This is my exploration of Religious Thought Through the Lens of Scientific Curiosity
As you know, throughout history, humanity has sought answers to life’s deepest questions — where we come from, why we exist, and what might lie beyond what we can observe.
As a person who identifies himself as a spiritual agnostic, I have long been fascinated by these questions. I do not claim to have the answers, nor do I fully commit to any single religious framework. Yet, I hold deep respect for all faith traditions and the people who find meaning in them.
Over the years, I have taken the time to read various sacred texts — the Bible, the Quran, the Torah, Buddhist teachings, and other Eastern religions — not to adopt their doctrines, but to broaden my understanding of how human beings across cultures have wrestled with existence, morality, and the unknown.
These readings have enriched my thinking, offering insights that philosophy and science alone often cannot provide. I wrote a story about them in 2023:
Why I, an Agnostic Scientist, Enjoy Reading the Bible and Other Holy Scriptures
Regardless of their personal beliefs or religious affiliations, scientists might benefit from reading holy scriptsmedium.com
Among these traditions, I have observed that some engage more directly with philosophical reasoning and scientific curiosity. Christianity, for example, has a long intellectual heritage, producing thinkers like Thomas Aquinas, whose arguments about causality and morality continue to shape philosophical debate.
Its historical encouragement of scientific exploration — especially through the founding of universities — demonstrates how faith and inquiry have not always been in conflict.
Islam, too, contributed significantly to human knowledge through scholars like Ibn Sina and Al-Ghazali during the Islamic Golden Age. Their works in mathematics, astronomy, and medicine laid foundations that still influence science today. The Quran’s invitation to reflect on the natural world as a sign of divine wisdom resonates with anyone drawn to the beauty of discovery.
Buddhism takes a different path, focusing on the mind, consciousness, and the nature of suffering — topics that modern cognitive science continues to explore. Its methods of meditation and experiential testing have even inspired scientific studies on mental health and brain function.
Judaism, with its deep tradition of legal and ethical reasoning, has also shaped philosophical thought through centuries of structured debate and interpretation, especially in the works of scholars like Maimonides.
As a retired scientist and a spiritual agnostic, while I find these intellectual traditions meaningful, I do not follow religious rules rigidly. Many of these rules, in my view, reflect the historical and cultural conditions in which they were written — conditions that have changed dramatically over time.
I recognize that interpretation plays a major role in how these teachings are applied, and not all interpretations hold up to modern ethical or scientific scrutiny.
What I have come to appreciate most is the value of open-minded exploration, whether through science, philosophy, or theology.
While I remain uncertain about the existence of a higher power, I continue to engage with these traditions, not as absolute truths to be blindly followed, but as rich sources of human insight.
They remind me that while science helps us understand how the world works, it does not always answer why we seek meaning in the first place.
That search, I believe, is one we all share , regardless of what we believe.
Thank you for reading my story. I’d love to read your thoughts.
For those who don’t know me yet, I am a retired health scientist and healthcare consultant in my mid-70s, and I have several grandkids who keep me going and inspire me to write on this platform. I am also the chief editor of the Health and Science publication on Medium.com. I invite you to subscribe to my publication on Substack. I offer scientific and health insights in simple terms.
As a giveback activity, I volunteered as an editor for Illumination publications, supporting many new writers. I will be happy to read, publish, and promote your stories. You may connect with me on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Quora, where I share stories I read. I also blog in the community section of digitalmehmet content ecosystem.
You may subscribe to my account to get my stories in your inbox when I post. You can also find my distilled content on Substack: Health Science Research By Dr Mike Broadly.
If you are interested in being a writer for my Health and Science publication on Medium, you can send your Medium ID via our writer registration portal here.
Lessons Learned from My Personal Stories
Thank you for subscribing my health science research newsletter on Substack.
Leave a Reply