NASA image

Shortly after the Mars InSights landing, someone I knew posted on social media how mad she was about her tax money being wasted on such a stupid project. I understand that many people don’t value knowledge for its own sake, so I naively made a few remarks about how scientific research results in economic growth (each dollar spent returning many more to society) because of new technological innovations and supplied a couple of links to reference data and analysis to support my argument. The citation of evidence, “sales pitch” as she labeled it, seemed to make her even more angry. She replied, “Who cares how Mars was formed or about its tectonic activity?”

So I tried to explain that the answer to the missions questions will help use gain an understanding of how all rocky planets are formed and how those life supporting conditions such as an atmosphere and magnetic poles are formed and sustained, that they might be good questions to answer before sending manned missions or further research probes there. Then she asked me how old I thought the Earth was…

Oh boy. A rhetorical question for sure. So I said that’s a bit out of my wheelhouse, but the consensus is that the Earth formed from dust, gas, and stellar debris somewhere around 4.5 billion years ago. I also tried to provide some approximate ages for ocean formation, appearance of photosynthesis, cellular life, and current guesses of the earliest appearance of man. Nope, she said. “The Earth is 6000 years old. The Bible says so.”

Suddenly the futility of the entire Mars landing discussion was obvious. She was not going to be interested in evidence, logic, or reason. She had cloaked herself in the armor of faith, but not in the Faith as I understand it. I wish I could have continued the conversation in person – in a calm and caring manner. But I stepped back. Had I not been a coward, here’s what I’d of said:

God is bigger than you think. Believing in God doesn’t require that you deny science. God doesn’t want us to be blind, he heals the blind. God doesn’t want us to be ignorant, he gave us our senses, our mind, and taught us to share knowledge. God gave us this world so that we could live, learn, and love — not to deceive or tempt us. You don’t think God can exist if science is true? God is way more powerful than you give Him credit for. All things are possible with God.

You have placed you faith in man, not in God. The Bible doesn’t tell us that the Earth is 6000 years old — some man has interpreted it that way. Some man, in his infinite wisdom, has assumed that the Bible in his hand was recorded exactly, translated perfectly, and the he has interpreted it flawlessly in the only manner possible. He knows, without a doubt, that the six “days” of creation were 24 hours long. He absolutely knows that a “year” has always meant what it means to us now. He has guaranteed that Constantine’s scholars winnowed out all the valid books to make the Bible and all the scripture they sought out and destroyed was of no value to God or man. He has determined that his ego is justified in proclaiming an unerring and immutable understanding of scripture and is certain that his arithmetic applies accurately. And, finally, he has declared that anyone who questions his authority is of the devil.

There’s a lot more to the Bible than a genealogical timeline. I’m inferring from the discussion the she believed we should study and learn from scripture. We should use the wisdom there as a guide for making decisions, how to behave, and how to treat others. But don’t skip the lessons about how we are to love, to serve, and to be humble. Don’t forget about not judging others, about how no one knows the time prophetic events will occur. Let’s continue to try to love and help others. That means healing and protecting our planet. And if we don’t appear to be preserving our future here, maybe we need to consider opening the door outward to a place we can try again. I don’t even know if that’s possible, but opening the door to the possibility can be a way to show your love to future generations.

You’ve missed the point of scientific inquiry. The scientific method has been very reliable in the search for truth: systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses. Science encourages questions and challenges. When an error is found, it is addressed by peer review and corrected as well as possible. Sure there are egos involved and change is hard. Some scientists are brilliant, but inhuman. Some are just as greedy as the merchant kings. Sometimes science has been very wrong, but it always seeks correction – it is a search for truth.

You’ve taken some new religious dogma and proclaimed it as faith. Some religious people are enlightened and humble. Some religious people are arrogant and merciless. Some are just greedy. But it’s our job to continually seek spiritual truth and growth. It’s your responsibility to seek out the spiritual community, the church, that enables and encourages you to grow in spirit. I see red flags when I hear “unerring” and “immutable”. That’s a last defense when your argument fails and the evidence is against you. “You know a tree by its fruit.” Denying the obvious and disregarding evidence doesn’t smell right.

Science and theologians are asking the same questions, just in different ways. “Who are we? How did we get here? What are we supposed to be doing with our lives?” The theologian looks for answers in the words recorded by other men. The scientists look for answers in the whole of God’s creation. We are on the same side. God can exist in the search of each. The Bible answers the “why” questions and science the “how”.

But that’s just my opinion. I don’t expect you to believe me. I hope you might listen and consider, but I expect to be questioned and doubted. I don’t have all the answers and I’m often wrong. Let’s keep looking. Let’s continue to care.