Changes

[[Atheism|Atheist]] apologists point out that a survey found that 93 percent of the members of the National Academy of Sciences do not believe in a personal God.<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?}</ref>

[[Atheism|Atheist]] apologists point out that a survey found that 93 percent of the members of the National Academy of Sciences do not believe in a personal God.<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?}</ref>

 

However, they fail to point out:

However, they fail to point out:

'''1.'''  Randal Rauser indicates:  

'''1.'''  Randal Rauser indicates:  

((Cquote|The study never asked about belief in God in general, but about belief in a very personal God who answers prayers and communicates actively and effectively with people. In other words, respondents didn’t comment on    God in general, just this specific formulation of a very personal God. The    questions would likely put many deists, as well as theists who tend to doubt people’s reports of God communicating directly with them, in the category of unbeliever...

{{cquote|The study never asked about belief in God in general, but about belief in a very personal God who answers prayers and communicates actively and effectively with people. In other words, respondents didn’t comment on    God in general, just this specific formulation of a very personal God. The    questions would likely put many deists, as well as theists who tend to doubt people’s reports of God communicating directly with them, in the category of unbeliever...

The questions were worded poorly.6 So much so, that Eugenie C. Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education, examined the study and concluded that the questions were so poorly worded  that that the survey was “not well designed for investigating the religious views of scientists (or anyone else).<ref>[http://randalrauser.com/2013/06/are-top-scientists-overwhelmingly-atheists/ Are Top Scientists Overwhelmingly Atheists?] by Randal Rauser</ref>}}

The questions were worded poorly.6 So much so, that Eugenie C. Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education, examined the study and concluded that the questions were so poorly worded  that that the survey was “not well designed for investigating the religious views of scientists (or anyone else).<ref>[http://randalrauser.com/2013/06/are-top-scientists-overwhelmingly-atheists/ Are Top Scientists Overwhelmingly Atheists?] by Randal Rauser</ref>}}

 

'''2.''' The existence of God is a [[Philosophy|philosophical]] question and not [[science|scientific]] question since God is supernatural and thus outside of nature.  And the majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the [[Arguments for the existence of God|existence of God]], are [[theism|theists]] (72 percent).<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?]</ref>

'''2.''' The existence of God is a [[Philosophy|philosophical]] question and not [[science|scientific]] question since God is supernatural and thus outside of nature.  And the majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the [[Arguments for the existence of God|existence of God]], are [[theism|theists]] (72 percent).<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?]</ref>