Art of Science

4/10/116                              Youwen                             about 25

How is it that two people can look at the same evidence and come to different conclusions, especially about matters involving religion and science?  I think it is true that we are often predisposed to believe one way or another depending on their world view before we even consider the evidence.  A scientist who is a naturalist would rule out any possibility of intervention by the supernatural when considering evidence, limiting his evaluation of evidence to what fits within his worldview.  A scientist who is also a Christian understands that God may have intervened, opening the door to possibilities the naturalist scientist would never consider.  Both come with a preset worldview that affects their interpretation of evidence.  But does it always?  

In an outreach conversation at a McDonalds I had the chance to meet Youwen, a graduate level chemistry student whose only exposure to religion has been the ancestor worship of his family back in China.  He sees art in chemistry, in the endless beauty of matter and energy working together, and sees the hand of the Artist.  He has such a profound appreciation for the beauty of God's Creation, even though he knows few details about its Creator, that it gave me hope that not all people "come to the table" of evidence with our minds already made up.  Youwen's positive attitude toward the possibility of God and his desire to hear more was really refreshing, even though his limited English (and my not knowing any Chinese) kept him from a deeper understanding of the Gospel.  Science doesn't have all the answers, and we have every right to reject bad science that leads to false conclusions.  But if we approach it with an open mind to all it might reveal we will see more of how awesome and infinitely creative our Creator really is.