Why Science and religious faith are in conflict.

[Mermaid]

I work with some of the most talented and brilliant scientists in the world, many of whom are religious. Some of them are verrrrrry religious. I don't think it's about intelligence or denial, it's about the ability to rationalize things. I certainly can't do it, but apparently a lot of people can, and people who are smarter than I am.

True, but a deeper inspection shows a lot of hypocrisy in this area.  A lot of scientists are "doing it" to please a spouse, usually, a wife, but often times a husband as well.  As for someone like Dr. Francis Collins, he was raised in a religious home, attended church, etc., but claimed that he became an atheist.  Probably true, but then he did a residency and watched a patient of his (probably, a little child) die and then he "snapped" and "got religion".  And, now, he is making a ton of money off it, plus pleasing his spouse, and, he gets to have a plush job in Washington as one of the Evangelical's "golden boys".  But, and this is just a hypothesis, maybe Francis feels that he deserves a Nobel and Jesus helps him cope with not having one.

Oh, these people are irrevocably religious. My former boss is one of the most published and respected in his field, and he went to seminary school before he got his doctorate. He's an evangelical Christian through and through. Scary as fuck. The kind whose wife doesn't wear pants or work.