How can we make religion and science come together to benefit society?

Question

In the West, many scientists are deeply religious men, some even priests. On the other hand in the East, science is an integral part of religion.

Most religions promote hygiene, education and the betterment of humanity as a whole. While Science strives to prevent diseases, improve living conditions and make life easier. They both have the same goals though their paths may vary. Why then do they go out of their way to disprove each other rather than work in cohesion keeping aside their beliefs?

How can we then bring the two together and save humanity a lot of unnecessary strife?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I think that the essential ingredient in this process is nothing but MUTUAL RESPECT.While science tends to desensitize human issues that may require a value judgement which more often than not religion provides, religion tends to use fear as an instrument of compliance, team this up with superstition, and socially regressive practices carried on in the name pf 'parampara' or 'tradition' (especially in our country) and what you get is a recipe for disaster and the obliteration of peaceful coexistence (which forms the foundation for society).Both institutions (if you may call them so) require a responsible and balanced use of the power relegated to them. However it is necessary to note that the power dynamic in both these areas is vastly different. The power differential between the erudite scientists and the general public that accept their findings as the result of logical deductions made by competent and qualified persons is much greater than that which exists between religious leaders and their followers. The reason for this is that these leaders (who are very often advocates and vehicles for radical social change) are drawn from the ranks of the common man (in most cases),Thus the 'aam aadmi' feels a greater sense of identity with the local religious leader than with CV Raman and quite naturally so as there is definitely greater proximity between the local priest and the disciple rather than the scientist and the common man who are separated by numerous awards and degrees. The key is to make scientists and science itself, more accessible and the religious leader up-to-date with advances in science and he must be given the freedom to analyse such advances through extensive reading on the subject and, on the basis of his extensive research, voice his support or dissent as the case may be.However the 'cowherd psychology' that is often employed by religious leaders (where one man decides the group's stand on a touchy issue)must be curtailed if not eradicated in order to foster the growth if individual opinion and possible innovative solutions to the contentious issue. Scientists for their part must step down from the rarefied world and the elite club of 'Geniuses Only' and water down complex theories to the comprehension of the layman to whom they seek to sell these theories in order to garner support and diffuse opposition. This holds true for all fields of specialised bodies of knowledge and not science alone. Thus, the intelligent individual must neither get ensnared by the fairytale, fatalistic tendencies of religion nor remain constrained by the limitations that science poses today and disposes of tomorrow. The essence of what is being said here is, that it is all up to the individual and his capacity to stomach both these approaches to life with reasonable diligence and dexterity and sensitivity to the possiblity of errors that may afflict both science as well as religion.ANGER IS NOT THE SOLUTION.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

This answer manages to constructively put across realistic solutions for bringing science and religion together.

Answer 2

The first step is to get rid of religion and superstition

Answer 3

For years Religion and Science have argued on facts of life. The reason why they both cant go hand in hand is because each treats a different aspect of reality. Just like the story of the 3 blind mice, both are touching the same elephant but have a different way to portray it.

We can't argue that many facts in religious scriptures, which were written years ago are now being proved by science stating that these facts are actually true. Even superstition if observed deeply will tell you many things which science will agree upon (Like sleeping under trees at night, superstition says that evil spirits sit on trees at night and can posess your body, science says that trees give out Carbon DiOxide at night which is harmful for our body... Think about it).

We also cant argue on the scientific discoveries that keep changing our way of living.

The reason why science does not accept religous scriptures and documents is becuase science makes explicit the quite incredible natural order, the interconnections at many levels between the laws of physics, the chemical reactions in the biological processes of life, etc. But science can answer only a fixed type of question. It is concerned with the what, when, and how. It does not, and indeed cannot, answer within its method (powerful as that method is), why.

Why is there something instead of nothing? Why do all electrons have the same charge and mass? Why is the design that we see everywhere so truly miraculous? Why are so many processes so deeply interconnected?

But we must admit that those scientists that want to see design will see design. Those that are content in every part of their being to live as materialistic reductionalists (as we must all do as scientists in the laboratory, which is the place of the practice of our craft) will never admit to a mystery of the design they see, always putting off by one step at a time, awaiting a reductionalist explanation for the present unknown.

