Religion in a Scientific Age

科学时代的宗教

Religion without science is crippled, while science without religion is blind.

宗教缺乏科学是瞎子，科学缺乏宗教是跛子。

Today we live in a scientific age in which almost every aspect of our lives has been affected by science. Since the scientific revolution during the seventeenth century, science has continued to exert tremendous influence on what we think and do.

生活在科学时代，我们的生活方式都受到科学革命性的洗礼。科学革命起源于十七世纪的西方，今天它仍然继续的对我们的思想展示它惊人的影响力。

The impact of science has been particularly strong on traditional religious beliefs. Many basic religious concepts are crumbling under the pressure of modern science and are no longer acceptable to the intellectual and the well-informed man. No longer is it possible to assert truth derived merely through theological speculations or based on the authority of religious scriptures in isolation to scientific consideration. For example, the findings of modern psychologists indicate that the human mind, like the physical body, work according to natural, causal laws without the presence of an unchanging soul as taught by some religions.

科学思潮对传统宗教起了巨大的冲击，很多宗教观点已不再被科学家或知识份子所接受了。很多古老的宗教概念，在现代科学的压力下崩溃，真理并不是建立在神学的臆测或权威。现代心理学认为，人类的心识如同肉体一样，是按照自然规律来运作，其中并没有宗教所认为的「不朽的灵魂」的存在。

Some religionists choose to disregard scientific discoveries which conflict with their religious dogmas. Such rigid mental habits are indeed a hindrance to human progress. Since the modern man refuses to believe anything blindly, even though it had been traditionally accepted, such religionists will only succeed in increasing the ranks of non-believers with their faulty theories.

有些宗教选择接受科学来调整它们的教义。这种做法是无补于事的，现代人无法接受这种盲目的信仰。虽然它们非常的传统，可是在错误理论的指导下，只会增加唾弃和不信任者。

On the other hand, some religionists have found it necessary to accommodate popularly accepted scientific theories by giving new interpretations to their religious dogmas. A case in point is Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Many religionists maintain that man was directly created by God. Darwin, on the other hand, claimed that man had evolved from the ape, a theory which upset the doctrines of divine creation and the fall of man. Since all enlightened thinkers have accepted Darwin's theory, the theologians today have little choice except to give a new interpretation to their doctrines to suit this theory which they had opposed for so long.

科学迫使很多宗教都认为有必要给予自己的教义重新的定义。当达尔文推出《进化论》时，宗教家还是坚持：人是「神」的创造。否定了人类是由人猿进化而来的论点。认为《进化论》是异端学说，扰乱了「神」的神圣性和使人类堕落。几百年来，宗教家都反对《进化论》，他们认为这是对他们神圣宗教的一种打击。

近年来，达尔文的《进化论》思想已普遍的被接受，神学家被迫必须对宗教一开始就反对的《进化论》和他们的教义做一个全新的诠释。

In the light of modern scientific discoveries, it is not difficult to understand that many of the views held in many religions regarding the universe and life are merely conventional thoughts of that which have long been superseded. It is generally true to say that religions have greatly contributed to human development and progress. They have laid down values and standards and formulated principles to guide human life. But for al the good they have done, religions can no longer survive in the modern, scientific age if the followers insist on imprisoning truth into set forms and dogmas, on encouraging ceremonies and practices which have been depleted of their original meaning.

在科学文明的照耀下，宗教的宇宙观、生命观和虚妄的教义全然失色。但是，我们不否定宗教曾经为人类的进步和发展做出贡献。宗教也曾经为人类的生活订立标准、价值观和宗旨。虽然宗教曾经做出了巨大的贡献，可是它们一样无法在现代的社会生存。在科学时代里，如果宗教继续宣扬那些没有意义的教义和仪式，将失去人类对宗教的信仰。