Scientifically Challenged 

Our Candid Dialogue, Research Addiction & Steps to Avoid Default Atheism

At the Study of the Origin of Life (ISSOL) conference, my colleague Fazale "Fuz" Rana and I enjoyed many thoughtful conversations with origin-of-life researchers. We discussed their papers and commented on those we'd referenced in our own writing. The conversations went smoothly—for a while. Eventually, we hit a bit of a speed bump when they asked about our own work and heard that we are Christians.

The responses were blunt and revealing. What were Fuz and I doing at the conference? We couldn't be serious scientists, could we? Were we even scientists at all? The origin-of-life researchers expressed their assumption that Christianity stands in opposition to a serious pursuit of science. One biochemist made...