[Radarlove]

Jack,

As you seem one of the few moderate atheists on this board I will respond to your post. I am presuming you mean Ben 'science kills people' Stein? A book I haven't read.

"if believers in NDEs can supply testable, credible evidence, we can use science to verify their claims."

My point all along about the NDE is: there is evidence; lots of evidence; sufficient evidence to sink a small aircraft carrier. Go to Davedes recent post. Click on the links; read the information. This is a tiny, tiny fraction of what is out there. A growing number of scientists and doctors are now taking the subject seriously.

But often, when science decides to disagree with an idea because it doesn't fit into their own scientific model, it will merely say, "Where is the evidence? There is not enough evidence." In a nutshell, there is never enough evidence, if science disagrees. So, it then becomes a catch 22.

"But scientists have no reason to ignore evidence presented.."

Research the recent anti-depressant scandal. The pharmaceutical sector has many cases where evidence has been twisted or ignored to fit a financial agenda. Science can be corrupted like anything else. The field is not a Saint.

In some areas science can become a mercenary to the highest bidder. "We will fit the evidence to fit the bill." This is occurring now within the global warming "billion dollar market" where scientists are being paid large sums of money to come up with evidence to fit the self interests of politicians and commerce.

"It has no agenda to support."

I obviously disagree with you. :o)

But science is not all bad. At times, it's extraordinary and dazzling. It has vastly improved the standard of living in the West. The advances in communication during the last 30 years has been incredible. But, like religion, science is fundamentally about gaining power over the people.