What of those scientists of stature who make ambiguous statements about their feelings on “faith” and science?


Even greats of science on scarce occasion,
Have forgotten training and earlier passion,
Arrived at divine answers for their truth quest
As solution stymied reason, defeated their best.

The archeologist finds relics so old, obscure,
He pins meaning of which he’s quite unsure.
The cosmologist’s far fuzzed telescope,
Triggers nebular Rorschach hope.

The historian’s quest hits a fact-bare wall,
He stitches history into a tale run tall.
The quantum mechanic’s theories rise,
‘Til the measure’s too small for her to size.

The saddest comment on mankind’s state:
If crutch we grasp when logic comes late
To with unerring certainty point to facts,
The truth to calm our critics’ attacks.

We’re tempted, with anything beyond reach,
To label it God—and aid those who preach
And blindly map their empty prescription
To discredit more disciplined description

Of thinking, measuring, testing with vigor
Experiments laid out, followed with rigor,
To find scarce attributes of energy, matter,
Which refine knowledge, discard clatter.

Yes—aid those quoting scripts left behind
By people more ignorant than today we find.
They had no inkling that earth is round—
No clue to physical laws that abound.

They didn’t know orbits with solar center,
Their world was flat, summer and winter,
They wouldn’t tolerate learning new things
Clung hard to superstitions religion brings,
With mantra of physical laws suspended,
On whim, by command, with reality upended.

Even now, captives of miracle and magic
Would be quite funny, were it not so tragic
That a new-age people, with history known,
Could fall for snake oil and call it their own,
Buy it themselves, force children to swallow
Unverified ideas so arbitrary and hollow.

Damage inflicted! How can progeny learn,
False faith installed, physical laws to spurn?
How will they know what the world is about,
If minds’re corrupted within and without?

For all those scientists tempted to
A “faith in ignorance” press release do,
Think again! Your intellect has greater yield —
Go back dear one, find truth in your field,

Bear scientific standard with pride —
Show the world you’ve nothing to hide.
And present next Einstein, perhaps Bell,
The perfect model for learning well.