amateurparent wrote:
Science and religion clash constantly. Eventually, science wins. Every time . It is hard to argue with multiple studies and independent research. But before science wins, there is strife and angst and calls for miracles.
This is an idealistic notion of science.
"It is hard to argue with multiple studies and independent research." - No, it's not hard to argue with it. That's what science does. It's constantly arguing with itself, that's how it progresses. However, this idea (common though it is) belies what actually happens in laboratories. Results are "improved" on a regular basis and researchers are put under pressure from corporate/capitalist interests. There is also a kind of bullying orthodoxy in the scientific community which not only works against scientific progress, but would be quite at home in the worst forms of religion. You'd be surprised at the amount of personal insults which are traded between supposedly objective scientists.
"Science and religion clash constantly. Eventually, science wins." - Again, an oversimplification. In one sense, science loses constantly. Witness the huge volume of obsolete theories, some of which had studies and research which supposedly supported them. Science loses all the time, and throws out the old ideas. It's also a human construct, meaning that it comes with all the problems of human society. Also, the fashionable notion that religion and science always contradict each other is one put out there by aggressive militant atheists. It's not quite true either. Western science is biased in a military-industrial direction by economic interests, meaning that some areas of research are underfunded, but others which are detrimental to society (such as more deadly weaponry) are overfunded.
Medication is improving, but as I say, there are numerous problems.
* By largely ignoring external factors in mental health, we take the onus off society and our rulers to improve our environment and our politico-economic system.
* The side effects of a lot of medication continue to be debilitating. Do depressed people want to become fatter? Impotent? Or to have a damaged liver or facial tics? Moreover does someone with depression really want MORE suicidal thoughts? That's what happens with some anti-depressants. Which could be said to defeat the point of them. Do you think any of these side effects make a person happier?
* Societal prejudice about mental illness is still massive.
* Because drug companies are run by the greedy, the pills are frequently overpriced, putting them out of reach of some people.
DASH1730 "An Area Authority...[was] asked...who...would go to the Telestial kingdom. His answer: "murderers, adulterers and a lot of surprised Mormons!"'
1ST PRES 1978 "[LDS] believe...there is truth in many religions and philosophies...good and great religious leaders... have raised the spiritual, moral, and ethical awareness of their people. When we speak of The [LDS] as the only true church...it is...authorized to administer the ordinances...by Jesus Christ... we do not mean... it is the only teacher of truth."