Some Reflections on 'Science and Religion' by Swami Ranganathananda (Part 1 of 3)

By Ezenwa Onwugbenu 

I have recently been reading a book titled Science and Religion. It is a transcript of two lectures given by Revered Swami Ranganathananda. It is a thought-provoking study to say the least. Here are a few initial reflections.

First: Positivistic science and dogmatic religion are two sides of the same coin, in that both are doctrinal systems that obstruct a free, broad-minded search for Truth. The doctrine of positivistic science broadly denies the existence of the metaphysical, and the doctrine of dogmatic religion broadly denies the direct experience of the metaphysical. The end result is that both systems firmly bind man to the sense plane of experience. The scientist merely gathers and classifies sense data. The religious man merely believes in stories beyond sense data. Both are comparably ignorant of the inner world of man. Both are comparably fixed to a set of inflexible, authoritative principles. The scientist limits all his search for truth to matter; and the religious man limits all his search for truth to one or more scriptures.

Second: Positivistic science and dogmatic religion are motions of cowardice. Both share a singular lack of courage to expand the domain of their inquiry, and this self-imposed limitation leads both into varied ruts of illogic. Let me give two examples:

The physicist proposes a Big Bang Theory to explain the origin of the universe, and according to the scientific method, he must now find some empirical evidence to back up this hypothesis. So using various instruments and complex mathematics, he discovers certain vibrations that pervade the entire universe, termed the Cosmic Microwave Background, and asserts that these vibrations are some sort of residual shockwave of that primordial explosion. So far so good. However, he also discovers that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate and now faces a logical conundrum. Namely, all known explosions eventually diminish. How can an explosion that took place some 14 billion years ago still be increasing in intensity? However, the physicist cannot easily discard his illogical hypothesis because he needs an explanation that is limited to dull, insentient matter. Perhaps a more logical hypothesis may be termed The Big Dilation Theory. In short, the expansion of the universe is not explosive but dilative, but such an idea is anathema to the so-called scientific mind. Why? Because dilation is an ordered, regulated process and that raises the question of some Cosmic Intelligence.

The religious man asserts a biblical cosmology to explain the origin of the universe. He supports his forceful views with a handful of allegorical verses from the Holy Bible. In his narrowmindedness, this scripture constitutes his theory of everything, even though the scripture itself does not make such a bold claim. He tortures the texts to conjure an answer to the many questions of the day and thereby spouts such sterling reasonings like approximating the age of the universe to be 6,000 years old.