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Some months ago, Ken Ham, a scientist who supports the biblical model of creation, and Bill Nye, an atheist, had a debate on whether religion and science can co-exist. I watched the debate and while I thought both sides presented their views well, I had disagreements, even with Ham.
The main problem I had with the debate is hat neither side considered the idea of compromise. To hear Nye, accepting those who accept Christianity would mean taking us back to the Dark Ages. I strongly disagree. Christianity is still just as relevant today as it has always been.
What Nye and others like him fail to acknowledge is that many scientists throughout history have accepted God and used that to drive their studies. Christianity has played a great role in science’s history. Georges Lemaitre, the physicist who first proposed the Big Bang Theory, was actually a monsignor (high ranking Catholic priest). Interestingly, Nye actually mentioned the Big Bang as part of his side of the debate. Gregor Mendel, the founder of genetics, was a Catholic monk. Louis Pasteur was a Christian, and his name is the root for the word pasteurization. Blaise Pascal was a Catholic mathematician, physicist, and writer (ever heard of Pascal’s Wager?). Nye’s dismissal of Christianity’s place in scientific discovery negates those and all other scientists who believe in God as well. Heck, even Pope Francis has a degree in chemisty.
My point is that science shouldn’t rule out Christianity. God cannot be objectively observed, but let’s not leave him out of the picture altogether.
Aspie Catholic 
Hey Jason!
This is a post I would love to see you revisit because after listening to the debate, I think you missed the whole point of the debate.
Bill Nye’s argument was NOT that Christianity itself was a failure and throwback to the Middle Ages.
His argument was that CREATIONISM was a throwback to Middle Ages beliefs, and dangerous to scientific progress.
I’m sure that you are well aware that Creationism is not Christianity, merely a subset of beliefs certain Christian denominations hold. There are a lot of Christians who do not believe in Creationism.
So with that in mind, a fresh listen to this and a new post would be awesome 🙂
First of all, where have you been? I haven’t seen you in ages! You’re not even on FB anymore. I haven’t been on CAA because I found a Christian group that’s better than them on FB. I tried to get into CAA to give you a PM after I saw this, but my cookies on my ipod were gone. (long story) If you want to talk to me, please email me. It’s the same as before: rocklobsterjwt@gmail.com
Now, anyway, Bill Nye is close-minded. He doesn’t realize that Christians were the first scientists. Newton? Christian. Louis Pasteur? Christian. The Big Bang and the Scientific Method were both invented by Christians. Genetics was started by a Benedictine monk. I was disappointed Ken Ham didn’t bring any of those up.
With the move and other changes in my life, I fell into enough of a depression that I felt unable to reach out and talk to people. It’s something that happens when I really am emotionally affected, unfortunately, and it’s hard for me to rests lush contact afterward.
As far as Bill Nye vs Ham, you’re right that neither would compromise – but as they both believe that they are 100% right, why would they? – but you and I heard very different messages. I never heard Nye say that Christians couldn’t be scientists. I heard him say that CREATIONISTS couldn’t be scientists. Not all Christians are Creationists.
*rests lush = reinstate