Admitting You're a Sinner

[Fake Messiah]

The theologians Jeffrey Robbins and Christopher Rodkey ... Jonathan Sacks

Oh no! Religious people are against atheism! Equating it with suicide bombings, anti gay marches and so on. Where did I hear that before?! You really got us. They're also against themselves cuz some are Christians and one is a rabbi. I mean SteveII maybe you should first talk to Sacks why he thinks Jesus is bullshit before you quote him.

And when it comes to some legit scientists trying to merge science and religion it always fails. I mean just look at Steven Gould and his NOMA. calling for thoughtful dialogue between religion and science-not to unite them, but to encourage greater harmony and mutual understanding. He urged that we must realize his vision by structuring science and religion in a way that would allow their peaceful coexistence. He thus saw NOMA as “the potential harmony through difference of science and religion, both properly conceived and limited.”
But already word "properly" is the red flag here. Imagining "proper" science is easy - the vast majority of scientists are happy to pursue their calling as an entirely naturalistic enterprise. But what is "proper" religion? It was, to Gould, religion that does not overlap with science.
Which is impossible because religions worldwide often stray into scientific territory, sometimes with tragic results. How many have died, even in the last few decades, because an infection is regarded as simply spiritual malaise? Religion encompasses beliefs that help people make sense of personal reality, even when those beliefs overlap with science. By casting himself as the arbiter of "proper" religion, Gould simply redefined terms to satisfy his utopian vision.

Even Gould was aware of this because he later wrote: "Religion just can’t be equated with Genesis literalism, the miracle of the liquefying blood of Saint Januarius . . . or the Bible codes of kabbalah and modern media hype. If these colleagues wish to fight superstition, irrationalism, philistinism, ignorance, dogma, and a host of other insults to the human intellect (often politically converted into dangerous tools of murder and oppression as well), then God bless them—but don’t call this enemy 'religion.'"

Sometimes scientists want to make peace with science and religion not because there's any truth in religion but they get subjective because they want to acknowledge people that are close to them but are religions, like in many cases it's their parents. Like you can see with Gould he wanted to do something but it made no sense, because religion makes no sense even among religious people.