Re: [asa] God disproven by science?

Hah, I gotta add one more point before running off to bed. There is a power relationship between researcher and research subject that is built into the research. The former has all the power and sits in judgment of the subject. How much theological sense does it make to believe that God would become a research subject (which is what the prayer studies really boil down to)?

  Hi Moorad,

  Bellhop is good. I was thinking that such experiments demonstrate God is not a Magic Genie. Or, that God doesn't participate in experiments as a subject. In fact, in what way are such experiments different from demanding a sign?

  Mike
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Alexanian, Moorad
    To: Henry Kort ; Dehler, Bernie
    Cc: asa@calvin.edu
    Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 10:57 AM
    Subject: RE: [asa] God disproven by science?

    Prayer is more acknowledging that God is; rather than treating God as a bellhop ready to answer all our requests.

    Moorad

    From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On Behalf Of Henry Kort
    Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 10:42 AM
    To: Dehler, Bernie
    Cc: asa@calvin.edu
    Subject: Re: [asa] God disproven by science?

    The question speaks to the "problem of pain". Intercessory prayer on behalf of the ill may very well be answered on every occasion when those persons involved are sincere Christians. However the answer may not manifest as physical healing. The answer to intercessory prayer could very well be one of spiritual healing or growth in many cases. Testing in a scientific manner for supernatural intervention by looking only for physical healing is a dead end. God would not anwer such prayer only by providing or witholding healing of the physical body.

    Henry

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: "Dehler, Bernie" <bernie.dehler@intel.com>
    Cc: "asa@calvin.edu" <asa@calvin.edu>
    Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 2:55:14 PM
    Subject: [asa] God disproven by science?

    At my next meeting an atheist (former Christian) will try to explain why the Christian God (not deism) can be disproved. His main argument is that if such a God really existed, we'd see the marks in real life, but there is no detectable supernatural intervention. For example, studies show that prayer has no effect on healing what-so-ever (any study to the contrary is scientifically flawed, he says).

    And short comments to that (no essays please)?

    The flip-side I see is that if there was scientific evidence for God, then it would no longer be a matter of faith. So there's no way you can have both faith and science, unless science is unable to test the hypothesis. If the hypothesis is that God answers prayer, the claim is that the statement can be scientifically proven false through studies.

    RE:

    http://www.meetup.com/sciligion/calendar/9503424/

    I suppose there‘s the argument for changed lives- by the power of God. But still- what about prayer for healing?

    RE:
    (James 5:15 ISV) And the prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

    ...Bernie

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Received on Thu Apr 23 00:00:44 2009