The God Gene

The cover story of TIME magazine this week is called "The God Gene". There's a study out that indicates that we may be born with a gene that determines whether or not we will be religious or believe in some higher being.

Hey - sounds like the scientific proof for predestination! :)

Of course, the gene doesn't tell you what to believe... and interestingly enough, the same "scientist" has not found any evidence that there is a homosexuality gene.

Wait - hasn't anyone figured out that science and religion don't go together? Science is about proof and facts - God is about faith and mystery.

Makes me think of the controversial Michael Polanyi Center at my alma mater Baylor University. This center was quietly established a few years ago to study creationism or "the intelligent design of nature". When the faculty (especially some of my friends) found out, they obviously questioned the reputation of Baylor as a university, but many were afraid to speak out in fear of the administration. Gotta love the warm Christian atmosphere that exists at this fine Baptist university.

I'm not saying that I think that science contradicts religion - just that science should not be used to try to "prove" the existence of God, or that God created our universe, or that Noah's Ark really happened. We cannot prove these things - we can just believe or even wonder or doubt and embrace the mysteriousness of it all.