There need be no conflict between science and religion if each appreciates its own boundaries and if each takes seriously the claims of the other. The proven success of science simply cannot be ignored by the church. But neither can the church's claim to explain the world at the very deepest level be dismissed. If God did not exist, science would have to (and indeed has) invent the concept to explain what it is discovering at its core. Abelard's 12th century dictum "Truth cannot be contrary to truth. The findings of reason must agree with the truths of scripture, else the God who gave us both has deceived us with one or the other" still rings true.

To conclude, my answer would be that since religion has many faces (Budhism, Islam, Christianity and so on). Religion also talks about not just science and facts of life but also the humanitarian part of it. So, firstly, we should make all the representatives of different religions sit together and discuss the scientific facts stated in all scriptures, and present a log which has a sum of all the scientific facts from all religions to a team of highly qualified scientists who not partial towards what they think. These scientists should then use this log as a lead towards more research. I am sure that 80% of the issues will be resolved by this. Who knows what we might find by simple mutual understanding between science and religion.

Source(s):

http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth15.ht…

Answer 4

They are together! God created the universe and all of the science in it. People put their own opinions into the mix.

Answer 5

You start off with two arbitrary statements (I'm not sure about the east but most prominent scientists in the west are atheist), then include a paragraph about the benefits of religion to which I simply don't agree, and then you say 'why can't we all just get along'.

"Most religions promote hygiene, education and the betterment of humanity as a whole"

See, I would say most religion promotes intolerance, bigotry and ignorance.

Source(s):

I hope we outgrow the need for god(s) and learn to stand on our own two legs.

Answer 6

you can't steer science towards religion, so if you want to bring the two together you better ask science where we should all meet up.

Answer 7

How can you marry fact and fiction together, simultaneously? What's there to "benefit" from half-truths?

Answer 8

The question you should be asking is How can we make society & science understand the benefits of religion.

Scientist are already realizing the benefits of religion

http://islamtomorrow.com/quran/quran_beg…

The true Religion is the key to solving the problems of society.

Answer 9

By realizing that scientific knowledge constitutes *models* of the order of the physical universe, whereas religion concerns the author of that order, who is God|

Notice I say "models" here, since legitimate science takes salient *features* of physical phenomena and studies and classifies them|


A physical thing or phenomena *as a whole* cannot be captured intellectually by the scientific method, since these transcend that - being amenable only to *intuition,* *illumination as to their nature,* or *common sense* - the big error in our society today is to try to bring all things under the understanding and control of the scientific method, leading to foolishness and madness by our intellectual elites, simply because they do not know or respect the bounds of legitimate material science| It takes wisdom, intuition, and rule of thumb for a scientist to know how to construct a proper scientific model from a physical phenomenon, rather than thinking that science has an all encompassing explanation for it| As we were taught in our systems theory course (Linear Systems ECE 446, electrical engineering), is that we are not to confuse the model with the thing being modeled.




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Answer 10

SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN.

Answer 11

Great question dude! my opinion is eliminate blind belief! science is truth! spirituality has not a single thing to do with religion like the majority thinks it does! being spiritual in my perception is enlightenment! and enlightenment is truth! truth is god! and god is love! and love is the substance in which were all composed of, it's universal! You are god! Well, there is no power higher than you, so what i mean is there is no one creator in heaven waiting to damn or save your soul! that would be easy! "let's just wait for god to decide" Yeah right! "We all must and inevitably will seek and work out our own salvation" I put my soul on it! THUGLIFE-true.humbleness.under.god.life.… P.

Answer 12

For years Religion and Science have argued on facts of life.Most religions promote hygiene, education and the betterment of humanity as a whole. While Science strives to prevent diseases, improve living conditions and make life easier

Religion and science should be mixed and the best part should be taken and other not used.

Answer 13

Most of the religious practices are the prov en facts by science, Although , due to ignorance, we do not have explanations of them all. The best part of it is that most of these have been made the part of religion for the universal acceptance & following up. The darker part is the discrimination between man & man and creeping in the superstitions Which we should be aware of. By bringing religion & science togather this way, a lot of good can be done to the society.

