Science Vs Religion : A scathing attack.

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

 

Here is some more on the scientific perception of religion. The writer, incidentally, happens to be a product of a Ramakrishna Mission school. Maybe he is just doing his job?

 

Read on..

 

Regards,

Jagannath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last attack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

growing influence of fundamentalist Christians in the Bush administration and their challenge to science represented by “intelligent design”, which holds that the Darwinian theory of evolution is fatally flawed, indicates the rising tide of anti-science sentiment in the US.

Resurgence of such religious fundamentalism has been throttling the voice of rational quest in the country that has played a leading role in science and technology in the post-World War II era. No wonder, in the past five years the US scientific community has often been at odds with the Bush administration over issues as diverse as stem cell research, global warming and ozone depletion.

 

And it’s not just Christian fundamentalism in the US, but fanaticism in all hues — Islam, Hinduism and even Buddhism — have been posing a threat to science across the world. A rise in literalist religious thinking has devastated science in the Islamic world by promoting the idea that all knowledge could be found in the Quran. According to fundamentalists, anything that goes against the holy book should be ruthlessly rejected. Hindu fundamentalists in India think on the similar line, proposing ancient ideas of astrology from sacred texts like the Vedas. Even Buddhism, usually considered the least militant among all major religions, has had its crazed fundamentalists (sects like Aum Shinrikyo that carried poisonous gas attacks in Tokyo) who strongly object to foetal stem-cell research because it involves destruction of life.

 

What has been the driving force behind the growth of irrational belief systems? And why is it hellbent on overthrowing free-thinking promoted by science? The problem lies in the success of science in the last few decades. Modern society, which undermines most of the traditional uncertainties of life, is essentially based on science. Scientific explanations based on empirical evidence — rather than ‘revealed truth’ — have replaced religious notions in many people’s minds. Science has asserted that human beings are not at all special — and nothing more than a speck of dust — in the huge cosmos. And birth and death of an individual human being are too insignificant events in the entire scheme. Above all, the basic tenet of science rejects infalliblity of sacred texts. It inspires individuals — irrespective of caste, creed or religion — to critically examine any established idea.

 

So, threatened by the secular rationalism promoted by science, fundamentalists wish to revive an era of medieval dogmas when no one questioned religious doctrines. And the more they are threatened, the more rabid they turn against science — their most dangerous enemy.

 

PRASUN CHAUDHURIhttp://www.telegraphindia.com/1051107/asp/knowhow/story_5434790.asp

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