❖ Religion and Modern Scientific Theories: A Critical Analysis ❖
✿ Introduction
Many claim that modern scientific advancement has left no room for religion. However, this assertion is baseless and unfounded. The reality is that modern scientific discoveries cannot eliminate the relevance or necessity of religion. This article critically examines various objections raised against religion and presents reasoned responses.
❖ Natural Laws and the Existence of God
✔ Objection:
It is argued that since all events in the universe occur according to natural laws, there is no need to presume the existence of God to explain them.
✔ Response:
- Nature is a fact, not an explanation: A Christian thinker said, "Nature is the fact, not an explanation." Natural laws tell us what is happening, not why it is happening.
- The Egg and the Chick: Microscopic observation reveals that on the 21st day, a horn appears on the chick’s beak inside the egg, enabling it to break the shell. But how does this horn appear precisely at the right time? The answer lies in divine law and wisdom, as religion explains.
- Cecil Boyce Hamann’s Argument: He asks, "What is the force that compels chemical elements into such a process that makes digestion possible within the body?" This cannot merely be coincidence—it reflects the wisdom of God.
(The Evidence of God in Expanding Universe, p. 221)
❖ Limits of Scientific Knowledge
✔ Objection:
Science has unveiled many secrets of the universe, and therefore, religion is no longer needed.
✔ Response:
- Science only provides intermediate explanations: For example, science explains how water evaporates, forms clouds, and leads to rainfall. But why these laws are so orderly and beneficial is not something science can answer.
- Nature itself needs explanation: A thinker noted, "Nature does not explain; she herself is in need of an explanation."
❖ Philosophical Reasoning: The Limits of Observation and Religion
✔ Objection:
Religion is merely a matter of belief, and its claims cannot be proven through observation or experimentation.
✔ Response:
- Many scientific theories are also beyond observation: For example, “Energy means the flow of electrons,” yet nobody has seen electrons flowing. This is an inference, not direct observation.
- The Role of Inference: Modern science acknowledges that inference (qiyās) is a valid means of acquiring knowledge. Religious claims operate on the same logical principle.
❖ Theory of Evolution and Religion
✔ Objection:
The theory of evolution is considered a scientific fact, whereas religious claims are seen as unscientific.
✔ Response:
- Evolution is based on inference: The theory rests on assumptions, such as similarities in structure among animals. Yet, it has never been proven in a laboratory.
- Religion offers stronger reasoning: Religion addresses fundamental questions that scientific theories cannot, such as the origin of life, the purpose of existence, and moral standards.
❖ Psychological Argument: Freud’s Perspective
✔ Objection:
According to Sigmund Freud, religion is the result of subconscious human desires rather than any real entity.
✔ Response:
- The subconscious cannot be a source of objective truth: The subconscious stores only what has previously entered the conscious mind. Yet the teachings of prophets include truths that were beyond the existing knowledge of their time.
- Purity of Religious Teachings: Freud’s theory associates subconscious desires with negative tendencies, while the teachings of prophets promote moral purity and goodness, which contradicts subconscious instinctual patterns.
❖ Historical Argument: Evolution of Religion
✔ Objection:
It is claimed that religion evolved through stages and eventually reached the concept of one God.
✔ Response:
- Contradicted by recorded history: Historical evidence shows that the earliest messages by prophets—such as Prophet Nūḥ (عليه السلام)—called people to the belief in one God. Polytheism is a later distortion, not the origin.
- Flaws in Marxist Theory: The Marxist idea that religion is a by-product of feudalism fails in practice. Even under communist rule in Russia, oppression and exploitation persisted, proving the inadequacy of this theory.
❖ Religion and Modern Challenges
✿ Summary:
Modern reasoning and scientific theories do not disprove the necessity or truth of religion. On the contrary, religion addresses the very questions that science and philosophy leave unanswered, such as:
- The origin of the universe
- The purpose of life
- The foundation of morality
Religion offers a complete worldview that complements scientific understanding rather than contradicting it.