Answer 14

To me personally both are the same. This question makes out that each of them are exclusive of the other - Religion is Science too. I would have been more happy had the terminology Religion in your question, been changed to something more profound - Spirituality.
At the risk of being the devil's advocate, what the so called scientist don't realize is that the so called Truth propounded by science is true and relevant to the knowledge of that time - scientist at one time swore by the anti-biotic, today it is a big No No. Similarly, pesticides, fertilizers were considered the best, not too long ago, but today? (it is back to good old organic farming). So the truth explained by science is applicable or limited to the human knowledge or comprehension at that point of time. Whereas the knowledge and wisdom in ancient scriptures now seem to be eternally true.
The strife therefore has nothing to do with Religion, it is the way, people try to use science to decry or deride religion that is the cause of all trouble. It augurs well for everyone to realize that religion(spirituality) is a science too.

Answer 15

I think religion cannot walk beside science. Both have different purposes.

Answer 16

Recently one of my paper on this theme Science and TECHNOLOGY VERSUS religion and Philosophy was acceptde for invted talk at Benares Hindu University world confernce on vedic science.Iwill send it which is in several pages, by email if you are interested,
religion is the practise of philosophy and technology practice of science.Bothare comlementary side of human society.Unfortunately science and Technolgy has never any cotroversy in the world but religion acts for deviding human society. And so the first agenda for the world science should be to uify the deviding feature of religion which is never menat by any saint or sages of any religion. If the science and technology is motivated to unify the religious following for the cause of humanity 3/4 th problem of the world will be evaporated.

Answer 17

Religion & Science are only distanced by limits drawn through lack of understanding and this phenomena is exploited by overzealous.
Science of abstract...................or exact................is perception.

Answer 18

science and religion are special powers used by the mankind, the power of science must be used for flourishing the mankind so it is necessary to genuinely wish for the goodness of the life , through religion.

Answer 19

First of all mankind is not divided between science and religion and your comments about the east and west is a crap and irrelevant. The problem haunting the mankind today is religion vs religion. If you need more details ask Bush and Dic Cheney.

Answer 20

You have mentioned very clearly that religion and science are having two different paths but have the same goals. So expecting them to come together is being naive. All one can do is save humanity by taking the best of the two paths and working towards the same goal.

Answer 21

Sir,
you are absolutely right, problem arises when we mix religion with discrimination, and when some bad souls try to manipulate religion politically for personal gains.
according to me practically speaking there are only three religions in the world
RICH
MIDDLE CLASS
POOR
and sufferer in all cases remains the POOR except for HIV which haunts the RICH too.
hygiene come to india sir POOR dont even have the clean water to drink, keep apart the matters of good food , bathing, and loo matters their congested living doesnt even give them a good night sleep after toiling all day
education, when a baby in POOR family is born starts earning it goes with her mother begging in her lap, when it starts walking it it goes to a low class hotel for dish washing it doesn't have time to study.
sir how can a child with such background could think of betterment of the society he only thinks about the food which he desperately wants in the night.
religion is practiced only by middle class thoroughly and truly.
coz RICH they get so spoiled with money and luxury that only thing they could think of is luxury and fun

Answer 22

When a person learns more, he understands that there is some super natural power for the seamless questions which are still not answered.

When a religious theologist learns more about his religion, he comes to know that there are so many flaws in his belief that he starts accepting science more.

I think educating people of the various shortcomings to both Science & religion should help them understand they should accept both.

Answer 23

Science and religion have two things in common that is temptation to them....the theory of child-like ego psychology and greed. Religious leaders and members are not suppose to be dabbling in esp, know-it-all behavior, flip flop illusion-based blame-shifting or victim-hood when spiritual counsel is requested. Christians are suppose to live in the truth. The church should be helping keep families large and small together not mirroring secularism and feeding into it financially. Churches practicing dogmatic belief are incapable of helping families that are struggling spiritually because they would have to admit to own their failures in order to teach men how to be happy husbands and fathers. This also includes teaching todays woman not to mock the selfish habits of their mothers and other female role models.

