Topical Guide/Science and Religion

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Topical Guide

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Mormonism and science

Determining truth

  • Are Mormonism and science compatible?—
    Secular critics charge that Mormonism and science are incompatible, and that any Latter-day Saint who actually believes is "intellectually dishonest." In reality, however, Latter-day Saints in many ways have a more liberal view of science than some of their Christian brethren. We believe that God operates according to certain laws. If there are things that God can do which seem to contradict what we know through current science, we assume that there are scientific laws that are beyond our current understanding. (Link)
  • Faith versus knowledge—
    It is important to keep in mind the difference in purpose between science and the Gospel. The purpose of science is to examine the characteristics of the world around us in order to more fully understand it. A main purpose of the Gospel is to teach us to develop faith. Unfortunately, the acquisition of scientific knowledge is sometimes perceived to destroy faith. The purpose of faith is to help us understand spiritual things, just as science helps us to understand physical things. (Link)
  • Burning in the bosom—
    Critics are known to mockingly refer to the LDS imagery of a "burning in the bosom." While the phrase is used in the LDS community to express the intense feelings of receiving spiritual witnesses, critics claim it is simply the result of an electro-chemical process that occurs in the brain. (Link)

Latter-day Saint approaches to science

  • Archaeology and the Book of Mormon—
    Critics charge that what is known about ancient American archaeology is not consistent with the Book of Mormon account. Sectarian critics often add the claim that the Bible has been "proven" true by archaeology, unlike the Book of Mormon. (Link)
  • Evolution—
    How does the Church reconcile the theory of evolution with the story of Adam? (Link)
  • Pre-Adamites—
    There is scientific evidence of human habitation for many thousands of years. How do we reconcile this with the idea that Adam lived approximately 6,000 years ago? (Link)
  • Death before the Fall—
    Does LDS doctrine hold that there was no death before the Fall of Adam? (Link)
  • Procreation before the Fall—
    Did procreation exist before the Fall of Adam? (Link)
  • Global or local Flood—
    How do we deal with the fact that there is no scientific evidence of a worldwide flood? How can the scriptures and prophets teach of a worldwide flood, when this contradicts the evidence? The biodiversity of plants and animals on the earth could not have occurred within the span of a few thousand years. Did the continents separate during the flood of Noah? Doctrine and Covenants 133:23–24 seems to imply that they did. How do we reconcile this to scientific fact? Didn't Brigham Young, John Taylor and Orson Pratt teach that the Flood was the baptism of the Earth? (Link)
  • Age of the Earth—
    Do Latter-day Saints believe that the Earth is only 6,000 years old? Why does Doctrine and Covenants section 77 say that the history of the earth covers only seven thousand years? (Link)
  • Dinosaurs—
    How do dinosaurs fit into God's plan? (Link)
  • Book of Mormon and DNA evidence (Link)
  • Free will and science (Link)
  • Alleged "discovery" of cold fusion by Utah researchers—
    Critics claim that the mistaken "discovery" of cold fusion in Utah reflects on either LDS gullibility, inability to do science, or dishonesty. (Link)

Science and LDS scripture

Latter-day Saint attitude toward science

Church leaders' statements related to science


FAIR Articles

  • FAIR Topical Guide: Science and Religion FAIR link

Videos

The Children of Lehi: DNA and the Book of Mormon, D. Jeffrey Meldrum and Trent D. Stephens, 2003 FAIR Conference
The Fallacy of Fundamentalist Assumptions, Blake Ostler, 2005 FAIR Conference

External Articles

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