Church airs ads targeting scientists

Church airs ads targeting scientists

www.religionandspirituality.com

Hoping to mend a millennium-old feud between religion and science, the United Church of Christ launched a new web-based advertising campaign geared toward the scientific and technological communities. The UCC purchased ads on more than 30 popular science-oriented blogs during February to promote a pro-science, pro-faith message, UCC News Service reported Tuesday.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Could this be a step in a logical direction for religion and science? Or is this amounting to something that will just be considered a waste of time and money. I do not know much about the UCC, but I have to say, at least they are trying. I guess it will depend on how these ads turn out. If they are all religious based opinions, they may not be accepted very well. But if they can try and make an unbiased commentary, it may produce some great combinations of thought on many issues. I will include a link to the statement made by the UCC big wig. Pretty groundbreaking IMO.

www.religionandspirituality.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

This is a snippet from the statement of the UCC pastor.

Not Mutually Exclusive

On Jan. 29, the Rev. John H. Thomas, the UCC's general minister and president, released a groundbreaking theological statement, "A New Voice Arising: A Pastoral Letter on Faith Engaging Science and Technology," which speaks a new prophetic word about the millenniums-old feud between religion and science. We want to make clear the UCC's belief that science and religion are not mutually exclusive, and we extend our unequivocal welcome to persons who devote their lives to scientific inquiry, no matter the discipline. We are a thoughtful, thinking church.

Not mutually Exclusive

[edit on 2/1/2008 by palehorse23]

I have no idea if it will do any good or not.

Though I do appluad the U.C.C. for taking this steps. Having been raised in a U.C.C. it always was more open then other's in my eyes anyway. Having said that, my entire family, myself excluded since I choose a different path in my teens, left the church that they were members of due to this same exact forward thinking, when they, the U.C.C. were accepting of homosexual couples. They just up and left. So, this may have the same effect. It may get them new members but they inturn my lose old one.

reply to post by bobafett1972


Good point. I guess that is a chance you take when introducing a "new way of thinking" into any organized group that has a solid base of beliefs. I do see a problem when you change and add new ways of thinking into a religion. It is like you are doing it just to keep up with the times. But, all in all, I have to admit that I applaud them for their efforts as well as it is widely known that I am not religious at all.

Good for them!

Historically speaking, religion applauded science as a way to explain God's world.
I think the current perception of religion as anti-science was helped by the ascendancy of the "third leg" of the Republican Party "stool" in the late 1970's (the other two legs being economic and military). With the rise of Jerry Falwell etal to the highest levels of Republican politics, creationism , for example, was attached to Republican conservative values. Scientists became "godless". Global warming a "myth".

Jeez, I studied at a Christian school in the 1970's and no one debated
evolution.

This latest schism was created by a subset of religions, which obtained great influence through its alignment with the power of politics. Religion used its derivative political power to drive a wedge between science and religion, to the point where government could complain about "junk science" as justification for whatever program it didn't like.

reply to post by desert


Would you agree that Pat Robertson has played a more recent significant role? I would say he has had some influence as well.

What do you get when you mix science with this?
www.liveleak.com...
I truly hope I'm not around to find out!!!

reply to post by palehorse23



Definitely! He's in the "etal"

Ronald Reagan's election ushered in some mighty interesting religious characters. It was a time of "born again" voters as well as "born again" Christians. Religion fit the Republican political view (perfected under Bush) of the world filled with either good or evil, whether dictators or political rivals or fellow citizens.

Church and White House, Church and White House, ...can't have one without the other...(paraphrased from an old song)

Oops, a little off topic and off key, but, yes, it was these types of "good old time" "good ole" religion boys, who helped spread anti-science beliefs along with voting guides. This paralyzing type of "good vs evil", "with us or agin us" certainty doesn't foster scientific thinking, let alone national debate.

reply to post by desert

This paralyzing type of "good vs evil", "with us or agin us" certainty doesn't foster scientific thinking, let alone national debate.

Unfortunately you are dead right. We as a people have seemed to steer away from the important issues and concentrated on we are right and you are wrong. Sad state we live in. Hopefully in this election people realize what really needs to happen to make this country strong again.