“Atheists merely follow empirical, observable and provable ideas while the religious go by faith – nothing provable.”

I read this comment on a site link for the book I wrote about yesterday. I’ve heard so much about narrow-minded Christians and to tell you the truth, I am tired, so tired.

It seems considerably more narrow minded to only believe what you can comprehend, what you can see or prove, or what your little mind can put neatly in a box. I’d also want you to understand that there is no such thing as “provable” entirely. Then, I’d venture to take it one step further: I can come closer proving my Lord to you, than you can prove that He doesn’t exist. Now, I will admit that it is significantly more difficult to prove something is not, than to prove it is.

Science supports theories, and almost every theory has an exception or some way the evidence can contradict itself. If you refer to probability statistics to support your theories, you might enjoy reading another one of my favorite books, How to Lie with Statistics. It is logical to believe many statistical probabilities when the margin of error is low and the data is pure. I understand enough about statitstics to know that a t-test that has a p< .001 probability has a very, very low margin of error. However, statistics often are skewed by our imperfect ways of measurement. And they are manufactured by fallible human minds. We unintentionally start with unavoidable prejudices in predicting what we think we will find. We want to believe. There are so many ways science is not provable and thus, becomes flawed, but it is nonetheless valuable to us in many ways.

The sciences have given us many advances and much wonder. I am an enthusiastic advocate of the sciences in all their glory. It astounds me to think we have figured out as much as we have, and the wonder and beauty of it all absolutely mesmerizes me. If you haven’t guessed already, I do not subscribe to the either-or concept of religion and science. They are not mutually exclusive and they are not even separable. I believe they can co-exist and not cancel each other out. I simply understand there is more.

There is so much more at stake by not believing than believing in Christ. Our hearts are set on eternity, and He wants us to ask. “Come, let us reason together,” He says in Isaiah. However you come to Him, you do, or you will. You come to Him because He calls you unto Him. Take Him up on the offer and ask Him. He understands our limitations and doubts. Chuck Swindoll says it so much better than I can here. If you get a chance, listen to his message, “Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Doubt-part 3.” http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Insight_for_Living/archives.asp?bcd=6/14/2007

He will reveal Himself to you mightily. Make sure your eyes are open to the subtleties of His small Voice, and hold on. It’s the wildest journey you’ll ever take into the depth and wonder and purpose of it all.