Science is the religion of the known and rational and religion is the science of the unknown and ignorant. Both science and religion aim at the investigation of the truth of the promotion of happiness of the entire mankind. They have a common origin and their destination is one and same, but their scope, their approach and their mode of enquiry are different. So, though from their outward appearances science and religion seem polarly opposed to each other, in reality the two complement each other.
Regarding their definitions, science is a systematic study of a particular field of knowledge and religion is faith in the realism of God. Science relates to the Nature, religion relates to supernatural; science deals with matter, religion with the realm of spirit; science is concerned with this world, religion with the other world. Science unravels the mysteries of Nature and the Universe but religion on the other hand believes in an almighty power, mentioning him as the creator of the whole Universe.
Before the advent of science, religion was all-powerful and undefeatable, and there was none to challenge to its authority. It was full of conservative practices, orthodox traditions and superstitions. But with the birth of great scientists like Galileo, Darwin and Newton, scientific outlook began to grow and it shook the roots of the empire of religion. So the spread of scientific ideas sounded the death-knell of religion and thus, started a long conflict between science and religion. History shows how painful is this conflict. In the name of religion ruthless persecutions were perpetrated to on persons who dared to bring something new by challenging the irrational view and the hoax of religion.
Galileo was imprisoned for measuring the distance of heavenly bodies; Copernicus was persecuted for his theory that the sun is still and the planets including our Earth are moving around it, Martin Luther was burnt alive. Darwin when challenged the Biblical theory of the origin of man from Adam and Eve and traced that the origin of man is from monkey, the fathers of the Church became furious at him. But at last science triumphed over religion and in the 19th century the victory of science became widespread and complete.
Regarding the fundamental difference or antagonism between science and religion, some people hold the view that the advance of science means the complete extinction of religion. To some modern people science is truth and religion is a myth. They say that religion has nothing to do with truth, as truth has been unveiled by science. Some says that without God’s will a leaf can’t swing in air and man is a mere creature in God’s hand. There are others who opine that religion is a mere showing, just exploitation and a psychological fear, which has been injected to man from his birth.
However, such attitudes are improper and unhealthy and are not sound. We should remember that science and religion are concerned with entirely different fields and their areas of operation are totally different. Neither science nor religion can itself discover the absolute truth. So, truth is a prism reflecting many coloured lights, and both religion and science reflect some colours. Hence, in our uphill journey of life, we completely need a harmonious co-existence of both science and religion. Properly and clearly understood, science is not the enemy of religion but a dangerous enemy of orthodox, irrational and dogmatic concepts.