RELIGION VS SCIENCE, WHAT'S THE TRUTH?

Ever since science and religion started drifting away, both have been trying to subsume each other. Many people believe in either religion or science, and firmly. Between these two extremes there are still a few who are both scientific and religious, but don’t know whether a bridge can ever cross the divide. Most theists use God as an idol for them, a divine being who knows the answers to everything and can solve all the world's problems, or maybe even create some. But does God really know everything? Can He solve all our problems? Maybe he can, but in this moment of time we have no idea where God is, where he resides or even his physical features. Although there are various holy scriptures describing him in much detail, we can’t merely trust them and they may just be some man made nonsense. In theory we have almost none to no factual evidence about this deity. What if God is just another Santa Claus? But we have something known as science which bases all conclusions with evidence and factual proof for any of it’s conjectures. Through science we have also come to prove many religious beliefs wrong and along with that include facts to explain why so. Although it's not wrong to believe in a religion, no one really knows the whereabouts of religion and even if God is real, religion has shown to cause many conflicts and science provides more factual evidence than religion.

The start of the universe, a time when all organisms started their journey of evolution has been debated heavily amongst religion and science. This dispute is more intriguing because even science can almost never know how the universe was created and can just go as far as to find various compelling pieces of evidence. A few religions, such as christianity and islam, believe that “the heavens and earth were joined together as one unit. God created the world in six days,” but an important aspect is that a “day” in Islam can be denoted as any amount of time, this is also known as a “yawm.” Science has different thoughts on how the universe came into existence. This theory is known as the big bang and includes three very convincing pieces of evidence. The big bang reveals that “the Universe is expanding (and cooling) now, meaning that all the matter in it was closer together — and the radiation in it was hotter — in the past.” The first piece of evidence is known as red-shift. Red shift indicates long wavelengths, therefore representing something moving farther and farther away. Now, scientists have been calculating the rate at which the universe is expanding, it is going at a steady rate and seems to be following hubble's law. Hubble’s law states that tomorrow galaxies will be farther away from us, yesterday they were closer to us and at some point all the galaxies were on top of us. Hubble’s measurements all seemed to imply that the universe began small, in a condensed state and then expanded outwards therefore helping to solidify that the big bang could be valid. The second piece of evidence is known as cosmic microwave background radiation, and can also be called the CMB. The CMB is a radiation scientists discovered and can be classified as the earliest form of radiation that can be detected. The CMB also helps display that the early universe was a very hot place and as it expands, the gas within it cools down too, this perfectly describes the conditions during the big bang. The third piece of evidence is called the abundance of hydrogen and helium. It is believed that after the first hundred seconds of the big bang hydrogen and helium were made with a chemical reaction known as nucleosynthesis because they were the least dense and required the least amount of energy. This is crucial as it helps us prove the big bang right since nucleosynthesis’ formula describes a hot and dense environment then producing lighter elements to help balance everything out. This formula also helps mimic the environment it would’ve been during the big bang. All in all most would probably say that the science had more trustworthy and backed up evidence than the religions. These pieces of evidence also finally helped make a theory somewhat correct and may be truth for how the universe started. Islam was slightly correct as it stated that “God created the world in six days,” and essentially in Islam a day can be any period of time, and the amount of time taken for the big bang is unknown, so theoretically Islam could be right to some extent. Although that is the case, the literal meaning of the religious theory is that God joined the heaven and earth into one unit. But who even is God and can he really be trusted?

