Cody Fults, Elijah Goble, Brandon Nguyen
Mr. Kamei
English Cp 3 / Journalism
Period 1/2
10 December 2011
Religion’s Harmful Effects on Society
Throughout history, religion has had a lasting effect on how the shape of society formed. In the modern world, religion proves to be source of morals and confidence to many. On the other hand, religion has proven to show that it has dimmed the world’s view on the future and slowed its progression drastically. Politically, ancient man has fought over the name of God to rule the world and has proven to still fight to this day. Morally, the name of God has mostly brought justice into this world, as well has punished many innocent lives for that same God. Scientifically, the world of science has always been slowed down due to religious oppression, but has also shown how it could expand the view of some. Religion in the world has shown to have a major effect on society both good and bad. However, the overt nature of religion and its tendency of irrational thinking, has lead the world to stall at the advancements of society’s politics, law as well as morals, and scientific research.
From the very origins of science and experimentation, the name of God has oppressed the science community. Galileo, an Italian physicist and astronomer in the early 1600’s, was forced by the church to make science deal with religion’s irrational beliefs. As the bible references for the religious people at the time, it made them believed that“the world is firmly established, and it cannot be moved” (1/ Psalms 93:1).This clearly states that the churches’ beliefthat the world is the center of everything, and rejected anything in opposition, as heresy. Galileo tried to prove the sun was the center of the solar system, but when the church learned of his publications, they threw him into a house arrest where he would still publish information about his theory. With the church not allowing any of their own research to be done against this theory, it only proves how the church is not competent enough to counter this theory with their own. With the church intervening with Galileo’s work, 300 years of potential progress was hindered. This would eventually lead to the modern age of science where many would begin to use religion to fight fairly with “research” and “experimentation.” One of Albert Einstein’s well known saying to his colleagues was that “science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind" (2). Einstein believed that without some religion, science would be not opened minded to the certainly abstract. However, Einstein during his younger years was oppressed for his Jewish heritage while working on his experiments. If this had not happened he could have progressed with his colleagues to built many new inventions such as the V2 rocket. Eventually, in a modern age with a new generation of religious scientists, religion can a minutely benefit the scientific community with some drawback. As an example,if “a Christian takes Genesis literally, she's going to reject the principles of evolution, […] but if she sees evolution in the context of God's plan, […] she needs intellectual and scientific role models to support both sides of the equation” (3). This example of a religious scientist allows the benefit of showing the scientific community how an open mind of the supernatural is acceptable. However, when this open minded approach to science is a normal to all, then many new, but impossible ideas will spring up. With the impossible, new theories will arise, but will hinder the scientific community with so many ludicrous ideas. As religion through history has demonstrated, religion in science has always proven harmful to the scientific community.
The position of politics in religion and vice versa is an exclusive topic that has never deserved greater attention and immense scrutiny than now. Many members of our society and various politicians claim that they don’t want to express questions on their religious views; however they call upon a greater power unambiguously and implicitly as if they were in relevance on people’s essential attributes for office. In 2007 Mitt Romney gave his “faith in America ” speech in which he insightfully declares, “Today, I wish to address a topic which I believe is fundamental to America
History provides fundamental evidence that devout events such as the crusades held an astronomical impact on modern political society. Shortly after the 911 attacks, President Bill Clinton gave a luminous speech to the students at Georgetown University in which he definitively clarifies that “in the First Crusade, when the Christian soldiers took Jerusalem , they first burned a synagogue with three hundred Jews in it, and proceeded to kill every woman and child who was Muslim on the Temple Mount Iraq Iraq
Many attributes of the common institutes governing society are subjugated by religious elements of communal values. Laws implemented by the government provide an adequate guideline that is easily related to religious values such as the Ten Commandments. However, these basic moral laws that are influenced by religion are acceptable to a certain extent. For instance, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) declares that they have received “numerous complaints that television and/or radio networks, stations or their employees or guests have broadcast extreme, incorrect or somehow improper political, economic or social statements” (7). This oppression by the religious community infringes on the broadcasters’ first amendment right to freedom of speech. Moreover, the imposition of the situation provides the public with a deceitful disposition, and the content of the broadcast is not interpreted as it was meant to be. This same concept may be applied to the dispute between abortion, same sex marriage, and the death penalty. According to the article on “religious liberty”, in the New York Times, Archbishop Timothy Dolan considers the churches “opposition as a struggle for “religious liberty” against a government and a culture that are infringing on the churches rights” (8). However, there is a significant reason as to why we have a separation of church and state, and that is due to discrepancies in the beliefs of American citizens. Individuals of the church may speculate that gay marriage is in opposition to their religion, as to where someone who doesn’t share their beliefs may feel that it is reasonable. There should be no discrepancies by religion in law to assist in the alteration of decisions. Overall, the government is not infringing on the churches rights, the church is simply abusing its power to try and encroach on the government’s decision and laws.
Through the ages, religion has demonstrated how it has affected a society’s change through science, law, and politics. With the involvement of religion in science, year upon years of research and development has been wasted in the arrogant thought of the devout religious leaders. In the history of the politics of the world, leaders have been praised and attacked because of religious belief, as with the fall and gain of world territories. Lives have been lost in these events of shifting power. Also, religions infiltration of the FCC has led to the censorship of various broadcast networks, causing a false interpretation of the information being provided. If one must evaluate how religion must affect the world, one shall look upon what bad it has done to our fast paced world. Therefore, one would see that religion has done more damage to society then help
Citations/Bibliography
1.) God. "Psalm 96:10 Say among the Nations, "The LORD Reigns." The World Is Firmly Established, It Cannot Be Moved; He Will Judge the Peoples with Equity." Online Parallel Bible: Weaving God's Word into the Web. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. <http://bible.cc/psalms/96-10.htm>.
2.) "Albert Einstein and Religion." Welcome To The Deism Site! Web. 14 Dec. 2011. <http://www.deism.com/einstein.htm>.
3.) "When Science and Religion Mix Just Fine - Culture - GOOD." GOOD Home Page - GOOD.Web. 10 Dec. 2011. <http://www.good.is/post/when-science-and-religion-mix-just-fine/>.
4.) "Romney's 'Faith in America Washington Post: Breaking News, World , US
5.) This, Hide. "Embrace Secularism; Keep Religion out of Politics - Guest Voices - The Washington Post." Washington Post: Breaking News, World , US
6.) Christianity, Restoring Eastern. "Article | First Things." Home | First Things.Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://www.firstthings.com/article/2009/05/inventing-the-crusades-1243195699>.
7.) "FCC and Freedom of Speech | FCC.gov." Home | FCC.gov.Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <http://www.fcc.gov/guides/fcc-and-freedom-speech>.
8.) GOODSTEIN, LAURIE. "Bishops Open ‘Religious Liberty’ Drive." Http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/us/bishops-renew-fight-on-abortion-and-gay-marriage.html. 14 Nov. 2011. Web.
