Science tells us earth we live is 4 billion years old and
modern looking man just 200,000 years old. It tries to explain everything in
this universe on the basis of interplay of matter. It has not proved
conclusively that God does not exist, at the same time it does not say God exists.
True science provides us a reliable and valid measure of the object of study.
It tries to uncover new knowledge rather than merely support preexisting
belief. Science is not perfect but is far closer to provide useful
understanding of events. True science cannot provide100% answers but that
should not mean to support untenable ideas. Religious notions are many a times
dogmatic and are not verifiable. How does a person evaluate benefits offered by
religion that await one after death? Limitations of science should not give
credence or support to pseudoscience. Science is based on mathematics,
mathematics cannot discover all truths, therefore science cannot provide all
truth. Science calls religious beliefs
bereft of proof, yet at the same time its various assertions on creation are probabilistic.
What a human dilemma?
Regarding origin of man, Darwin 1859 in “Origin of species
“postulated evolutionary theory. According to this theory man evolved from Apes.
Evolutionary theory is based on two things--- Mutation and natural selection.
We humans split from Chimps 7.5 million years ago. Records of first homohabilis
go back to2.8 million years, H.ERECTUS 1.5—1.8 million and Homosapiens,
forerunner of modern man just 400,000----250,000 years. This theory does not
see hand of God in making of man. There has been criticism of this theory both
by religious peers and handful of intellectuals. Michel cremo in his book,
Human devolution contests this theory. There are many archaeological findings
which go against this theory. Infact Darwin himself had said that for this
theory to be true there have got to be intermediate species. Such intermediate
species have not been found till date. Arthur Keith who wrote foreword to
Darwin’s book wrote, “Evolution is not proved and not provable”. Evolutionary
theory has no solution to origin of life.Darwin theory can not explain how species originated? It suggested mechanism, how a species can get stronger and better but gave no indication of how it might throw new species.
Science has
not been able to produce life out of that which was not life. It has not been
possible to change one species into another despite advances in science.
Science feels man is nothing but outcome of a materialistic process. How
matter, a nonliving entity became live entity it has no answer? Crick ,co discoverer DNA suggested that Earth was deliberately seeded with life by intelligent Aliens.Big bang theory can not explain how matter was created from nothing. Science tells us matter came into existence by itself. This goes against first law of thermodynamics which states matter can not be created or destroyed.Even evolutionary theory and second law of thermodynamics do not go hand in hand.Evolution means there has to be continued increase of order and of complexity but according to second law of thermodynamics there should be disorder [Entropy]. This means universe should be winding down and devolving. To over come these anomalies in creation science now hints at "Intelligence" behind this creation. It is still feeling shy to call this intelligence-- --God.
Religions have
different story to tell. No religion believes in evolutionary theory. All
religions believe creation including man have been created by God, All Abrahamic
religions [Judaism, Christianity, Islam] talk of creation of Adam by God. There
are some minor variations in these religions on creation of Adam and Eve. AS
per these religions man was created on 6th day of creation along
with land animals. Genesis tells us God created man from of the ground and
breathed life into him. God made Eve from rib of Adam. God banished Adam and
Eve from Eden garden for disobeying. Because of eating forbidden fruit, sin and
death entered this world. Some scholars believe Garden of Eden is somewhere near
Persian Gulf while others believe it is at borders of Heaven and Earth.
According to bible, man is just 6000—10000 years old on this earth. James Ussher believes creation date to be oct
23rd, 4004BC. Some other dates of creation are:--- Egyptian
date---39760 BC, Zoroastrian----9600BC—9500BC ,Maya---3114BC and Chinese date
is----39000BC.None of these match scientific version of creation. All these
religions believe in external God, meaning God and Man are two different and
distinct identities.
