By Lisa Quintana
Why should Christians care about what secular scientists think? They don’t have any fear of God and they despise His wisdom and instruction as laid out in the Bible. We should believe what we want, and let the scientists believe what they want, right?
Wrong.
These people have influential positions in our universities and often pioneer ethical decisions involving the teaching of morals. They also help make policy decisions in government that could affect not only us but also our children.
One such influential voice is that of Daniel Dennett, an atheist philosopher and cognitive scientist. He’s gone so far as to suggest that children should be given a test designed to help them find a worldview which suits them best – apart from their parents’ influence and views. He claims children should not to be “indoctrinated or brainwashed” into their parents’ religion.[1] This is a frightening proposal that any concerned parent should reject! Yet, if Christians fail to defend their worldview, more freedoms that we’ve previously taken for granted could be stripped from us.
Secular culture claims that wisdom is found in science via scientists. But science can only tell us about material things: what they are, how they operate and the functions they serve within our environment. Science has no way of telling us what to do with those things. For that kind of knowledge, we need to look to other ways of obtaining knowledge like philosophy and yes, religion, because these disciplines address the “oughtness” of life—why ought we care for one another, as an example. Science is great for discovering things and making cool technologies and such, but it can never tell us how to treat those things and the moral guidelines for doing so.
Godly people know that wisdom is found first and foremost in respecting our Creator. God should be feared. This is not a reference to cowering fear of punishment (although He certainly has the capability to punish us), but one based in a deep respect and awe of who God is. He is the most perfect Being! There is no higher Being, no better way, and no truer love than that of Christ Jesus. So, stand firm in the faith, knowing it’s true, evidentially-based, and provides the message of hope. Christians need to communicate this hope to a world rapidly falling into hopelessness.
God is wisdom. Let us devote our lives to learning about Him, and sharing Jesus out of a love for our fellow man. Science is great for many things, but we need God’s guidelines to tell us what we ought to do with such things.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
[1] Daniel C. Dennett, Breaking the Spell, London, England: Viking, 2006.