Religion and Science

Osamu Ichiyoshi

Friday, 12, January, 2024

Definition

Religion is a collection of beliefs shared by a group of people.

Science is a collection of knowledge shared by a group of people.

Historical development

Primitive ages

In primitive ages religion and science were not separated. It is certain Neanderthal people were

already human beings as they buried their dead decorated with wild flowers. They must have had

some concept of the other world where they came from by birth and return to by death. Thus they

had a religion. They also had another feature of human beings who care for the weak, old and dead.

In primitive ages human beings were free and equal. They had almost no private properties as what

they got from the nature was meager and quite unstable. They were also very diligent because they

had to produce all they needed; food, clothes, houses and all kinds of tools. As death rate was high,

orphans were raised by the whole community. This is inferred from Japanese language where

children call adults, even strangers by “uncle” or “aunt”.

The society was purely democratic as observed with American Indian societies in North America

around establishment of USA in the 18th century. The tribes leaders were elected equally by both

men and women of the tribes.

Civilization

has completely changed the human society. The advent of agriculture and domestication of animals

created private property. Arguments over lands, water, sunshine and other natural resources

developed into wars among individuals, villages and clans. The winners ruled the losers thus the

society was separated into the ruling and the ruled classes. The process continued until formation of

power states where the kings ruled their subjects.

State Religion

Religion was then separated from science & technology to grow with the formation of the power

states. The ancient states were religious states where the sovereignties of the kings were

rationalized by the states religions. In Japan the primitive grass-roots shrines all over the country

were taken over, modified to be organized into the state religion of the dynasty.

Polytheism

Japanese indigenous religion is Polytheism. Eight hundred or so gods acted almost like human

beings to tell the history of Japan from the beginning of the world, through all processes to formation

of the dynasty until the age; 8th century when the book “Kojiki” was completed. Kojiki is also a great

work of literature that tells so much about the people, culture and society in ancient times of Japan.

Another example of Polytheism is Greek and Roman mythologies. They are so well known that I

don’t need to comment any further.

Monotheism

Judaism and Islam are typical monotheism. The Judaism and Islam believe in Almighty God who

created and rule the whole world. They do not create icons or worship any idols which cannot express

the almighty god.

Development Methods

Of religion and science & technology are now compared;

Religion ; Do not doubt the authority, just believe the given teaching, that is the law

Science ; Doubt the authority, establish hypothesis, make experiment, only proven is the law

The state religion does not matter whether it is true or not as its objective is to make the people of

the state obey orders of the authority or rulers. On the other hand, Science & technology is

established only on true knowledge of facts and natural & social laws.

Universal Religion

Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Christianity are called universal or world religions.

The religions of the East; Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism have no gods in them. They are more

philosophy than religion. Truth is the essence of their teachings.

Christianity are confused with Judaism as the Old and New Testaments are filed in the same book; Bible,

but in facts they are totally different.

The New Testament very vividly depicts a man who created a new religion completely different from

Judaism. The Judaism is a state religion but Christianity is a teaching for individuals. Jesus has

taught; the Pharisees pray in public on busy streets, but a Christian should pray in secret at home

concealed with a closed curtain.

The Christianity was purest under persecution by Roman Empire, but once accepted by the empire

and establishment of Roman Church, they turned to a state religion. In fact the Christian church

hindered development of science and technology and freedom of thought in Europe for one thousand

years of Dark or Middle Ages until gradually opened by scientists as Copernicus and Galileo in

16-17th centuries,

Separation of Religion and Politics

I once saw the Israeli ambassador to UN showed off the Old Testament to claim the whole Palestine

for Israel. Such is the fallacy of the state religion and stupidity of its believer. The land between

Egypt and Lebanon & Syria had been called Palestine from ancient times. The Old Testament itself

depicts a tribe migrated from Sinai desert to ancient city of Ur. They were not accepted there, kept

migrating along the great rivers northward to southern Syria then turned southward to Palestine.

The tribe was later called Jews who established Judaism. The Jewish people are new comers today,

and were 3,000 years ago to Palestine. They are excluded wherever they go because of their “ Chosen

by God ” ideology. Since 1948, establishment of modern Israel, they in turn excluded the residents;

rightful owners of the land to create Palestinian refugee problem. And now in 21^st century, Israeli

administration is killing, mutilating tens of thousands of Palestinian people in Gaza and West bank

and destroying their properties. Such is the fallacy of state religion which justifies horrendous state

terrorism.

Judaism and Islam are typical monotheism. They both believe in a single almighty god who is the

creator of the whole universe. In reality the Jews and Islamic people are enemies at constant wars

with deepest mutual hatred. Isn’t it funny? Where is the simplest mathematical Logic?

The development of USA to the west in 18-19 centuries was achieved by terrible ethnic cleansing of

the indigenous people. The horrible crime was rationalized by Christianity replaced “love” with

“destiny” insisted to be given by God!

The militarism of the Great Empire of Japan was rationalized by the ancient state religion revived

more than one thousand years later and so deformed that the children were educated to believe the

emperor was a living god! The state religion was quite effective to promote the militarism. The

second world-war in Asia and Pacific Ocean ended up in killing tens of millions of people and

thorough destruction of Japan herself.

Because of the terrible vice of state religions, the separation of religion and politics is the basic

principle of modern states.

Democracy and science

Modern democracy is based on modern science and technology. The contractual theory of human

society established by J.J Rousseau, the independence of USA as the first modern democracy, French

revolution fought for freedom, equality and benevolence of human beings, the principle of majority

decision by Bentham and many other great thinkers have established democracy today.

The democracy today is firmly based on science and technology.

Conclusion

The wars between states occur by the greedy nature of the political powers rationalized by state

religions. I sincerely wish the horrible crime and tragedy of wars; state terrorism will be eliminated

by abolishment of state religions and enhancement of science and technology.

-End-