Men who are struggling in life are lacking biblical male role modeling. Dogmatic churches and secularism do not provide honest and clear leadership for this which is terrible even inserting insults to men in church programs that suggest they are weak and have an excuse to be.

Women should not be expected to teach a man to be a man. This places severe stress on a woman and results in confusion and physical health problems.

Married women are being expected to mother their husbands if that's how he was modeled to and throws fits in the home to get. I am not talking about financial responsibility I'm referring to relationship skills between men and women and specifically man's inability to love their wives like God loves the church. This generation of women seem to believe it's automatic place to mother men so much so they are attempting to get rid of hubbies parents no matter how they parented it's become an excuse for to further their childhood. Women are wives not mothers and marriage is man and wife becoming one not a pass to a mother and toddlerland relationship. This is no excuse but let's look at the big pic here as to why women caved to the temptation of walking off the job and being all about themselves or felt pushed to do it all . Many were tired of childish men who wanted toys yet wanted the wife to fulfill their role or abused the woman's role all together expecting child-like mothering which wasn't and isn't good for their sons and daughters to witness.

Women are being blamed for their husbands behavior, altho this isn't in the least biblical, which obviously adds fuel to the fire and actually encourages divorce. Secularism encourages divorce and also puts stress on the family using children thru the media and public schools. Does this not create $$$ spent specifically on that of which is not spiritually healthy? As a nation do we really have any business whining and crying about the economy when we are spending money on non-biblical principles instead of spending it to live and on others including within our communities?

Answer 24

Science is based on experiments and findings. Religion is a matter of faith. It strikes the deeper chord, where sciences need not go.Science is not evocative as religion is. For example, the term atom remains as it is but, the word God evokes reverence of different depths at different times.Science can fulfil many needs, but it may not sufficiently justify the glory of God.
Deeper science can bring religion closer to it and vice versa.

Answer 25

well first of all we must differentiate between people who are rational n those who r spiritual...s u said both science n religion both tends to have the same objectives....so we must try to convince religious peoplein their own language n terms...n rational people scientifically...for eg...we can say...to a spiritual person dat god will be happy if get up early in morning n meditate n remember him....n to the rational person we can explain the benefits of maditation...coz..EVERYONE WANTS TO LISTEN TO WHAT HE BELIEVES IN....

Source(s):

MY OWN...

Answer 26

Please correct your information! Science and religion are not same.Indeed they are opposite to each other.While science requires questioning religion preaches blind faith.
secondly, all religions are not similar.It is only the social part which is similar but spiritual part is entirely different.
thirdly,It is only by eliminating all fake religions that we can save humanity.
thank you

Answer 27

we can make our personal fighting aside and be one we should be unite then we can make our country best &about invention there are many scientists who are able to invent many use ful things we can make use of it

Answer 28

According to me by advancing in the progress of religion we can do so.

Answer 29

first I should introduce myself, I'm a Chemical Engineer by profession at the age of 31+ & not a spritual worker but i have a much interest in listening mythologcal Fact & corelating them with scientific fatcs since my childhood & its my first time to responding such blog forum.

Religion & science are not two different thing as often claimed wrong, as knowing the nature is science & after knowing the nature & we come to realise how tiny we are against the infinite nature or we know our tiny place in the infinite universe then our head itself bows against the infinite power of Universe & we call it GOD---i.e. Generator-Occupier-Destructer then again it is Nature which creates itself like after big bang forming of galaxies & planates & life -observe it flourishing by flow of energy from stars to planates & then destroying at some point of Time e.g. earth quake, Tsunami etc. or ultimately the black hole.

so process of knowing such fact is science & as we have not much control on such thing so we pray GOD that things remain in order in our life Span, so it is religion.

