Question

important points on science vs spirituality

Answer 1

(Satya nasti paro dharma!) is an ancient Sanskrit saying that can be translated “There is no religion higher than truth”.  Central to both science and spirituality is the seeking of truth and grasping the essential nature of reality.   The goal of science is a complete understanding of the fundamental principles underlying the physical universe in all its diverse forms.  Spirituality is the awakening of wisdom concerning how we affectively relate to each other and to the world.  Science seeks to enlighten our minds, while spirituality seeks to awaken our hearts.  Each is necessary for a full fruition of the other.  Although some may consider science to be antagonistic or contradictory to their religion and spirituality, the truth is that compulsive attachment to particular doctrines and dogmas are inimical to both science and to a deeper realization of spirituality.

 

Science has historically often seemed to be at odds with religion.  Yet there is a form of spirituality with which science has no discord.  Interestingly, the mystics of allreligious traditions seem to be substantivelyin agreement.  The Christian mystic, Sufi mystic, and Zen master all seem in perfect accord, even while many exoteric Christians (and Muslims and others) are at each other’s throats over minor doctrinal differences.  The 20th century philosopher Aldous Huxley referred to this mystical invariant across cultures and ages asperennial philosophy.   At this level of religion/spirituality there is no conflict whatsoever with science.  Indeed, science itself is deeply rooted in ancient western mystical traditions, such as alchemy and Kabala.  Sir Isaac Newton was unarguably the quintessential scientist.  Yet Newton’s alchemical writings were more voluminous than his scientific and mathematical works (he wrote over a million words on the subject). At this (deepest) level of religion, science and spirituality are quite harmonious and complementary.   For it was never religion per se that conflicted with science, but dogmatism.  Indeed, dogma is and has always been the enemy of both science and spirituality.

 

The historical conflicts between science and religion are all due to the tendency of doctrine and dogma to be mistaken for religion.  The dogma is believed to be Reality itself, not simply an attempt to describe reality.   Alternate descriptions of reality are seen as a threat.  In fact, the famous conflicts between science and Christianity perhaps pale in significance when compared to the conflicts between various sects of Christianity.  What today seem trivial variations of the same basic dogmatic systems of belief led to purges and persecutions that have left hundreds of thousands dead.