“Matthew 7:7, Ask, and it will be given to you.” God claims that whatever prayer you say to Him will come true that’s also the main reason why people pray. To put this in context say you have a test coming up and you’re stressed out, many would take God’s name so that he will make all your wishes come true and help you do well on this test. But is that always the case? The answer is no. If something does go well after reciting any sort of prayer it could merely be a coincidence or just an incident of good luck. It could be reasonably contended that God only listens and answers prayers that are of good intention and that will help for the better, but then why would God claim to answer every prayer. Many scientists and historians have also found that various holy scriptures may just be man made books that ordinary people have created, and definitely not a divine being. According to The Daily Squib, religious texts are just “man-made nonsense.” Their findings lead to the conclusion that it is odd that almost all religions created their writings in a very limited period of human history. Moreover writing on a medium such as paper “is not the word of God” and if they were actually written by an entity they should encompass all universality. There is no factual or rational evidence that shows that religions have any actuality because they are entombed in such a limiting and brief period in history which and the only piece of evidence we have from this time are various holy scriptures and religious texts. These books should be perceived as historical fiction as they just show us the faithful virtues and findings of the people living in that specific era. In science everything is explicitly sourced. You can instantly find out who created a theory why it's valid and so on. Science conjointly is not confined to a time period, we are constantly finding and learning, it never stops. We can also use science to figure out credible discoveries - none of them are just based on luck and definitely aren’t a coincidence.

Religion is also seen to be the main cause for war and conflicts. According to Louise Ridley, writer for The Huffington Post, believes that “religion is the main cause of wars. Without faith, many say, there would have been no 9/11 attacks, no Israeli-Palestinian conflict, no Troubles in Northern Ireland, no violent disputes over words in holy texts - even no Islamic State,” this point is very valid as many of the conflicts we have witnessed are based on a person's religious beliefs. To give an illustration, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, believe in assassinating people because they say “that’s what the Koran taught us.” Well, yes it did, if you take it literally. The Koran believes in implementing methods of slavery and crucifixion if someone has done wrong, and only if someone has done wrong. But the ISIS group have now started implementing this methods on everyone, in the name of religion. Many attacks have been carried out by religious groups or extremists in hopes of satisfying “God.” If religion is the reason why millions, or even billions of people’s lives are in danger, that shouldn’t be a reason why people have faith in it. Religion should be a factor in life which helps bring peace and embrace spirituality, not be the cause of people’s deaths.

But religion can be beneficial for us too. Prayer is seen to be healing to the soul and even cure illness’. A study was conducted by a team from the Indiana University who believes there is more to this. They found a case regarding an elderly woman, “who could not see a person's hand when they held two fingers up in front of her face from a foot away.” She was cured after a well wisher placed their hands on her forehead and recited some prayers. In less than a minute “she was able to count [the fingers] and even read the 20/125 line on a vision chart.” The reason the strength of prayer being a remedy is still unknown but we could come to the conclusion that there is a divine power who watches over and protects those who have faith. Additionally religion helps embrace spirituality, it’s a simple way to help satisfy many basic needs such as order, curiosity, idealism, along with others. According to Professor Steven Reiss, a psychologist at Ohio State University, concludes that “religion is simply an attempt to satisfy 16 basic human desires that afflict all human beings.” While people may believe that God has a strong power, those who aren’t as strong of believers can find the idea of God being an image which is created to be appealing for humans isn’t too far fetched. Additionally, Jeffrey Dorfman, writer for Forbes magazine, states that “studies have shown that religious attendance once or more per week leads to an extra seven years of life expectancy.” Just engaging in religious activities more than once a week can help you increase your lifespan. This could mean that since religion helps satisfy sixteen basic human needs, this helps in the long run, by making you and your immune system much stronger. All this evidence helps prove that religion is not wrong to have faith in, it does help your overall well-being in multiple ways. But, it is important to understand we have no idea as to where and who is the controlling power over religions, so science does seem to be much more valuable in that sense.

As a species who are complex, we must take into consideration the consequences that may be if we don’t understand both sides of the situation, science and religion. Even though it isn’t wrong to think religion may have some truth to it, we must take into account that science has more substantial practical application. Science has also proved religion to be inaccurate in quite a few circumstances.