since the Human civilisation evolved in the ancient time the growth process is continued & in now a days we call a person as scientist who find some fact through a long process of research like getting some problem as target, then make some hypothesis weigh it on the scale of some fact & if the solution is founded the test is repeated & if it confirms again & again then it becomes fact & then presented at various forums & when accepted it becomes rule,

in the ancient time a step further used to be taken that such benefitial fact used to be made as the part social law & its recommendation for betterment used to be called as Rule of Dharma ( i.e Religion) & such process kept on enriching our religion & the scientist at that time be called as Rishi-Muni in India, as you often have read in mythological books that Kings used to donate whole his Kinsdom wealth to some Rishi for some "Anusthan" i.e. the world used for "purposeful research" in Sanskrit Language & after a long time some illuted mind people in social kingdom power capcity would collets & coordinate the facts & finding to form a new religion "the collection of ruling suitable for the contry at that time ambiance & size of kingdom population (Desh, Kal, Vatavaran)" & this used to help pepole better their life & such person would get the place of YUGPURUSH or PROPHET or Representative of GOD.

if you go through any religious guide books like Geeta, Bible or
Quran you will find those are full of many facts & rule (by quoting example & stories of many leader of the time) to guide the people how to live a better life, latest example is Shree Guru Granth Sahib for sikhs which is just 310+ years old & many more Dharm Guru's are writing good litreature but there is no common forum in the world for co-ordinating such finding.

the main difference in old & new science is that, it was the time of macro researh as major probem were related to survival & health & solution used to be find from nature & not like the age of patents & nano technology where every new research & technology is weighed in terms of money & not for just social welfare.if those research would not have done at that time then we might have not reached to present level of development.

then started the age of kingdom expansion when people started invasion to other continent 1000+ years ago & then at present the age of market expansion, merger & aquisition of global industry since 100-200 yrs ago, which is termed as globalisation.

what we sea is the fight of various cultures who are not ready to update/change with time & place and just want to control conduct others as per the knowledge what their ancestors had written in there religious Books & it is not at all the fight of Science AND Religion.

True relIgion can only be one i.e. Human religion to organise our nature & environment in favor of human life based on all scientific facts be it old fact or New ones & that is the top most need of the present time of globlisation, for which effort NEED to be made to organise the world religion confrences every year just like hppened in the time of Vivekanand in late 19th century untill a concensus emerges & whole the human kind move in one direction of True Globalisation & borderless world.
this recalls the song of one Hindi Movie Refugee

"Panchi, Nadian, Hava ke Jhoke, Koi sarhad na inhain Roke...
Sarhad to Insano ke liye hain, Socho kya paya hamne Insan hoke"

in addition to it few more steps need to be taken to free our Planet from terrorism which i wanted to put on the forum in response to the question from Our President Sir but time lapsed...

Answer 30

I don't think religion and science can ever really reconcile. When the entire precept of faith is to keep believing the old ways inspite of what science and proven facts can prove, faith can never change inspite of what science proves to be true.

Faith is glorified and science is ridiculed by people of faith and superstitions continue in the name of faith.

Science is glorified and faith ridiculed by scientific people who are constantly changing their beliefs in light of what they see and superstitions are constantly being torn down by the scientific mind.

You can't have faith and believe in what you see around you.

You can't have science and believe in what you don't see.

The two are never interchangable. People geared to science can not be religious except in a social context and that is not really faith based religion. It is only religion set up for socialization. True science and true faith can never mix...pseudo-science, meta-physical science and so called "Religious Science" can mix with false religions but true religion and true science can not.

The only time religious people will agree with anything scientific, is when science proves something religious...like some ancient boat being found on the top of a mountain sort of proves something like "Noah's Ark". Christians were willing to embrace science when it proves what they believe but can not when it disproves something they believe.

I find superstitious people annoying and scientific people "over my head" intellectually speaking but I put my belief in science and what is seen. I don't have imaginary friends that I talk to and who talk to me and tell me to do strange things...like sacrifice my oldest son on an altar of fire.

Answer 31

science & religion , one is fact & other is belief. u should have belief in the fact which u see .& there should be belief in your fact. the main link for both of them is humanity. if religion & science have to go together , u have to move towards humanity.humanity needs both science & religion. religion gives u hope & science should work to make the hope come true.religion should be complementary to science.