Neither Religion Nor Science Is Responsible; Man Is

Two words that have been compared and contrasted so much in this generation are religion and science. Many have bastardized religion but praised science, linking the two to the causes of development and underdevelopment in various parts of the world.

While some critics argue that religion has wounded many people in terms of impairing their ability to reason and think  critically and logically to invent and innovate, others say religion has deceived many to believe that there is an invisible man (God) in the sky who controls the affairs of men and has decided a day in which He will judge the world.

Moreover, others have blamed religion for the slavery that characterized colonization of many nations, especially in Africa and many wars the world has suffered over the centuries. These, they argue, have undermined personal and national development.

Often, in criticizing religion, the majority of critics are actually attacking Christianity or the Church. This short article, therefore, seeks to discuss whether religion and science are really directly responsible for the problems and challenges mentioned above or man is centrally.

Now, it is important to emphasize that Jesus Christ never used the word “religion”. And none of His disciples also used the word except in the book of James where the translators of the Bible used it (James 1:26-27). Religion as a word did not exist in the first-century for James to use it. The word, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, was first used in the 13th century.

Religion is said to be a belief in a deity. It is an organized system of belief. Or religion is man’s attempt to get to God. However, in Christianity God reached out to man to establish a love relationship. This is why Christians argue that Christianity is fundamentally about reconciliation and relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is not merely an external religious system but a living  relationship with God.

Now, let us critically examine religion and science to understand what they truly are and whether or not they have ability in themselves to negatively affect development in any way. The fact is that both religion and science are mere words; they are concepts. Thus, they are non-living things and not living things that breath, act, move, think or feel.

Moreover, neither religion nor science discovered man, but man discovered and invented both of them, implying that the two are man’s creation. As already stated, both are words and concepts developed by man. Therefore, the two are clearly tools under the authority and control of man who uses it to solve his problems and meet his needs.

In using either of them, man, by his evil inclination, often times applies them negatively, leading to destructive consequences thereby undermining development. On the other hand, man, by his good inclination, applies them positively, resulting in constructive outcomes thereby achieving development.

This suggests that neither religion nor science is inherently good or evil. It is man who determines their usefulness or otherwise. It is man whose actions lead to positive or negative impacts on people or development. Thus, every abuse of religion or science is caused by man.

For example, what is termed as religious wars are not caused by religion itself. Also, weapons, chemicals and other scientific products that harm the environment and kill people are not caused by science itself. These are acts of man. Therefore, it is necessary to state categorically that man is directly or indirectly responsible for his own development or underdevelopment

Henceforth, critics of religion especially atheists ought to know the right argument to advance if they seek to project fair, accurate and balanced intellectual discourses.

It is therefore reasonable to conclude that human beings bear the primary responsibility for how religion, science, knowledge, and technology are used—and consequently for much of the development or underdevelopment they produce.

By James Quansah