The topics of religion and science have been argued over and over again throughout history. It has become a way of life to prove that one is better or more dangerous than the other. The controversy these two topics have generated has led to so many unpleasant consequences and also interesting debates. In my opinion, science cannot be separated from religion because science in and of itself is a form of religion. The use of the word “corrupt” would tend to displace the above topic to the negative, so instead, I will prefer the term “influence”. Influence, as defined by the dictionary, is “the power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone…” it would be generally agreed that influence would depict the core of the topic being discussed. I, therefore, would submit that religion influences the mind more than science would do.
Science, as defined by the dictionary, is “the collective discipline of study or learning acquired through the scientific method; knowledge derived from scientific disciplines, scientific method or any systematic effort; a particular discipline or branch of learning especially one dealing with measurable or systematic principles rather than intuition or natural ability”. These definitions portray science as a discipline that deals with what can be felt, seen, heard or tasted.
Science believes in what can be explicitly proved without any sign of disparity in figures. Religion, on the other hand, as defined by the dictionary, is the “belief in and worship of a supernatural controlling power…; a particular system of faith and worship; any practice that someone or some group is seriously devoted to.” These definitions most especially the third definition, portray that being religious is not only about being devoted to a supernatural entity but also about being devoted to a particular principle or law where some of these laws are the laws of science. This convinces me that science is actually a religion of sorts: one in which the devotee is not subject to a supernatural being but rather to the laws of nature and chooses to live by those principles.
Man has always been tainted by the disease of curiosity. We are always moved by an inward force we cannot understand, pushed to explore and understand the world we live in. We inquire as to our purpose in life, as to why the world operates the way it does, and to answer all the questions; we created or found a solution as the case may be. The solution found came in the form of religion.
Religion is the driving force behind our very existence: whether it is to God, gods or the laws of nature, we all believe in something. Many consider science as an adiabatic quantity in relation to religion, but the truth is that science is a sub-part of religion. Science is one of the many religions that cuts across the world, and the laws that guide it are the laws of nature, i.e. the laws of physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology.
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Many might see the idea of worshipping the laws of nature as absurd but so also do those who are devoted to the religion of science filled with incredulity at the supposed foolishness of those who would defer to a God that they cannot see, hear, or feel but without any shame at their illogicality would agree to be able to communicate with him. This is just to say that every religion believes that its mode and style of worship is authentic as compared to others.
The above belief has caused wars and many deaths. Billions of people have died for the sake of what they believe in, and we can see that example during the dark ages when the Roman Catholic Church held sway. It is estimated that more than 20 million people lost their lives during this period. The questions raised are: what would inspire or influence more than 20 million people to be persecuted and to die for it? What would inspire this much hatred from a particular group of people to another? The answers to these questions are not far-fetched, and that answer is religion. Religion inspires a sense of commitment in the heart of a devotee. It offers hope in a world that is hopeless, and it helps to raise the heart of man to a state of euphoria or a nirvana-like state, one where the person already believes he/she will find or has found peace.
Religion promises safety, a world of peace after this turbulent one. In short, religion influences the mind in such a way that science can never achieve except when it is considered as a part of religion itself. It gives a sense of belonging to whoever would care to be pulled into it and yet refuses to part away with whoever has been ensnared in its web.
Diverse as it may be, it has managed to unite in the minds of many that the world we live in is not home and as such has caused or forced upon men the attitude of innocence and purity. No matter how immoral a person may be, there is always this underlying fear of offending his/her creator; there is still this fear of breaking set rules and regulations set by the sect in which such person belongs to. Its power is far-reaching even kings and queens, rulers of realms are kept in order by its laws and so also those they lead. Religion is a weapon; A lethal one that burns everything in its way and path. In its wake, it causes chaos that never really dies out.
Religion has a subtle way on the mind. The ability to make us even believe that we are or can be gods is a theory postulated by it. It has caused us to think that we are more than we are and has to be the underlying factor for the emergence of so many doctrines and beliefs. The Christians believe in three persons, one God theory; the Muslims believe in the singularity of God and that he cannot be three; Buddhists believe in Buddha and Nirvana and so on.
Even for a religion like Christianity, there are sub-beliefs and doctrines. So we have many different groups with different beliefs united under the umbrella of Christ and yet still jostle for the post of superiority. The clash of these different groups should not then be surprising because even though they are all under religion, they are fundamentally different and styled. To achieve that state of power, various methods, whether morally right or wrong, are taken and are justified all in the name of religion. Through it, we have become very self-centred, only watching out for ourselves and those who share the same beliefs, and this has made us miss the big picture. Religion in and of itself is a good concept, but its devotees have presented the world with its twisted face.
Though it has left a series of death on its path, religion has been a driving force for good. Many people have benefited from the peaceful aspect of religion and have come to appreciate its beauty. This begs the question that “if religion can be peaceful, why have so many come to die all in its name?” To answer this question, many would say that those who kill for the sake of religion are fanatics, people who would take and understand religion only at it very extremes.
Yet the truth is that we are all fanatics to our individual beliefs, we all only understand religion at its extremes, only we have been able to temper our minds to a docile state so as not to act on those very beliefs. The ability to do this makes us different just by a little to the supposed fanatics. Religion is a theory with many faces of which science is a face, and it has the achievement of instilling fear and dread, love, peace and war with such magnificence as cannot be matched.
Grillo Adedolapo Oluwalogbon