Now, all questions of morality contained in the spiritual, immutable law
of every religion are logically right. If religion were contrary to
logical reason then it would cease to be a religion and be merely a
tradition. Religion and science are the two wings upon which man’s
intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can
progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try
to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the
quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of
science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing
slough of materialism. All religions of the present day have fallen into
superstitious practices, out of harmony alike with the true principles of
the teaching they represent and with the scientific discoveries of the
time. Many religious leaders have grown to think that the importance of
religion lies mainly in the adherence to a collection of certain dogmas
and the practice of rites and ceremonies! Those whose souls they profess
to cure are taught to believe likewise, and these cling tenaciously to the
outward forms, confusing them with the inward truth.
Now, these forms and rituals differ in the various churches and amongst
the different sects, and even contradict one another; giving rise to
discord, hatred, and disunion. The outcome of all this dissension is the
belief of many cultured men that religion and science are contradictory
terms, that religion needs no powers of reflection, and should in no wise
be regulated by science, but must of necessity be opposed, the one to the
other. The unfortunate effect of this is that science has drifted apart
from religion, and religion has become a mere blind and more or less
apathetic following of the precepts of certain religious teachers, who
insist on their own favourite dogmas being accepted even when they are
contrary to science. This is foolishness, for it is quite evident that
science is the light, and, being so, religion truly so-called does not
oppose knowledge.
We are familiar with the phrases ‘Light and Darkness’, ‘Religion and
Science’. But the religion which does not walk hand in hand with science
is itself in the darkness of superstition and ignorance.
Much of the discord and disunion of the world is created by these man-made
oppositions and contradictions. If religion were in harmony with science
and they walked together, much of the hatred and bitterness now bringing
misery to the human race would be at an end.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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