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WrongAspects t1_j5e90h2 wrote

Reply to comment by lizzolz in Physicist Max Planck on Idealism and the Role of Faith in Science by owlthatissuperb

In those days not believing in God could result in severe punishment including but not limited to being stripped of your position and being ostracised by society.

Today there is no punishment so people don’t feel the profess belief if they don’t have it and what’s more are not afraid to profess they don’t believe.

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lizzolz t1_j5e9sh1 wrote

I don't think this kind of religious persecution existed in the times when these scientists were rising to prominence, and I don't think they were motivated to profess a belief in God out of fear but instead were drawn to things in their studies that, to them, seemed like evidence of intelligent design.

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WrongAspects t1_j5e9zkz wrote

I am sure it did. It was unheard of in society. It simply wasn’t acceptable and you can’t find any major figure from that time that professed to be atheist. Do you think everybody actually believed in God without exception?

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