ZME Science recently posed a no doubt burning question. Can a believing Christian be trusted to run the space program? The article comes down on the side of no when it comes to Vice President Mike Pence, slated to head the National Space Council.. At issue are some statements that Pence, a devout Christian, has made about the role of God in the creation of the universe.
‘And God created the heavens and the Earth’
Whenever Pence is asked about evolution, the mechanism by which complex life arose from lower forms, he has a rote response. “God created the heavens and the earth, the seas and all that is in them.” Pence also, when he was a member of Congress, suggested that schools teach “other theories” besides evolution.
To be sure, and this may be the result of lazy journalists because they assume that everyone who believes that God created the heavens and the earth, they must be an evolution denier who thinks that the universe is 6,000 years old and that the Book of Genesis is literally true. In fact, many devout Christians believe that the science of evolution is factual, but that operated under God’s guiding hand. Some hold to this belief on faith, like former President George W. Bush. Others think that it can be proven scientifically under a theory called “intelligent design,” an idea that is dubious at best. Pence could have been referring to intelligent design when he referred to “other theories.”
What other heresies does Pence believe?
The vice president is a climate change skeptic, which seems to torque ZME quite a bit.
However, so are a lot of climate scientists, such as Judith Curry. He also doesn’t believe that smoking kills. This supposition is wrong, of course, though not everyone who smokes will die of tobacco-related diseases, just half as ZME admits citing WHO estimates. Pence also hates gay people (he opposes same-sex marriage) and hates women (he’s against abortion.) Clearly, according to ZME, only a liberal atheist who worships Neil deGrasse Tyson can be allowed anywhere near NASA.
Otherwise, he would likely order the space agency to mount an expedition to find the afterlife or something like that.
How space travel has inspired religious faith
Space travel has inspired awe in many people who have embarked on it, including an enhanced belief in God. Charlie Duke, an Apollo 16 moon walker, compared his walk on the moon with walking with God.
Buzz Aldrin, took communion on the lunar surface after Apollo 11 landed in thanksgiving to He whom he believed allowed him to go there safely. However, the last word of whether someone can be religious and be involved in the space program can be left to the crew of Apollo 8.
