Science and the Bible. But they differ in epistemology, the way that knowledge is perceived and acquired. They also differ in a very different worldview. Let us see the two sources of differences of Biblical knowledge and scientific knowledge.

It should never be assumed that science and the Bible generally agree. They may at many points because they are both sources of knowledge and understanding of reality as people understand reality. 

Science assumes basically that the only reality that we really know about is that which we can perceive with our physical senses. That which we can prove and test in a laboratory is true reality, science declares. What we can’t prove must be theory or personal belief until we can prove it. It can not be asserted with confidence to be true.

The Bible on the other hand assumes that reality can be perceived by faith. By believing in God, one can know that God is. And by experiencing what can be experienced in our heart or whole person is reality as much as what we can prove in a laboratory. By faith we know a lot of truth so clearly that we base and structure our whole life on it. We do not ignore what we can learn by science, but we believe there is more than can be perceived than in the laboratory by human tools and methods.

Science assumes a world view that does not need any God, as God is not subject to lab testing and not reality in the scientific sense. Regardless of what short fall there is in science such as the origin of matter, God can thus not be a scientific option as he is not a part a part of the scientific world view. He does not exist scientifically, i.e., as he is not ‘testable’ by human tools and predictability. This does not mean that a man can not be a scientist and a believer in God. The scientist predisposed to believe in God may find a need for God to explain what he learns in science, and he may believe in God by the logic of necessity, but not by scientific proof. The believer only believes in God by faith, and his world view assumes there is a God, which is totally logical to him. His worldview is wider than the world of the scientist, as his source of knowledge is larger, incorporating both scientific knowledge and knowledge derived by faith with a God in it.

The Bible was never written as a scientific treatise with modern scientific assumptions. It was written many years pre-science with a world view that assumes there is a God who is part of the whole existence of reality. The Bible is not limited to the knowledge of 20^th century science. It pre-existed modern science. So it does not even care to be consistent with science, since that is such a limited world view. To assume that the Bible and science agree ignores the different worldviews of the two. To assume that inspiration of the Scripture calls for scientific accuracy assumes that the measurements of science are accurate conclusive and that the Bible should agree with a nonbeliever’s assumptions. It was never written to agree with centuries' later assumption of reality. To measure the Bible by science is to measure God and reality by human standards which are contrived by human beings without a consideration and assumption that there is a God. So to ask if the Bible and science agree is to assume falsely that they should or could agree. The question is rather, how could they always agree since they begin with differ assumptions and epistemology and thus certainly will experience and see reality differently?

Science claims a monopoly on truth. That has the only real and valid dependable truth. It assumes that any other “truth” is suspect, and of inferior validity. Science has captured the confidence of American culture and made religion second class and relegated to it subjectivity, or it being only personal belief. Thus religion is judged by science that claims to be the only valid source of truth. Many Christians are also caught up in this secular religion. They have faith in man, and man’s system of belief and reality. Thus unwisely try to harmonize science and the Bible, something totally uncalled for. Why should we judge an historical document by standards set up many years after the Bible was written? The narrower view of reality can’t possibly encompass the wider view of reality portrayed in the Bible. It is like analyzing the scenery of a valley through a keyhole. Its judgments thus are bound to be limited and inaccurate.

The assumption here is that there is more than one source of truth. We have spoken here of science and religion. There is also folklore, and folk understanding of truth. Much modern alternative medicine that trusts food supplements untested by the god of the scientific community may be considered to be civilized folk medicine. There is also the world of demons and spirits that is as real to its adherents as scientific knowledge. Reincarnation is also a source of truth to some. The western world is polarized largely between the science and religion. But there are still strong remnants of superstition that are neither science nor religion. Friday the 13^th just doesn’t pass from Western thought even with all the deification of science. One should likely not lift up any system of thought and knowledge as the only source of truth. The Bible may not even have the scientific answer for cancer or many other problems of society. As heavily as Western society relies on science and somewhat on religion for truth, consideration must be give that there is knowledge that is out side of either science or religion. Telepathy and premonition may exist outside of either two main western epistemologies. Thus we must conclude with the ancient writer who declare that “now we know in part”, but perhaps later we shall know all that needs to be known.      

                                                Intro to Aging Reflections

I suppose by now most readers realize I am no youth but somewhat advanced in life. Recently I read a book, Rich in Years, by Johann C. Arnold, Plough Publishing House, that has helped me to understand more of my feelings about aging as I am experiencing it. Probably the best book I have read on the subject. Then coming onto a number of writings of the past 6 years as I was moving into this stage of life, I considered sharing with my blog audience a bit of what has happened to me. 

