SCIENCE FINALLY ANSWERS THE MANY "UNANSWERABLE" QUESTIONS OF RELIGION: Is There a God? Is There Free Will? What Is Basis of Altruism? What Is the Purpose of Life? Is Faith Healing Real?

Science in Support of Religion: From the Perspective of a Behavioral Scientist by Alfred A. Barrios, Ph.D. was published in The Online Forum on Religion and Science at www.metanexus.net, May 2002. The paper attempts to bridge the gap between science and religion by presenting logical, rational and verifiable support for various religious phenomena, and providing natural answers to questions that have heretofore relied mostly on super-natural explanations. It suggests that a major rift between science and religion has been that in the past religion has relied on super-natural (beyond the laws of nature) explanations for religious phenomena. However, it points out that this is no longer necessary as there is now sufficient scientific (or natural) support for these phenomena: such phenomena as faith healing, the power of belief or prayer to change lives, exorcism, and overnight ("born again") transformations produced by "religious experiences". Some of the questions answered logically and rationally for the first time include: Is there a God? Is there a heaven and hell? Is Christ (Moses,- Buddha, Mohammed…) God? What is religion? What is belief and its purpose in religion? Is there, and what is the basis of, free will and are some religions fatalistic? Is religion needed? What is the basis of altruism?
What is the purpose of life? Can there be false or dangerous religions? Can some religions be more effective than others and how can we measure this? Is faith healing real? How does prayer work? Is there life everlasting?
Since belief is felt to be a major component of religion, one of the core areas focused on in the paper is understanding the power of belief and how it can indeed playa major role in affecting the mind and body, and in changing lives. B.F.Skinner's and Pavlov's writings on belief are presented in support.
The reality of faith healing is supported by understanding the power of belief to affect the body. Studies on the power of the placebo (belief in the treatment) and the power of hypnosis (a heightened state of belief) to positively affect the body are presented in support. Also in support are many recent studies in the field of psychoneuroimmunology showing the part the mind and therefore belief can play in disease.

However, it is pointed out that belief alone may not be sufficient to sustain any healing taking place. Here an important distinction is made between "belief' and "faith". Faith is defined more as a "guided" belief or belief plus guidance (the second major component of religion). Faith healing would then involve not just a belief in being healed, but also changes in any negative beliefs, attitudes and lifestyle causing or supporting the disease.
Case studies of cancer patients being healed with this guidance-plus-belief approach are presented as possible support for this contention.
Excerpts of this article appear in the May 2002 issue of Metanexus: The Online Forum on Religion and Science at www.metanexus.net. The entire article can be found at the author's website: www.stresscards.com in the Dr. Barrios' Articles section.