Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Is science a religion?

[Stephen Montgomery-Smith <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Mike Miller wrote:

> What has religion done for us lately?  Cured any cancers or other disease?
> Detected the root causes of any disease epidemics?  Helped us to design
> any computers, cell phones, hospitals, aircraft?  How about light bulbs,
> electricity, automobiles?  No?  How about religious warfare, ideological
> division, hatred and brutality?  OK, there's a place where religion has
> something to contribute!  How about kindness, sympathy, compassion,
> avoidance of warfare?  Again, religion has sometimes helped.  Religion
> does not help us to learn how the world works.
> 
> When it comes to answering questions about how the world works, science
> has been massively successful.  Religion has been a *complete* failure.
> Science has succeeded largely by rejecting the corrupting influence of
> religion and other ideology -- by avoidance of faith.  Science is not a
> faith or religion and there is nothing mystical in science.
> 


Science has been extraordinarily successful at solving many of the material 
problems that humans face.  This is indisputable.  But science has done poorly 
at meeting the spiritual needs of humans.  Indeed many people in our current 
culture find science to be empty and devoid in meeting their inner needs.

Now a scientist might respond and say "so what exactly do you want - what are 
these inner needs that you need satisfied - if you cannot define them, how can I 
help you."  As such the scientist is defining the problem away, in a sense 
telling the person that it is his fault for feeling this way, and to come to 
reality and get over it.

Religion has been remarkably successful at meeting the inner needs of many 
people.  Indeed almost every culture has religion, and views religion as 
essential to its survival - one of the few exceptions is the current western 
world (particularly Europe where atheism is strong), and some observers feel 
that this culture is on a downward slope.

For example, I have been watching a four hour show on the History Channel 
International, which gives a history of the church in the first millenium.  It 
is amazing how this small Jewish sect took over the whole Roman empire in a 
matter of three to four centuries.  It truly met the needs of so many people at 
that time, who felt spiritually bankcrupt.  In this sense Christianity has been 
very successful.

Now we can see all the wars and atrocities generated by religious people.  But 
really, science has its bad points as well.  For example the atomic bomb is 
definitely a scientific and non-religious creation.  The worst atrocities in 
history were committed by the Nazis (which seems to have derived its world view 
from Darwinism) and Communist Russia (which claims to be atheist).  The Spanish 
Inquisition pails in comparison to these.  Another example is the French 
revolution and American revolution, which took place almost at the same time - 
the American freedom fighters were either Christians or were strongly motivated 
by Christianity, whereas the French revolution seems to have been more guided by 
atheistic or humanistic values.  The American revolution was comparitively 
attrocity free, and has led to a nation that esteems personal freedoms.  The 
French revolution became a bloodbath and led to the tyranical rule of Napolean.

Another example - many historical observers have pointed out the increasing 
depravity and hardship of life in 17th century England.  Many have said that the 
revivals of Wesley and Whithead and such like changed the whole face of England. 
  It would have degenerated into revolution and the same mess that France has 
faced - instead it became a strong society with values (leading to improving 
conditions for the poor, stopping the slave trade, increase in democracy in a 
relatively non-violent manner) ultimately becoming the strong empire under 
Victoria's reign.  (OK, I'm punting a bit here with my historical facts which 
might be wrong here or there, but I think I got it largely right.)
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