Clearly, every stage of life has its emphasis, but in all, it helps to have a kind of humor about our self-consciousness of our current stage of aging. Aging, of course, begins at birth. I suppose we idealize aging in early life and have second thought somewhere after middle age. Clearly a sense of humor is useful in accepting our “Senior Moments” and I am making a collection of my own.

So following are some of my ramblings as I reflected on where I was going the past years. These were written in the context of living in Belize with many visitors at our house daily, both children and youth especially. They do not reflect where I am in the 2+ years since we retired from Belize. I am still finding my way in retirement and need to consider what that means. So when you breeze through these next writings, smile, (and think) because you will go through some real changes in your life if you keep breathing long enough. If you detect some some instability, well, maintaining balance can be a challenge in aging in more ways than one.

                                WHAT IS DIFFERENT BEING SEVENTY?

                                                     (From 50 or 60)

It is more comfortable just sitting and relaxing a lot. I can meditate easily without even a book with me.

I get tired in doing only a few hours of work; I am tired in the early evening, whether or not I worked much.

I am a lot more analytical; my mind is constantly thinking through issues of the past, present or future, or just matters I come across. I wrote an essay recently on whether the Bible and science should be agreeable, for no special reason at all.

I am thinking a bit more of the ultimate future, how idyllic heaven will be in the presence of Jesus, etc. which gives me a slight thrill of the actual reality what will really be, not in some vague future but almost in the measurable and predictable future, not 50- 60 vague years away.

I can see a long distance back, some things very clearly, absolutely distinctly, while who was here this morning or what all I did today, is something of a haze and I could easily not think of some detail of what happened unless reminded.

I have doubts of my mental functioning when I mistake some of the most obvious things, like looking for the right keys when I stand at a door to unlock it; it’s worse when someone else is standing there with me. .

I am not motivated to plunge into tasks that should be reasonable to do, nor can I make long range plans easily, like, if we move, should we build, buy, or rent?

I am more mellow and can give in more easily to another person than I used to. I also do not like to argue even if I am confident I am right.

Probably I am closer to people emotionally than I used to be and persons are also emotionally closer to me and mutually wanting to express it with touch or embrace.

I am no longer consistently a morning person rather than an evening person, but both ends of the night are too short. The days are too long and the nights are too long, breaking up in the middle of either period for a break from wakefulness and sleep, yet still never do the ends meet without tiredness. The complexity of these statements is indicative of the difficulty of explaining this phenomenon. In other words, I am too tired in the evening and too tired in the morning, with often wakefulness at night and sleepiness by day.

After all, I didn’t turn 70 suddenly; I have been working at it for a long time!

                                                   I Live Cautiously

                                             January, 2009 [In Belize]

Perhaps I was over-confident, adventuresome, perhaps even reckless when I wrote “I Live Dangerously” a while ago. Perhaps I have learned a few things about myself since then. Here are some examples of the other side of my life.

1. When I get out of bed at night, I am careful what I step on lest I stumble; I walk carefully toward the door and back to bed, aware not to kneel on her tiny feet as I return to my back side of the bed.
2. When I drive on the road where there is a wash out, or deep water holes, I drive at a snail's pace, almost literally, lest I once more hit bottom and spring a leak on the oil filter or pan and occur unnecessary expense, embarrassment, and work to repair the damage.
3. I hover around the kitchen when youth are cooking for themselves, like frying an egg, so that Loretta does not find something precious food missing later, much to her dismay.
4. I disallow anyone to use the washing machine on Sundays lest we be over busy, especially when Loretta is studying for Sunday school lessons, so they don’t think Sunday is just another day; telling them they should wash school uniforms before the last day before school resumes on Mondays.
5. I relate to women with reserve lest I stir up inappropriate feelings in the hearts of those hungry for love and intimacy.
6. I lock the door to the computer room sometimes so I don’t have to drive out those off the computer when I want to do something on the computer myself.
7. Sometimes I don’t express my temporary opinion to my wife lest it gets refuted before I am really settled on it.
8. When I can see very well why she is in trouble, I may not give her the answer, knowing she wants sympathy rather than my wisdom and hindsight.
9. I am slow to tell her my burdens, problems, or accidents lest it depresses her and then I have one more problem to live with.
10. When visibility is poor on the local roads, I slow down considerably lest I come suddenly on pedestrians or bicycles.
11. When I need to oppose the ideas or desires of a youth who is demanding or short tempered, I procrastinate giving an outright negative answer, perhaps asking a question instead, showing concern, so that he can tolerate my opposition to his desires.
12. I am gentle in telling Loretta about my contentment to live in Belize indefinitely, and identifying with her in those times when I can almost imagine living back there.
13. When a certain girl who has stolen shoes and perhaps other things comes to our house for something, I warn Loretta persistently to keep an eye on her every minute and not let her get out of sight for a second lest she rob us again. I have banned her from this house.

                                                How Bad Will It Be?                                 

