Science and Religion

Science and Religion
-Allan Raj

      We are living in the age of science. Science has provided new ideas about the world nature and man. Before the advent of science religion played a dominant role in moulding man’s mind. The process of agriculture, the food we eat, the clothes we wear and our social relations were all at one time under the domain of religion. Gradually, they have passed out of its control and become subjects for scientific study.

      In early civilizations societies were controlled by religious heads. Their authority was supreme. As science advanced and civilizations progressed, religion started loosing its control on the society. Different power centers started developing in the society. Now, the present day society is controlled and run by economic, political, legal and administrative powers. Religion though not dead, has lost its supremacy.

      Some of our earliest scientific discoveries were in fact made by religious men or saints. The learned men of ancient times, due to their scientific attitude of mind, questioning and reasoning gave rise to new ideas. The earliest works in the Vedic Mathematics were the ‘Sulva Sutras’, which deal with geometry related to the construction of altars. This one example of scientific invention by religious person. The construction of Pyramids, though based on religious beliefs, is very scientific. So we can think that science and religion were not contradictory to one another.

      As science advanced it started contradicting most of the beliefs in all religions. The discoveries made by Copernicus and Galileo gave new ideas of the sun, the planets and their movements. Their theories suggested that the sun is the centre of the solar system, which contradicted the supremacy of the earth as believed in most of the religions. They were tried and punished for blasphemy. With the invention of the Galilean telescope these theories were proved, shaking the very foundation of religion. With this a...