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Since scientists are so interested in taxonomies, the on-line science-religion Matrix has the potential to open minds on both sides of the science vs. religion aisle. At the same time, since biologists face significant issues in their cataloging of life, and since the religious tend to honor and respect life, maybe volunteering by the religious at a local university to help in the cataloging process, while at the same time to learning more details about God's wonderful creations, could build new bridges across the divide between science and religion.
The relationship between western religion and biology is grounded in the story of Adam and Eve. In Genesis 3:17-19 we read:
| "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
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There are significant amounts of data, information, knowledge, and wisdom compacted in the first few verses and chapters of Genesis. This information is necessarily general, as it was originally presented to poor nomadic shepherds who lived in a harsh desert environment. There is no question about the intelligence of these folks, as we can see archaeological artifacts which are still a marvel today. However, these folks had no basis for understanding a unified theory of physics, global tectonics, depositional processes, salt tectonics, DNA replication, or any of the thousands of other scientific insights humanity has come to accept as basic scientific building blocks of the universe over the last 250 years; or at least since the Swedish father of modern taxonomy, Carolus Linneaus, was enhancing his ideas for a biological taxonomy. It is interesting Dr. Linnaues liked to say "Deus creavit, Linnaues disposuit," Latin for, "God created, Linnaues organized."3.178
Regarding biological systems, the above two quoted verses teach us there were thorns and thistle and herbs and bread for Adam and Eve to interact with (to act upon), when they left the Garden of Eden.
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paradoxes