Swami Vivekananda used to say that science & spirituality are two sides of the same coin. He was very confident about it, he even said, one day, it will be proved that the ancient knowledge & modern science have walked down different paths to reach same destination.
Unfortunately, all they have done is they’ve fought with each other every time to prove the superiority. They’ve locked themselves in their ideas, laws & theorems.
It is difficult to point out the years in the history that mark the beginning of the fight between science & religion. But there is a bold incident that might have triggered the ‘anti-religious’ movements in Europe & then in the world.
In 1633, Galileo Galilee’s ‘heliocentrism’ theory was disapproved by Vatican. Biblical references, Psalm 93:1, 96:10 and chronicles 16:30 include text stating that “The world is firmly established, it can’t be moved.” In the same manner, Psalm 104:5 says, “The Lord set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.” Further, Ecclesiastes 1:5 states that “And the sun rises & sets & returns to its place” etc.
Galileo defended heliocentrism, and claimed it was not contrary to those Scripture passages. He believed that the writers of the Scripture merely wrote from the perspective of the terrestrial world, from that vantage point that the sun does rise and set.
But the church didn’t listen. He had to surrender in the court where he whispered in the end again that the Sun is in the centre.
Challenging the belief was indirectly challenging Christianity & the God according to Church.
It is said that, “The truth is like the sunrise. When darkness exists, anybody can put an objection on the existence of the sun. But with the sunrise, everything becomes crystal clear.
Later it was proved that the theory of ‘Heliocentrism’ was absolutely correct.
Church tried to explain its view over the issue, but the damage was already done. The wave of science destroyed belief. Science entered text-books, schools storming its way into the minds of students. It banged out the ignorance among masses. Science was the new revolution.
But, could it solve the problem in front of humanity? No, it became extremely rational & logical & finally irrational & illogical. It raised the fear & anxiety among common people who were happy with their hopes & belief earlier. It shaped a value-less, emotion-less generation that couldn’t even think beyond theorems. It created human machines that couldn’t imagine.
Science tried to walk the path of glory alone, but it failed to create a good society so did religion.
But, a few people dared to bring science & spirituality together. Albert Einstein, an eminent scientist says, “Religion without science is blind & science without religion is lame.”
He also says, “Curiosity has its own reason for existing; One can’t help to be in awe when he contemplates the mystery of eternity, of life & the marvellous structure of reality.”
On the other hand, a spiritual leader, Swami Vivekananda says that science is essential to learn the meaning of ‘religion.’
It is our responsibility to take a golden route which unites science & spirituality. We have to keep our eyes open to the innovations of science & miracles of spirituality.
As Einstein says, ‘Never lose, the holy curiosity.’
Unfortunately, all they have done is they’ve fought with each other every time to prove the superiority. They’ve locked themselves in their ideas, laws & theorems.
It is difficult to point out the years in the history that mark the beginning of the fight between science & religion. But there is a bold incident that might have triggered the ‘anti-religious’ movements in Europe & then in the world.
In 1633, Galileo Galilee’s ‘heliocentrism’ theory was disapproved by Vatican. Biblical references, Psalm 93:1, 96:10 and chronicles 16:30 include text stating that “The world is firmly established, it can’t be moved.” In the same manner, Psalm 104:5 says, “The Lord set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.” Further, Ecclesiastes 1:5 states that “And the sun rises & sets & returns to its place” etc.
Galileo defended heliocentrism, and claimed it was not contrary to those Scripture passages. He believed that the writers of the Scripture merely wrote from the perspective of the terrestrial world, from that vantage point that the sun does rise and set.
But the church didn’t listen. He had to surrender in the court where he whispered in the end again that the Sun is in the centre.
Challenging the belief was indirectly challenging Christianity & the God according to Church.
It is said that, “The truth is like the sunrise. When darkness exists, anybody can put an objection on the existence of the sun. But with the sunrise, everything becomes crystal clear.
Later it was proved that the theory of ‘Heliocentrism’ was absolutely correct.
Church tried to explain its view over the issue, but the damage was already done. The wave of science destroyed belief. Science entered text-books, schools storming its way into the minds of students. It banged out the ignorance among masses. Science was the new revolution.
But, could it solve the problem in front of humanity? No, it became extremely rational & logical & finally irrational & illogical. It raised the fear & anxiety among common people who were happy with their hopes & belief earlier. It shaped a value-less, emotion-less generation that couldn’t even think beyond theorems. It created human machines that couldn’t imagine.
Science tried to walk the path of glory alone, but it failed to create a good society so did religion.
But, a few people dared to bring science & spirituality together. Albert Einstein, an eminent scientist says, “Religion without science is blind & science without religion is lame.”
He also says, “Curiosity has its own reason for existing; One can’t help to be in awe when he contemplates the mystery of eternity, of life & the marvellous structure of reality.”
On the other hand, a spiritual leader, Swami Vivekananda says that science is essential to learn the meaning of ‘religion.’
It is our responsibility to take a golden route which unites science & spirituality. We have to keep our eyes open to the innovations of science & miracles of spirituality.
As Einstein says, ‘Never lose, the holy curiosity.’
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