• Question: I don't think this is particularly important to science, but do any of you beleive in god? And do you think its important?

    Asked by SamC to Aaron, David, Elaine, Sarah, Zoe on 11 Nov 2014. This question was also asked by will.r, Eleanor Avon.
    • Photo: David Foley

      David Foley answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      Yes, I have a deep belief in God, as do many scientists. When I look at the natural world, in particular the human body, I cannot be impressed by the stastical miracle that is our existence. I don’t follow any religion, and I’m not sure God actively watches over us, but I believe there is or was something more. You can of course be religious and a scientist, just as any other profession. Equally you can not believe and be a scientist – it does not matter, as you say. Nobody can prove or disprove God’s existence and until such a day comes people’s beliefs are their own. Faith helps people through some really dark times, the placebo effect in drug trials is evidence of the power of the mind – so so long as it does not foster hatred or violence I am all for faith and belief.

    • Photo: Sarah Ashwood

      Sarah Ashwood answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      Personally I don’t believe in God. But I don’t think this has anything to do with being a scientist. I know scientists from all sorts of religious/social backgrounds and the thing that ties us together is an enjoyment in looking at the world around us. As David says, religion can tie directly into science – it doesn’t have to be a competition between the two – as many people believe that the rare circumstances that came about to create life on earth are the result of a “God” as it implies some sort of design. The fact that we exist is the result of a million statistical miracles!
      The idea that science and religion cannot both exist seems strange to me, as one relies on proof and the other is impossible to prove. A scientist cannot prove that there is no god, but then equally we cannot prove that there is one. So who is to say what is right or wrong?

    • Photo: Zoe Roberts

      Zoe Roberts answered on 12 Nov 2014:

      Yes I believe in God, for many reasons including the fact that I can’t put the beauty of creation and the human brain down to just a series of coincidences. I also believe there is something more to life than just living on the treadmill of life. By that I mean going to school, getting a job, getting married, and then getting old etc a cycle every human being follows.

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