**I'm not completely finished

The Weight Of Regret

Everyone has something they are guilty about. Whether it’s taking some loose change from the coffee table without asking your parents, or not giving in your homework on time. Any of these circumstances can happen to anyone, if it is a toddler, teenager, or even a parent. All these emotions of guilt, wrongfulness, etc can make any small memory unforgettable. In both Khaled Hosseini’s book, ‘The Kite Runner’ and Hasmukh Amathalal’s poem, ‘I Regret It’ there is an individual feeling ashamed of their past and their wrongdoings. In Hosseini's ‘The Kite Runner,’ the individual, Amir, is represented as a much stronger figure compared to Hassan, his servant. Hassan constantly looked up to Amir because he was literate and could write amazing stories, whereas Hassan couldn’t. As Amir matures he tries to get past his mistakes and make up for his regrets. His regrets being how he treated Hassan, and how he normally took whereas Hassan often gave for him. In Amathalal’s ‘I Regret It,’ the individual is a commoner who tries to be forgiven by “HIM.” The “HIM” being God in this context. A precept we can take away is that everyone needs to be forgiven for something, no matter who they are and the aftermath can be varied.

Initially in ‘I Regret It’ Amathalal recounts how “[he] should have acted wise but did not follow” and describes how “inwardly [he] felt something had gone wrong,” as most people guilty of doing something they weren’t meant to can relate to. The sense of achievement soon fades away when you realise the negative impact you’ve created on others and “no one is able to see your guilt.” Furthermore in ‘The Kite Runner’ Hosseini describes how Amir doesn’t follow his morals and does the wrong thing by framing someone else for a theft he committed. “I lifted Hassan’s mattress and planted my new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it,” says Amir as he had completed the first step, “in what [he] hoped would be the last in a long line of shameful lies.” Furthermore even though Amir succeeded in his plan, when he saw Hassan and Ali’s “red, puffed-up eyes” he “flinched, like [he’d] been slapped.” Additionally he questioned how he’d “become capable of causing this kind of pain.” Whenever someone commits a crime or a theft, etc, they know would have a negative impact on another individual, they suddenly start regretting the decisions they made and may start accusing themselves as Amir did by calling himself a “liar, a cheat or a thief.” Both texts help display how after anyone executes something against their morals, they tend to feel unsatisfied and disappointed in themselves.

On the other hand Hosseini describes how “ [Amir] [has] been peeking into that deserted alley for twenty-six years,” the alley that “changed everything.” Showing us that although Amir had tried to move on from his past, he would constantly go back and relive every moment. Some may argue that time heals all and is the only way to progress without anything holding you back. While this may be true Hosseini argues that “the past claws it’s way out.” Amathalal also believes the same by saying “it will constantly hurt me and bite” displaying that the guilt you thought would never affect you again, will remotely haunt you for the rest of your life throughout whatever you do. Amathalal further explores this idea and concludes that the “past may influence.” This is evident in ‘The Kite Runner’ because the reason Amir went to rescue Hassan’s son, Sohrab, was because he realised “[he] had to do it, for Hassan” showing that although it had been twenty-six years, to repent his regrets he had to do what was necessary to help him forgive himself. All in all, both texts symbolise how throughout your lifetime you will try to redeem yourself, whether it is five years later or thirty, the past will always comes back around and to get rid of it you have to right your wrongs.

Amathalal expresses an idea of how an “immediate redress may relieve the worry,” showing that instant remedies may help rectify your past mistakes. In ‘The Kite Runner,’ while Hassan was get assaulted by Assef and his gang members, Amir “ran” showing his cowardice behaviour. On top of that Amir acted oblivious towards what had just happened to Hassan by questioning him. He was asking things like “Where were you?”, although he knew the answer to that, and defending himself by exclaiming “I looked for you!” Moreover after they reached back home Amir “buried [his] face in the warmth of [Baba’s] chest” displaying his vulnerability and showing his need for sympathy after what had just happened. Amir also states “ I [he] forgot what I’d [he’d] done. And that was good” This further amplifies the fact that he couldn’t begin to believe what he just saw and felt penitent towards it. Because of this he felt that forgetting about it would be the easy way out. Additionally in Amathalal’s ‘I Regret It,’ Amathalal says “no more guilt to fear but cheers and joy” explaining how an easy fix can often lead to people being happy and feeling free as they are now not worried about the consequences that may have been present otherwise. With all things considered, often times people don’t know how to express their guilt so they will help cover it up with instant resolution which definitely isn’t long term. These instant resolutions often times help people feel reassured because they think that the issue has been fixed. These actions are taken by everyone, even if you are said to be the bigger person.

