Fanatic Hypocrisy: The See-Saw Battle!

The heart of the conflict between science and religion is not in their conclusions such as the evolution of man, the heliocentric solar system, or in the origin of disease, but it is in their ways of arriving at their respective conclusions. The primary disagreement is in the “how” (they arrive at it), rather than in the “what” (they arrive at). This conflict between science and religion has been a ragging battle for decades. And will probably continue till the apocalypse or the supernova.
 
Religion relies on an authority. Authority in the form of a person, a book, or a tradition. So religion’s truth is supposed to be universal and eternal. But in science, the authority is in the evidence and reasoning, which are always open to challenge, so science's truth is expected to be relative and tentative while religion’s truth is expected to be absolute and definite.
 
On one hand a scientific investigation starts with a question, and tries to reach a conclusion by finding evidence and applying reason. A theological investigation on the other hand, starts with a conclusion, and tries to wriggle its way out of any evidence or logic in order to justify that conclusion by applying blind faith.
 
To religious people, things not understood might be doled out into the realm of the supernatural or considered to be an act of faith, which to a scientist represents a very pessimistic outlook. To the scientific society unexplained miraculous recoveries or inexplicable phenomena remain incomprehensible dubious acts, which to religious people represents a very atheistic outlook.
 
Religion is not always right but neither is science. Sir Isaac Newton had a small deficiency between his calculations of the motions of planets and the actual observations, so he invoked the hand of God as a veil to his supposed inadequacy. But a century later the great mathematician Pierre Simon Laplace made better calculations using Newton's own equations and showed that there was no such deficiency, hence erasing out the equation of divine intervention. Similarly religion has distanced itself from attributing bad weather and sickness to curses, mental disease to possession by devils and earthquakes, storms, and eclipses to angry gods.
 
The underlying current that would clarify the aspects of this subject would be that: Science is the study of the physical and natural world and phenomena, especially by using systematic observation and experimentation. Whereas Religion is a blend of supernatural forces and believing in a divine involvement in the universe and human life especially without logical proof.
 
On the lighter side: Science is monkey came, ape evolved, man conquered .While religion is God came, God saw, God created, and then man came, man saw and man procreated.
 
The much needed line differentiating religion and science is a minute one. But at the same time they are two very contrasting topics. Neither science in all its greatness can predict a tomorrow, nor in all its piousness can religion. But both using their respective means can perceive one.
Science has certain laws which cannot be proved but they are beliefs that have been derived from hypothetical assumptions.
 
E.g. A group of scientist projected a sub atomic particle that travelled at 60 nano seconds faster than the speed of light, shattering the ‘Law of Relativity’ laid down by Albert Einstein almost 100 years ago upon which majority of scientific laws are based. Bottom line the law was based on an assumption which means believing or having faith in a person in this case Albert Einstein giving him authority to lay down an assumptive law.
 
Faith on the other hand uses scientific methods to determine a genuine miraculous occurrence.
E.g. Before any person is considered blessed or canonized, 3 miracles have to be worked in that person’s name. Medical and scientific test are carried out to verify the authenticity of the miracles and only then is a person canonized.
 
In relation to both examples, sciences requires faith to be able to give authority to an individual whose law was based on an assumption, while religion required science to be able to give authority to an individual whose claim was based on faith. Thus it seems that science and religion are two sides of the same coin needing each other to exist while at the same time repelling each other and placing accusations and counter accusations against each other.
 
There are many learned people who embrace both science and religion. E.g. Medical practitioners often tend to credit god for the cure from their patient’s illnesses. These kinds of people seem to have successfully fused their thinking and have come to believe that there shouldn't be a conflict between science and religion. It is as if they use different parts of the mind for science and religion, but at the same time know that there must be a fusion between both. This kind of thinking accentuates a peaceful co-habitation between science and religion where science quenches curiosity, while religion satisfies spirituality.
 
No matter which side of the coin may appear heavier to you it remains to this day for millennia to follow that this conflict between science and religion is an individual battle based on an individual’s inclinations and like all other conflicts is an ego centered conflict which makes it an unnecessary one.

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