FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Difference between revisions of "Question: Do Mormons believe that if there is a conflict between science and religion, that the science is incorrect?"
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==Question: Do Mormons believe that if there is a conflict between science and religion, that the science is incorrect?== | ==Question: Do Mormons believe that if there is a conflict between science and religion, that the science is incorrect?== | ||
===Critics claim that the Church teaches that science is something "evil" to be discarded when it conflicts with religion=== | ===Critics claim that the Church teaches that science is something "evil" to be discarded when it conflicts with religion=== | ||
| − | Secular critics charge that Mormonism and science are incompatible. In fact, Dr. Simon Southerton, in his book [[Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church | + | Secular critics charge that Mormonism and science are incompatible. In fact, Dr. Simon Southerton, in his book ''[[Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church]]'' devotes 66 pages to a section titled "The Troubled Interface between Mormonism and Science." Critics point out that elements found in the scriptures are incompatible with current scientific beliefs. Southerton's work argues the Church considers science something "evil" which ought to be arbitrarily discarded whenever Church leaders speak. |
===Latter-day Saints in many ways have a more liberal view of science than some of their traditional Christian brethren=== | ===Latter-day Saints in many ways have a more liberal view of science than some of their traditional Christian brethren=== | ||
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| − | We differ very much with Christendom in regard to the sciences of religion. Our religion embraces all truth and every fact in existence, no matter whether in heaven, earth, or hell. A fact is a fact, all truth issues forth from the Fountain of truth, and the sciences are facts as far as men have proved them. <ref>{{JDfairwiki| author=Brigham Young|vol=14 |start=117|disc=16}} </ref> | + | We differ very much with Christendom in regard to the sciences of religion. Our religion embraces all truth and every fact in existence, no matter whether in heaven, earth, or hell. A fact is a fact, all truth issues forth from the Fountain of truth, and the sciences are facts as far as men have proved them.<ref>{{JDfairwiki| author=Brigham Young|vol=14 |start=117|disc=16}}</ref> |
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| − | Yea, verily I say unto you, in that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all things—Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof—Things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.({{s|| | + | Yea, verily I say unto you, in that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all things—Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof—Things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.({{s||D&C|101|32-34}})</blockquote> |
Doctrine and Covenants 88: 78-79 | Doctrine and Covenants 88: 78-79 | ||
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[[Category:Letter to a CES Director]] | [[Category:Letter to a CES Director]] | ||
[[es:Pregunta: ¿Los mormones creen que si hay un conflicto entre la ciencia y la religión, que la ciencia no es correcta?]] | [[es:Pregunta: ¿Los mormones creen que si hay un conflicto entre la ciencia y la religión, que la ciencia no es correcta?]] | ||
[[pt:Pergunta: Os Mórmons acreditam que, se houver um conflito entre ciência e religião, que a ciência está incorreta?]] | [[pt:Pergunta: Os Mórmons acreditam que, se houver um conflito entre ciência e religião, que a ciência está incorreta?]] | ||
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Latest revision as of 15:18, 13 April 2024
FAIR Answers—back to home page
Question: Do Mormons believe that if there is a conflict between science and religion, that the science is incorrect?
Critics claim that the Church teaches that science is something "evil" to be discarded when it conflicts with religion
Secular critics charge that Mormonism and science are incompatible. In fact, Dr. Simon Southerton, in his book Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church devotes 66 pages to a section titled "The Troubled Interface between Mormonism and Science." Critics point out that elements found in the scriptures are incompatible with current scientific beliefs. Southerton's work argues the Church considers science something "evil" which ought to be arbitrarily discarded whenever Church leaders speak.
Latter-day Saints in many ways have a more liberal view of science than some of their traditional Christian brethren
In reality, Latter-day Saints in many ways have a more liberal view of science than some of their traditional Christian brethren. We believe God operates according to certain laws. If there are things that God can do which seem to contradict what we know through current science, we assume there are scientific laws at work which are beyond our current understanding. The state of science is constantly changing. What science declared to be "true" in the 19th century is not "true" in the 21st century. It is reasonable to expect that some things that we consider to be scientifically "true" now may be revised according to additional knowledge that is gained in the future. Brigham Young recognized this when he said,
We differ very much with Christendom in regard to the sciences of religion. Our religion embraces all truth and every fact in existence, no matter whether in heaven, earth, or hell. A fact is a fact, all truth issues forth from the Fountain of truth, and the sciences are facts as far as men have proved them.[1]
Latter-day Saints are content to accept that they do not understand everything God is capable of doing. The Lord has promised that these things will someday be revealed to us:
Yea, verily I say unto you, in that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all things—Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof—Things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.(D&C 101꞉32-34)
Doctrine and Covenants 88: 78-79
78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;
79 Of things both in heaven (cosmology, astrology, etc.) and in the earth (biology, geology), and under the earth (archaeology); things which have been (history), things which are (sociology, politics), things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms--
When determining what God is trying to reveal, we shouldn’t be afraid of what science tells us about certain events recorded in the scriptures.
Issues of a perceived incompatibility between science and religion are hardly unique to Mormonism. These issues are shared by all faiths. Failure to resolve scientific and religious contradictions in one's mind can bring into doubt one's very belief that there is a God. Complicating the issue for Latter-day Saints is the fact that living prophets have sometimes expressed their own views on scientific matters, thus causing some to doubt whether or not they could truly be prophets.
Notes
- ↑ Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 14:117.