MY VIEWS ON THE TOPIC-"CAN SCIENCE AND RELIGION CO EXIST AND CO-OPERATE TOGETHER

Good morning/afternoon folks.It feels nice having an opportunity to present my views on a topic which almost everyone of us thinks about.In this fast paced life,If people today can live a life where your loved ones are a click away,where you can brodcast your ideas to millions of people in a second,if you don't have to think much before going to the other corner of the world,if world has become a-”global village”,we all have to agree to the point that man has on account of the development of his brain has--- made it large.The developments which sometimes even the nature seems to salute.From learning to walk on earth and owning it to walking on the moon and beyond …...we have achieved what would have been a miracle few centuries ago.

But amidst all this glorious feats,...we should not ignore that the human being has been going through chronological development in this nature.And that we have developed upto this stage doesn't make us forget we once were forest people, dwelling in caves.We have developed from there upto now......What I imply although we have changed our basic instincts still persist........Now,coming to the debate,I disagree to the view that science and religion in its current form can co-exist.Man has since time immemorial pursued the truth......isn't it?Science and religion although products of the same human mind have taken two opposite views on reality in this pursuit....Both of them have explained enough realities and satisfied us but the real problems start when we have religion colliding with science.

Before I come to science lets talk about religion...how did religion arise?I mean we are not discussing the million year cycles are we?What was the factor that turned us from forest dwelling primate-like animals to such closely knit societies with religion as the binding force.....It is fear.The fear of the unknown.The early man used to live amidst wild animals and it was necessary to form societies just to ensure safety and then to believe in some supernatural powers....he felt weak...

.We have a nature of describing everything we can't perceive normally as a miracle and hence things like cloud thundering,the eclipses,storms or even tides appeared as a miracle to man at that time .Now today of course we can very proudly laugh at early man's delusional beliefs.

If we were to examine the various religions of the world,we find people worshipping demons,ghosts,spirits of their forefathers and even animals and birds.Nearly all the religions of the world have someone with supernatuaral powers,someone who is superior to the general folk and he is worshipped. Sometimes he incarnates on the earth to fix the problems of the people.In general religions have some rituals associated to these gods whose primary aim is to impress them.The God is suppposed to take care of the peple and people in return offer pleasantries to them..Religion has developed throughout and probably there is not a single human settlement on this planet which does not follow any religion/ supernatural powers.Some kind of Religion is followed in every corner of this planet.

Human beings have conceded that in some ways we are inferior to these supreme beings.This fear of being inferior ,limiting our potential has for long hampered our growth in general.Each one of us like freebies don't we?Religion promises miracles.Religion clearly says have faith in certain someone,pray and impress your God and you'll be rewarded.Sadly science does not make such claims.It does not promise us freebies.It says here it is ,the truth in raw form.Use it your way and accept it or not it is up to you.

Of course the modern day religion is very different from those days.These days with the intermixing of faiths and better communication with people we can understand every religion in detail and then pick and choose which one to follow or not follow at all.The underlying fact is that what is the purpose of religion?What is the need of it? If we look through a critical viewpoint what good has it done to us? I mean what if there had not been religion on this planet? Each one of us has been intrigued by the mysteries of the universe.Of course science has not been able to discover everything that is there to know but why limit it by introducing religion in its domain..

A huge fight has been going between reason and religion for ages and as we progress reason seems to have an edge over religion.Just because it appeals to our intellect and we humans,always inclined towards the truth,accept it without doubt.Now science which has made path breaking material progress in recent centuries,has also quietly taken the human thinking in its grasp.There is a definite kind of thinking we call as scientific thinking and it is respected all through.....Everywhere round the world,scientific approach is preffered..to others.No wonder why..

Now science has turned around the way we approach nature.Gone are the days we used to be scared of thunderbolts.We don't hide in our homes and pray whenever there is an eclipse.We are not scared to fall off the earth anymore.The foundations which human civilisation was backing on have been all undermined, and all of us, whatever we may say in public, know in heart that we can no more believe. Believing certain things because priests tell us ,or certain book says so or people like us to believe it is not the norm anymore.

The delusions have faded and now we can boastfully claim the earth to be ours.all because science has enabled us to do so.But of course humans sometimes in arrogance have tried to play with nature and paid heavy price for it

The truth is that we can live more comfortable on this planet than ever all because of discoveries in science.Now,this complex human civilisation made such by science needs scientific approach in every problem we face.Just think about it.Though no wish of itself,science has been commanding the human civlisation for quite some time now.The point I wish to make is that science has penetrated every place within human reach.And whether you agree or not,your religion ,his religion,her religion,any religion is not science proof,not anymore.You will be judged by reason.

Let me tell you,Today religion has become more of a showoff than realisation.Think of it what do you know of religion.

What do you do to associate yourself with your religion?

How do you practice it?

Making deals with some unknown entity,is it religion?

Please visit any temple,where you have your gods wearing gold worth millions of rupees while you readily ignore the beggar sitting outside who does not even have food!I mean if we believe in God what god would let a man sit hungry so near to him?

For thousands of years man has wandered aimlesslely guided by his religion but what has he gained?

Even with all the miracles and glories how many times have they been proven wrong by science?

Do we need to remind the people of copernicus?

Numerous superstitions have been mixed up with religion,just to make it more appealing to the masses.These religious authorities have no answer to what have they gained by living off the fears of human nature.

Isn't it true they make money and live off our fears?

For what?

We seek answers,why man must follow these religious dogmas?

What benefit has it for us?

Have we not become fearless enough?

For thousands of years what if not religion has waged wars among humans ?See the chaos around us today.Religion provided a refuge earlier but today in some parts it has gained supremacy and manifests itself in such a radical form that a brother is ready to kill his brother over it. The situation in the middle east,the tensions around the world,even terrorism,which has taken religious extremism to a new low,all are solelely attributed to religion.Each day as we talk thousands of kids are dying just in the name of some religion.So much of violence yet we sit calmly proving its utility.

People today do not need religion at least In its present form.Look at the state of the society today,think about the poor kid in front of the temple,he does not need religion,he doesn't believe in rituals anymore he needs food.People around us need the basic amenities …....they need food,housing.....and security from fellow humans....which are lacking terribly.Even those against me will agree to that religion can't be followed with an empty stomach.Now some will try to defend it by throwing philosophical concepts but sir,the reality is the religion which we follow,to gain some returns from an unknown entity,has no place in the modern scheme of things.

There is no one above who will be impressed by the gold we put around a stone.Feeding a hungry child is better than feeding the rock.Isn't it?The real god is standing out there in front of the temple,in front of your car,just outside the college begging for food and not in the books we follow.When will we realize this?

There is a immediate need to contemplate the religious path we follow.Religion if it asks us to dscriminate between humans,if it treats someone as superior to others,needs to be discarded altogether.Such a religion is poisonous to the individual or society.It will do harm unimaginable.

If today we are debating the current form of religion as it exists today,well sir I'll definitely be against it and shall continue to question the ways so called religious people follow.The aimless pursuit of the unknown entity,is not acceptable.Moreover religion which teaches us to discriminate,to kill or to persecute someone is no good and I think will have an agreement on that?Can we?

There are a lot of problems and religion which already is in decline everywhere,if has to survive will have to change guided by science for the good of mankind.I read somewhere and think it'll be significant here:

Only in a society where there is freedom of action can science flourish and only when science flourishes can the citizens be free.Don't we all want to be free?For how long we wan to be chained by these useless obsolete superstitions in the name of religion?.Science with its illuminating dazzle will continue to brighten up the darkest corners and eliminate the slightest of superstitions which prevail in human minds.With this I'd like to finish.

Thank you