Religion: Instinct vs. Reflection

Research sought to find out if trusting instinct over reflection affects the strength of religious conviction. Those relying on instinct to answer various questions were 1.5 times as likely to say they were convinced of God's existence vs. those relying on their analytical skills. Instinctual thinkers were also more likely to become more confident believers over their lifetimes, regardless of their upbringing vs. reflective thinkers becoming less certain.

President Obama Notes Muslim Contributions to Science and Technology

While addressing Muslim countries in a key foreign policy speech in Cairo, President Obama noted the contributions of Islamic civilization to the advancement of science and technology, and also the interrelated history of Islam and America. Below is an excerpt; go here for the full transcript:

"As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam.  It was Islam -- at places like Al-Azhar -- that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment.  It was innovation in Muslim communities -- it was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed.  Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation.  And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.

I also know that Islam has always been a part of America's story.  The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco.  In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President, John Adams, wrote, "The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims."  And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States.  They have fought in our wars, they have served in our government, they have stood for civil rights, they have started businesses, they have taught at our universities, they've excelled in our sports arenas, they've won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch.  And when the first Muslim American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers -- Thomas Jefferson -- kept in his personal library."

Religion Under a Microscope

A very interesting article has appeared in the latest issue of The Economist, which describes recent efforts by a number of scientists to examine various aspects of religious belief and religious life using modern science tools and methods.

Whether it is an examination of altruistic behavior in religious vs. non-religious individuals, the evolutionary drives that may help explain why religion persists among societies, or the parts of the brain that are activated during intense spiritual experiences, the experiments (and results) are sure to provide fascinating insights about religious life.

To read the article, click here to visit the website for The Economist.

The Lame and the Blind

The relationship between religion and science has long been a source of fascination for the scholar and the lay person alike. This month's issue of The Ahmadiyya Gazette, USA features an article by Shermeen Butt of London, UK entitled "The Correlation Between Science and Religion". It raises a number of good points and presents at the very outset the basic reasons why this topic should be reflected upon by all religious-minded individuals. I quote the following passage from the text:

"There is an extremely important factor in our daily lives that compels us to clearly understand the relationship between science and religion. With the advancements of scientific knowledge and the daily use of science and technology, innumerable issues regarding ethics and religious beliefs arise that need to be discussed. As religion plays a pivotal role in maintaining the standards of ethics and morality, scientific advancement and direction become a matter of great interest for those of us who have religious beliefs.

Whether it is genetic engineering, prolonging life through invented mechanical methods, in vitro fertilization, family planning through scientific birth control methods, or determining the genetic nature of homosexuality, aggression or criminality; and indeed there is a matter of cloning -- these and many other issues -- do fall under the domain of religion. Religion deals with human behavior. Science helps us to find not only the underlying causes of specific forms of human behavior, but it also claims the ability to 'change' certain forms of human behavior. Therefore, in the knowledge of the consequences of scientific discoveries and their implementations on human society, it is exceedingly important that we understand their mutual relationship." (p. 28).

There are indeed many ways in which our lives are affected daily by science and technology, and it behooves all of us to understand the ethical and moral obligations we have to use this knowledge and these tools wisely. In Sura Al-Rahman of the Holy Qur'an, Allah enjoins us to consider all of our means to do so with a sense of balance and measure:

"And the heaven He has raised high and set up the measure, that you may not transgress the measure. So weigh all things with justice and fall not short of the measure." (55:8-9).

An additional aspect of the relationship between science and religion is how they offer up mutually reinforcing ways in which the universe can be appreciated as a whole. The inspiration to search for truth often stems from religious belief or at the very least, a spiritual inspiration. Einstein has famously remarked:

"But science can only be created by those who are thoroughly imbued with the aspiration toward truth and understanding. This source of feeling, however, springs from the sphere of religion. To this there also belongs the faith in the possibility that the regulations valid for the world of existence are rational, that is, comprehensible to reason. I cannot conceive of a genuine scientist without that profound faith. The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."

(Ch. 13 of Science, Philosophy and Religion: A Symposium; 1941; emphasis in bold by this author).

Another node of interplay between science and religion centers around the ongoing debates about whether science can disprove the existence of God, or whether it actually reinforces God's existence in one's mind.

This and many other aspects of the science/religion dialogue will no doubt be an ongoing discussion in these postings. For now, however, one can appreciate that -- at a very basic level -- there is a need for us to understand the relationship among scientific discoveries, their translation into popular everyday technologies, and the ethical and moral consequences of using these technologies in a balanced and measured manner. I invite readers to study this month's issue of the Gazette to learn more about these and other interesting topics.