Rev: "What scientist worth his test tubes and beakers would waste his time researching something if he had no idea of what it is he is looking for. A good theory, like a rational faith must be based on a concept, or an idea, of what could possibly be true."

1. God is not a subject that is subject to scientific investigation. Anyone who says otherwise is selling snake oil.

2. More to the point, the logical error is not in the defining - it's in the logically unjustifiable extension of properties that invariably follows.


Rev: "Nonsense! I object when this kind of spin is put on my words. "

If God is just the sum total of all physical laws (or some variant of that), then why use such a laden term like "god" to describe it.

"This is not what I have in mind when I write GOD--GOD, for me, is not JUST the sum of all things, unless this includes that metaphysical, spiritual, something which interpenetrates and surrounds all things."

Science can't do metaphysical or spiritual. Already you're putting more into your concept of God than what is warranted.


"I am not interested in promoting any one kind of religion."
I didn't say you were promoting any one kind of religion. I hinted that you were promoting "religion" and not "science." Full stop.

"I am calling for ongoing research as to the nature and function of religions, theologies, etc."
There is a branch of science that researches beliefs. It's called psychology. It studies, among other things, why people believe irrational things. However, no branch of science can study what is not a part of nature. Science doesn't do the supernatural. If, as you suggest, god is some spiritual thing, then God is beyond what science can handle. That why we have philosophers - for people who are not satisfied with science.

"If objective research finds that religion is of little or no value"
The question of whether religion has value is entirely different from the question of whether it is scientific or whether it is true.

"--some argue that all religions are evil--I am all in favour of finding out, one way or the other. Let the facts tell us what is socially valuable and useful."
Socially valuable is not the same thing as scientific.