Whilst both texts deal with the aftermath of guilt, Hasmukh Amathalal’s ‘I Regret It’ and Khaled Hosseini’s ‘The Kite Runner’ are also different because one deals with God and one deals with a companionship, respectively. In ‘The Kite Runner,’ Amir is often described as the person Hassan looks up to whereas in ‘I Regret It’ the commoner, being the narrator, is definitely at a lower status than who he wants to be forgiven by, which is God. Although there is a difference, the way the issue is dealt with is very similar. The aftermath completely depends on the situation too, whether you try coming up with a short term solution or just forgetting about what happened. While some may argue that guilt is relative and people handle it differently, both the texts show that the way most handle the feeling of wrongfulness is similar, concluding that everyone needs to be forgiven for something, no matter who they are and the aftermath can be varied.

Is technology ruining relationships?

Is technology ruining our relationships? I conducted a study only to find that more than half of the students who responded spend 4-6 hours on the laptops alone each day. A more universally relatable example would be on the 21st of November I was invited to a friends place but there was no conversation and a room filled with an awkward silence. Apparently it was more convenient to have a virtual conversation on the chat!!

I ran a study which included inputs from 20 different Grade 8 students. 50 percent of these students said that at least one of their parents is constantly on their phone or some form of technology. That’s a really staggering amount as this age of teens really need their parents attention. An anonymous student from UWCSEA also went to say that they repeatedly urge their parents to get off their phones but they don’t do so. Although it is understood that some parents have a lot of pressure from work the screen time must be limited and family time must be extended.

Did you know an eye-opening amount of 71 percent of teens use more than one kind of social media? This amount has to be reduced as smartphones are shown to facilitate shifts in teenagers communication and information landscape. These pieces of data already show how addicted we really are becoming to the virtual and made-up world.

Jabiz Raisdana, a Grade 8 English teacher also went to say that, “Social media is becoming an extra stage for our performance, people are just trying to search for validation.”

The PewResearchCentre also found out that one in three teenagers sends more than 100 text messages a day, or 3000 a month. This evidence is significant as it shows that this amount has to be reduced, texting could be the cause to many of our own social issues, such as bullying and being the cause of insecurity in people due to lack of attention.

On debate.org and anonymous user has also shared their strong opinion about social media ruining relationships. “People of young age are becoming so awkward, they don't even know how to interact with flesh and bones anymore. They don't know how to say hello without looking like a complete moron. They’re becoming very disrespectful to society by showing them their scalps more than their faces. (off topic: how many times did you miss the elevator because of some kid blocking the way while being distracted in the middle of writing a tweet? Ridiculous you guys!)” What is revealed here is that our actions are now getting to a level that is expressing disrespect and contempt to other individuals. It also illustrates that the youth are losing courage to have face to face conversations and put forth their views and ideas in real world interactions.

Some ways we can stop surrounding ourselves with these anti-social people (or becoming one!!) are, find an interest which you really love... play a sport, read a book or go out and meet friends and family! Another way is to stop yourself from too much screen time is make a time limit and stick to it. For example, only using your laptop for an hour each day. Also assign yourself some reading time, tell yourself you have to read at least thirty pages of a book each day.

Although technology is contributing positively to our world we must learn to control and moderate it. After all, eating something too sweet can leave a bitter aftertaste.

By Shrishti Khetan