The impact of science and spirituality

Science and religion are always perceived to be at loggerheads with one another. While one emphasizes the importance of reason and evidence over anything else; the other is concerned with belief. Many well-known scientists are famous atheists. However, it is not always the case. This is what the great saint Swami Vivekananda had to say about the impact of science and religion:

“Is religion to justify itself by the discoveries of reason, through which every other science justifies itself? Are the same methods of investigation, which we apply to sciences and knowledge outside, to be applied to the science of Religion? In my opinion this must be so, and I am also of opinion that the sooner it is done the better.”

Sounds revolutionary, doesn’t it? The “science of religion”? Not many spiritual leaders have sought to embrace the impact of scientific advancement. Indeed, the Church had sought to execute Galileo Galilei for his discovery that the Earth revolves around the Sun. Charles Darwin was also persecuted by religious authorities for a long time, who had disapproved of his theory of evolution which stated that humans had evolved from apes. The Church apologized for its mistake and acknowledged Charles Darwin’s contributions much later, in the year of 1993.

The impacts of science and spirituality need not always contradict each other. A lot depends on our understanding of God and how we define Him. It is universally acknowledged that the belief in a higher power provides solace and emotional stability to a lot of people. Psychiatrists and psychologists have realized this long ago by observing the trends in their patients and the general public at large. People who do not believe in God are often more likely to find themselves in an existential crisis. Depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses are more commonly found in those who believe they are all alone in this world without a system of forces and values to guide them.

On the other hand, the impact of spirituality and religion has also been negative in several ways. Many superstitions are often found to be the root cause of several illnesses and tragic incidents. When people think rationally and base their thoughts on proven evidence, they are often found to be healthier and leading more wholesome lives.

The impact of religion has also led to the occurrence of several wars and acts of violence. When people claim that their religion or belief system is superior to that of others, clashes ensue. These have claimed millions of lives across the world and rendered several more homeless and disabled throughout the course of history.

One can only hope that the impact of science and spirituality are amalgamated together to create a unifying force.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.