Can you believe in God and still be a scientist?

Question: Can you believe in God and still be a scientist!?

I love science and I am educated in science but can I believe in God and still be a scientist!. I know that molecules inherently act on their own and that all order comes from chaos (entropy) and creates more chaos!. However, I believe that there is still an ultimate purpose or order to the madness regardless of the immediate mechanisms!.

Really, no matter who you are, everything stems from belief anyways!. You either BELIEVE that matter in some form always existed (negating everything we observe), or that God always existed and created matter and planned its ultimate course by its inherent nature and timing (or didn't plan and just watched what would happen)!. However, they are still both beliefs because science can't prove either!.

So can I believe in God and be a scientist or are they mutually exclusive!?

ThanksWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

It is certainly possible to believe in God and be a scientist, as there are many scientists who do!.
However, most scientists don't spend a lot of time thinking about God!. And it is also clear that as you go up the ladder from workaday scientists to distinguished ones to the very top ones, the proportion who believe in God diminishes rapidly!.
The mental processes involved in doing science are very different from, and often conflict with, the mental processes of religion!. So it is necessary to compartmentalize, which takes effort and energy!. One often thinks that if that energy had been devoted to doing science, the achievements of the religious scientist would have been even better!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

of course you can believe in both!. Science is about observation and documentation there is nothing we can observe in this world that disproves the existence of God!.

However in the current scientific community you may be confronted with a lot of adversity if you don't deny the existence of god!. Ben Stein narrated a movie on this topic, it's called Expelled!.

(By the way in what currently observable environment do we see chaos become order!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Unfortunately, science and religious faith are not mutually in-compatible belief systems!. The human mind does an excellent job at compartmentalizing (the meticulously neat female that doesn't bathe)!. If you compare the scientific conclusions you've learned with your religious beliefs you will undoubtedly find contradictions!.

This however has not stopped numerous of highly intelligent and effective scientist from being Christians, etc!.
The answer is YES, but you"ll have to rationalize allot!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes!. Many scientists believe in a God!. The conflict usually comes when a religious person tries to ignore science!. There are a lot of things that are not explained by science at this time and the concept of a higher being is not entirely out of the question!. So far, in my opinion, The "proof" that there is no God is not any stronger than the "proof" that there is!. Personally, I have a degree in biology, and though I lean toward the "no" side, I have yet to been given ample evidence to discount all other possibilities!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Isaac Newton was a Christian!. Many scientists were Christian!.

If science teaches that molecules inherently act on their own, then scientists should be worshiping molecules!.

Science only deals with "immediate mechanisms" or proximate causes and not ultimate causes!. No amount of science can tell you in advance what I have just written!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

During my University studies I began to see the Truth all around me in spite of the bovine excreta the professors were spouting!. My major was Design Science and I took many electives in the natural sciences!.

The revelations led me to accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior a few days before receiving my Bachelor's Degree!.

Now, who would of thunk it could happen after 4-years shifting through the evil propaganda being presented to me every day!?

I can only conclude that God has a special purpose for me that is yet to be revealed!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think that you may be realizing a common subject in science, the structure of God, or the Mind of God!. It is the ultimate purpose, this isn't so clear, but there are such things as coalescence and emergence:

The Mind of God - Paul DavisWww@QuestionHome@Com

The teachers that taught me evolution and the big bang believed in God!. So yes, you can believe in both as long as you don't take the bible literally!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It is utterly up to you how much science, and how much of god you incorporate into your life!.

since it is YOUR belief, then it is fine for YOU to believe in whatever!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

you need to let science do the explaining of life and our universe and let god do the spiritual explaining

you can combine bothWww@QuestionHome@Com

Perhaps you can believe in God for a while longer!.!.!. but you're honest with yourself you'll continue learning not to as time goes by!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

yes because afterall a scientist is a human being too!.!.!.!.!.
if i were a scientist i would definitely believe in god!.!.!.
he is the almighty!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Many scientists do believe in God!. You can do both!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You shouldn't but it is possible -My Biology teacher doesn't believe in evolution, she believes in creation!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Brianna,
You cannot expect to be told the out come of your situation, although I suppose this is toned at being hypothetical!.

I would personally say, why can't get be that which created the molecular compounds you have discovered!? They knowledge you have gained over the years in believing in Science, as well as a faith based view of the world!. As far as I'm concerned, you seem to have a well grounded view of things in questioning your own actions and not picking a side exclusivly!.

If you believe in God as a person, I am at a loss, seeing as I am not bound to a belief of that nature, but even so, I'm sure there is the capacity of both seeing as every explanation for the universe is theory!. As I see it, that is the way it should stay, but then again, you are a scientist ;)Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think you may have answered your own question!. I don't know why it has to be God verses science!. Or creationism verses evolution!. No one will ever know for sure!. Like you said they are beliefs!. But why can't they coincide!? I've read bits of the bible and if there is a god and he inspired it, who knows how literally it was meant to be taken!. It seems full of mystery and hidden meanings!.You're researching!. I'm not a christian but I would imagine that the reason he would give people free will is to give them the ability to question and research and figure things out on their own!. Otherwise, wouldn't he just make people like robots!? Like I said I'm not religious(sorry I was just assuming you are christian) and I'm definitely not a scientist!. That's just my opinion based on my belief that any researching and questioning is a positive thing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com