This morning the reality came to me that as I get older, I will most likely have more and more freak mishaps that should have been avoidable if I was more careful. It grew from the experience last night when I was driving on a road that I drive every day and I drove in the middle at one point to avoid pedestrians and as it was dark and rainy, where I knew there was a bad bump. For the third time in the last 3 weeks, I hit a bump in which the low van hit bottom in a way that the oil filter was hit and it bent back enough that all the oil escaped out in a less than a minute. (Actually one time Loretta hit one at the same place I did last night and we picked upon the offending stone and this morning we picked up several more road hazards.)  Each time I had to get a filter and 4 quarts of oil that would cost at least $30.00B [15US$] and then get it fixed by a mechanic or do it myself as I have done the two previous times.

Very recently I read that older people, 65 years and up, have one chance out of three to take a fall every year. I took mine several weeks a go when I was on the farm. There was a low ditch beside the road and I set a bucket in the middle of the ditch to step on to avoid getting my feet wet as I crossed over. I had done this before with good success. But when I came back our with a load of oranges or bananas, the bucket tipped over and I sprawled full length with my down side in the shallow water, much to the amusement of the youth with me and I laughed with them. But it was not funny at all this morning when I had to ride several miles in a drizzling rain on a borrowed bike to get that oil filter and oil and then lay down beside the van to rectify my damage to the van last night.

Old people get blamed for being careless dangerous driver as they age. So do teens. The middle aged people claim to be the best drivers. So at some point we become better drivers and then revert so that at one time we have an accident frequency precisely at the rate of teens; then I suppose we sail on dangerously until the license bureau or the police say we can no longer drive, unless we have the sense to quit when it is time or respond to our family’s evaluation of a failing grade. One older friend had us pray that he would just know when he should quit and then the next week he had a slight mishap at a junction and he felt he had his answer. We can hope for wisdom like that when our time comes.

Some people might have all the answers why people get accident prone as they get older and think we are losing something. I was very tired in the evening when I went over that bad bump in the road and I forgot it was there, also not being able to see 20-20 in the dark. As for the bucket, I took a risk like any younger person might and also have a spill. So likely some of our mishaps are as any person might have in similar situations. Perhaps also we may lack judgment at times, or sensitivity because of hearing or sight deficiency. Certainly one hopes one does not have to be senile to have accidents and mishaps. So partly it may also be a stereotype where age is blamed for some mishaps which are common to all before we are really old!

                                            AGING IDEAS

                            What Some Call the Decades of Aging

10 is older than being just a kid.

The 20's are when they think they are old enough for about anything.

30 is too old to be trusted by youth.

40 is over the hill, or when life begins- but what kind of life?

50 is the old age of youth and the youth of old age.

60 is sorta old.

70 is almost old.

80 is old.

90 is real old.

100 is really old.

110 is incredibly old!

120 is older than anyone living today, probably.

                                                 I DO MISS HER*

It is so different when she is gone. There is no one to talk to around here unless a neighbor comes around. What thoughts I have must be kept to myself. Or what joys I have I can’t share. Like glancing out the front door window and I see a rabbit hunched up in the wet grass and he just sits there for period of time. I must wait until she returns, or like when a neighbor brings me pizza and offers to bring soft drink as well. I have to eat it alone. It is different being alone.

I like reading and listening to old music and videos. But when I find an amazing video of the newborn grandson, just 12 hours old; and the beaming mother who is so full of love, joy, and total peace so soon after child birth, I must wait until she come home to share it. When I want to share it with this mother after twenty some years, she also is not there. I must retreat to the lonely house and go about my business.

My first real bout with alone-ness was the first morning after a very restless night being awake a lot with muscular aches and pains like flu or malaria. I am alone to bare my misery. When I get up, I feel just the same with tiredness as well and feel like retreating to the bed where I had no comfort before. How I wish I had someone with whom to share my misery and get some comfort! It is not too bad to sleep alone, while I am sleeping- but to wake up alone when I am miserable, that is something else. I struggled through the day and was releaved by the afternoon. But I was still alone. I called her on the phone and got a little pity, but it was nothing like her presence when I was miserable.

Then there are the little inconveniences, like deciding what to cook and then to eat it alone. The dishes still just sit there this third morning. With that cut on my thumb, I would have a good excuse to have her do them if she was here. Actually I wouldn't even have to have any excuse- she would just do them. But can I wait to have them done till she returns? What a welcome that would be to her! And a confession of my ineptness of living alone. I also then think of what it would be like if I was always alone. I think of persons I know well who have been alone for years. I just can’t imagine being happy that way. Would I get used to it? I doubt it. True, “it is not good for the man to be alone”.

*Reflections when my spouse was away in Ohio for several days, and selected to blogging when she was away volunteering at the BABE store.