In any discussion of creationism versus evolution or science versus spirituality, one assumption is generally made: Anything that cannot be proven scientifically is invalid.
In the study of logic, you learn that to make valid conclusions, you have to base your arguments on premises that are true. The idea that the supernatural does not exist is an unproven assumption, but it is still used in many arguments against God.
Is science the best and only tool we have with which to understand the universe? Science is based on measurable data. It does not take into account emotions, intuition, or responsibilities. Let’s look at the consequences of science’s ignorance of these things.
Because science does not take emotions into account, it cannot tell you whether or not to have another child, marry a certain person, or quit your job to spend more time with your family. Because it disregards intuition, it cannot tell you whether your son or daughter is involved in something bad, or whether you should avoid a dark corner because you can “sense” someone there. Also, it disregards human responsibility. The consequences of this are clear: depleted ozone and nuclear bombs used against human beings. Science cannot tell you, in any situation, what the highest moral good is.
So science fails to help us in some of our most fundamental problems. What do we use for discernment in these areas?
Should we regard the human mind as the best tool for perceiving and judging our surroundings? Can the mind alone determine for us whether God exists? The intellect is flawed. Our brains are finite, and we forget things frequently.
Is there anything else with which we can perceive the universe? Is there some essential part of a human that is not part of the body? Think about this: What is the difference between a dead body and a live body? What is different about the dead body that can never be put right? Why can’t people be restored to life if we just fix their bodies? If our bodies really are “us,” and there is nothing more to us, then we should be able to be fixed like machines and restored to our former life.
We call this part the spirit. The spirit sinks at the sight of a bad deed. It boils at the sight of injustice. It is soothed by the touch or smile of a loved one. By using the mind, emotions, will, and spirit, we are using all our faculties to perceive what is around us. When in the presence of God, the spirit feels happy and content. It is only with the spirit that one can experience God. Using only the mind or emotions falls short and gives an incomplete picture.
Some say we can use Occam’s razor to cut God out of the picture. Simply leave unnecessary factors out of our worldview, and we will have a more accurate picture. Can Occam’s razor be used to completely eliminate the supernatural? Is it a perfect tool? We can demonstrate that Occam’s razor cannot account for everything. For example, by Occam’s razor, we should assume that nobody has ever been framed for a crime. The conspirators are unnecessary. We have somebody to convict, so just leave everyone else out of it.
Occam’s razor cannot be reasonably used with the big bang to
cut God out of the picture. There is no
cosmology that includes a creating factor for the universe that had no
predecessor. (See discussion of The
True Fundamental Question).
Whatever we determine the cause of the universe’s creation, we cannot
use Occam’s razor to rule out whatever came before that.