in genesis God created man and woman with a metaphorical click of the fingers a few thousand years ago.

how does that compare to the millions of years of evolution we know about now?

or are the catholic church saying the bible is wrong?