Rabbit Trails

Good Time at the Drive In

Edison recaps the morning activities on the car drive. He tells the whole story while staring at how the rain drops run over the windows and merge into larger and larger paths.

Once a chocolate shake was in my hand, I ask Dad, “Is there a conflict between science and religion? An article seemed to think so.”
“Yes and no. It depends on what religion you compare science. As for me, I find the bible to compliment science. I have never seen a contradiction,” he says. Dad starts to smile as he says, “Your Grandad was a smart man. When he saw my deep interest in science, he would point out things in the Bible that he thought I would like. He explained how the Creator of the Universe created mass, gravity, light and pointed it out in the book of Genesis. In the book of Leviticus, I like the laws that tell how to stay healthy. God wanted to help his people stay healthy when they did not have the things we have today to understand why.”
“Like how, Dad?” I ask.
“There is a lot. My dad, really knew the scripture well... Clearly, there were no microscopes invented in the days of Leviticus. First, even though they could not see germs, God told them to use running water. How many times do they tell you at school to wash your hands well with soap and water?”
“Lots! I get bored washing my hands so much,” I reply.
“Furthermore, there are laws like: don’t drink stagnant water and don’t eat old meat.”
“Ewe!”
“Yes, ewe, but some of the other types of people did,” he comments.
“Super ewe!”
“Okay, here is a different one. I know how you hate not going to movies and swimming in the summer so you do not get sick, right?”
“Yeah,” I say.
“Well, the bible established what we call medical quarantine,” he says amused that scripture relates to his day job.
Dad continues, “The Bible is not a typical science book, but nothing has ever been proven wrong. So for the skeptical scientists that think that ‘there is no God because you can’t prove it’, should be thinking about trying to DIS-prove it.”
Edison took a moment to think and replies, “I guess scientists can have a hard time because science learns through testing and failing until things do work. It is hard to test what already works.”
“That is very true too,” he pauses, happy to see his son clearly thinking.