Didn't Einstein once say that science & religion stem from the same tree? The earth is billions of years old, although we learned recently that it's much older than we thought. The whole "thousand years old" thing probably just has to do with Adam coming into the world. Even then there were civilizations long prior, such as Sumer. Some argue that such ancient civilizations might have been populated with extraterrestrial lifeforms, or even "ancient astronauts". There's even an example of a possible ancient astronaut documented in the Tanakh (often known as the Old Testament to us Christians), specifically in the story about Ezekiel, one "Ezekiel's Wheel", which some claim was an extraterrestrial ship that came from a vision he had.....though there's a claim that his visions may have been drug-induced. The problem is that the Tanakh has a ton of grey spots. Plus, people didn't know measurements, such as time measurement, like we do now. We don't know how long those seven days lasted, the seven days in which the world was created. Those seven days couldn't have lasted 24 hours each. Then long after Creation, before the story of Noah's Ark, there's stories about a race of giants that roamed the earth (the surface of Earth, that is), a story about the "Sons of God", "Daughters of Men", and subsequently the Nephilim (the offspring of the Sons of God & Daughters of Men). There is no precise measurement of time during or inbetween these events, or the other events further described in the Tanakh. My mom has also told me that scientists more and more are agreeing that there might just be some higher power, possibly God, who is responsible for a lot of things that can't be yet explained by science. Though, still, science is a very nice field of study, and I'd be stupid to deny what good science can offer to us (biotech, nanotech, [url=http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20140715/NEWS04/307150068/Marine-paralyzed-by-sniper-s-bullet-walks-use-exoskeleton]things like this[/url], etc). But I believe that there are things in life that can't be properly explained, because in life, anything is possible. Just because something is unrealistic doesn't mean it's impossible. Though that's not to say that the unexplainable is always the work of God. In fact, I don't think people in this day and age could have the capacity to speak of what God wants in us....except maybe the Pope, but the reality is that a Pope is elected by people in the Vatican. I guess I don't understand how people find it necessary to be one-or-the-other when it comes to science & religion. Both can work hand in hand.....but, then again, that's just my outlook. Maybe it all depends on a person's preference. I, on the other hand, am probably just nonchalant, refusing to be fanatical about either side. [b][u]TL;DR[/u][/b] I voted Yes.

Given that most religion consists of scenarios where matter is created and destroyed (wine). There are conflicts.

[quote]Faith-based religion conflicts with the scientific method, as religion skips/ignores steps in the scientific method.[/quote] A lot of things we do don't follow the scientific method; are they invalidated? However, I would argue that much of theological study follows the scientific method, such as determining through archaeology and linguistics when certain documents were made and whether they correlate with the surrounding evidence. People like to think that religion is just a bunch of low-IQ people blindly doing what they're told when sitting dumbly in pews every Sunday; that everything is assumed to be true and that there is no objective study done. There certainly are many people that don't put much effort into understanding the historical and anthropological evidence of their faith, but there are also many people that put the same amount of effort into understanding the proofs of math, who just use it without really knowing why. Faith is a relationship, not an experiment. When your wife tells you she loves you, I'd be willing to bet you don't make a null hypothesis "my wife loves me", then conduct a series of tests, involving analysis of the chemistry of her brain and studying her behavior, to verify it. You just know that based on your experience with her it's true. You've got faith that your wife loves you. It's a crude metaphor, but it works.

I'm just going to come out and say it, I'm really starting to think this is a troll thread. It seems like the OP isn't really looking for real discussion and is just looking to be malicious to people of faith. It's a shame really, because the content had potential. I think if people start muting and reporting trolls like this, the community would actually be decent. Because until people start muting and reporting, the moderation team won't take action.

lol this thread Honestly this really just proves the epitome of religious immaturity and the inability to engage in civil discussion or withstand criticism from opposing viewpoints. If a thread like this really offends you religious folk, then christ almighty why are you even on the Internet. Perhaps the religion you adhere to isn't as grounded in reality as you previously thought if different ideas and thought processes distress you to such a degree. There's honestly nothing indicative of Max intentionally trolling, and crying "bait" and "troll thread" left right and center isn't magically going to change that fact. So yeah, go cry to your despotic sky fairy and let the big boys debate please.

Science doesn't allow people to discover their own moral compass...

Science answers the question "How?" while religion answers the question, "Why?"

What one has to understand is that the book of Genesis was first handed down verbally through the generations. Remember the "telephone" game when you were a kid? Furthermore, in the book of Deuteronomy it states that a day in the eyes of God is the same as 1000 years in the eyes of man. We're talking about primitive man who had next to no working knowledge of math. 1000 was used to signify a great many. So really, creation took 6 great manys (sp?). tl;dr - What if God created through the Big Bang (let there be light) so that we could evolve through intelligent design?

This thread still going?

Is science even compatible with itself?

Science (when done right) proves the Genesis account of creation and the power of God's spoken word.

No, religion is believing in something that we have no proof of. Science needs evidence for it to be science.

WITH MANY THINGS RELIGION DOESN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WAY SCIENCE SAYS IT WORKS. LIKE ELECTRICITY. TO CHRISTIANS, GOD PUT IN PLACE A SYSTEM. TO ATHEISTS, THERE IS A SYSTEM.