Letter: Faithful should not fear scientic method

Friday, April 7, 2006 | 7:12 a.m.

Regarding Paul Campos' April 6 column, "Religion not subject to scientific method":

Why is it that we allow science to run every aspect of our lives, including health, housing, transportation, food production and so on, yet when we apply science to gain some understanding about a part of human existence that's been with us since we climbed out of the trees, the "faithful" only take offense?

The recent study of 1,800-plus heart surgery patients receiving prayer/no prayer is not only valid and credible, but it also raises some alarming medical questions. If I were a doctor, knowing that my patients will suffer 8 percent more complications if they think they're being prayed for, I would absolutely tell family and friends of those patients that if they're praying to keep it to themselves and not tell their loved one(s).

To respond to Mr. Campos' suggestion that the study should use parrots or computers to "pray for the sick," of course that wouldn't be possible because, unless we program our computers to have knowledge of whatever story our parents told us when we were young, they just don't assume any one of the many, many ancient mythologies we've invented throughout humanity.

This argument is the same one you would see anywhere where people want to teach biblical or Koran or Torah or Zoroastrian stories as if they were real (i.e., creationism vs. scientific data).

The bottom line is this: Science and the scientific method is not a belief, it's based on data, fact and hard evidence, while faith is just that, a belief in something man has invented for ourselves. As a compassionate atheist, I believe we should welcome more scientific studies for all religious beliefs instead of reacting with fear and aggression.

Nathan Henssler, Las Vegas