Do astronomers believe in god? Are all astronomers/scientists atheists?
RESPONSE A: Some do…some don’t. However, even those astronomers who do believe in a deity of some sort, believe the evidence is overwhelming that the earth is old, and that it was formed nearly 4.5 billion years ago. They also believe the evidence shows that the universe was formed nearly 14 billion years ago. Since the bible is not a science book, astronomers do not use it as a scientific guide. They use the scientific method. (If they push further, I might even mention the paraphrase of Galileo’s remarks to the Grand Duchess: “The bible tells you how to go to heaven…not how the heavens go”.) (MC) RESPONSE C: Most recent polls find that the number of atheists among scientists is greater than in the general population. However, it would be incorrect to label the majority of scientists as atheists. A 1998 survey of scientists in the National Academy of Sciences did indeed find that just 7% of scientists claim belief in a god, while 21% percent have some doubt and 72% are atheists.(1
