Points of Friction

Over at The Bloggernacle Times Clark Goble lays out general sticky points for Mormons in harmonizing science and religion. He plans to elaborate on them in comming weeks and I look forward to reading.

Clark mentioned that cosmology probably has more problems for LDS theology than evolution, but for some reason doesn't generate much controversy. I have some thoughts as to why that is.

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1. I don't know much about current cosmology so I'm ignorant of the conflict. Sure I've heard to the Big Bang, but so what?
2. Physics is daunting to a guy like me. Math is definately not my strength so I just don't comprehend much of physics.
3. The worlds of quantum mechanics and general relativity are very strange. They are nothing like our everyday experience so it is easy for a person like me to brush them off as abstract concepts. (Note: I'm not saying the are not true, just not intuitive thus hard to relate to and take seriously.)
4. I know very little about them, but my understanding is that quantum mechanics and general relativity are incompatible with one another. Obviously in an ultimate sense this cannot be true, but since they cannot yet be harmonized I excuse myself from forming strong opinions.
5. Aside from Joseph Fielding Smith arguing that planets do not go on to destruction but are celestialized, I'm not aware of any general authorities attacking cosmology. Certainly there have not been any book-length treatments. This may be because of points 1-4 above. (Richard G. Scott excepted?)
6. Science fiction such as Star Treck, along with ever-increasing technological sophistication, helps us believe that physics can be used in apparently miraculous ways.