Hindus have
different story to tell about Creator and Man. Hindus tell that God by his will
created this universe and man. But details of creation are totally different
from Abrahamic religions. Hindus believe man is miniature universe. Individual soul
[jivataman] and God [paratman] are one and same. While Jivataman is bound and veiled,
Paratman [cosmic soul] is free and infinite. Hindus are only religion which
have given detailed description of Individual soul , Cosmic soul and Man and
their relationship. Unlike science, Hindus believe in that man is not matter
but more than that. Hindus identify man in terms of three bodies, 5 koshas [sheaths]
and three states. It also tells us we are divine but imperfect living in two
worlds---material and spiritual.. It is our destiny to shuttle between these
two worlds till we reach perfection. Creator is absolute good and absolute
beauty [sat, chit, Ananda]. It is nature of Creator to desire manifestation. If
Creator does not create souls to nurture and grow, its sublime energy would
shrink from lack of expression .This is real purpose of life and creation. Soul
is wrapped inside 5 koshas. 5 koshas are:-1.-Anandmaya kosha—bliss sheath. It
is in proximity to Soul. It is associated with state of dreamless sleep and Samadhi.
This sheath is reflection of three divine qualities of Soul [ sat , chit
,anand] Since Soul is nondoer, its qualities are manifest through this kosh 2.
Vigyanmaya kosha—Intellect. It discriminates and determines. Feeling of “I”
resides in it. It is repository of information. 3. Manomaya kosha—MIND. It is
involved with thinking, feeling. Mind along five senses constitutes this kosha.
It receives all sensory inputs and interprets them. 4. Pranamaya kosha---air
sheath. It moves in physical body along subtle pathways. These pathways are
Nadis [astral tubes] and they carry pranic currents .5. Anamaya kosha---food sheath.
This is in form of physical body.
Three
bodies are----1. Gross body. 2. Subtle
body [linga sharira]. 3. Casual body
[karana sharira].
Gross body:--- It is made of elements—Akash
,Air ,Agni ,Earth , Water. Annamaya and
part of Pranamaya reside in gross body. It needs food, water, air which it gets
from koshas which reside in it.
Subtle body [Linga sharira]:----In it mind,
intellect and ego reside. Manomaya ,Gayanamaya and part of Pranamaya kosha
reside in this body. It surrounds gross body as an aura of energy. Nadis
[subtle channels] exist in it. In it are counter parts of organs outside [Astral
senses]. At death Soul exits gross body along this body. It is vehicle of
consciousness.
Casual body [ karana sharira]:---It controls
the formation and growth of other two bodies. Anandamaya kosha resides in
casual body. It is the map template which is sole cause for gross and subtle
bodies in the future birth of soul that is not liberated or detached from
casual body. It links individual consciousness with collective consciousness.
Experiences from past are stored in casual body. At death both casual body and
subtle [astral] body remain together and separate from gross body. Once soul is
completely detached from casual body it goes to abode of God.
It is
interesting to note that Abrahamic religions believe in personal God and that
too external. Hindus on contrary neither believe in personal God nor external
God. In Abrahamic religions on day of reckoning all dead will be made alive and
sent to hell or heaven depending on the deeds done while alive. Hindus on
contrary believe in rebirth of departed Soul, only to return to source once it
reaches perfection.
There is also
another school of thought on this matter. Michel cremo is talking of human
devolution instead of human evolution. According to him we devolved, came from
realm of pure consciousness. He believes humans are combination of Matter, Mind
and consciousness [spirit] unlike science which says we are just matter. He
believes we live in multidimensional cosmos [three to be precise]---1. Pure
consciousness .2. Subtle-dominated by mental energies. This world is inhabited
by gods, Angels, Astral beings. 3. Matter dominated world [Earth]---inhabited
by Human. Pure consciousness departs from pure and enters into lower world,
gets covered by mind and matter. It is meditation which can help us to evolve.
Living are vehicles of conscious cells designed by Creator to help us progress
in life.
Conclusion:--
Science believes in evolution,
from simple to complex and does not see hand of God in creation. Religions see
hand of God in creation and do not believe in evolution. Each religion defines
God within the limits it demarcates and then claims to have grasped “HIM”.
Religions only speak of part of” Him”, and yet assert their vision is full and
final. Each religion forgets that God is all forms, all names, all attributes
and all assertions. Modern man is slave to his desires. Man has to give up
reliance on vagaries of mind in order to know divine. We should strive for
higher level of living and not high standard of living. An atamic vision
destroys desire for objective joys. Spiritual enlightenment is possible by Bhakti/
Good karma/Dhyana and Raj yoga. Life and death is away to perfect one’s own
self. Vedic wisdom [Hindu wisdom] tells consciousness is canvas on which
thoughts/world is projected. We live in living universe which is constantly
evolving. Science tells life came by miracle from nonlife but religions tell us
it came on purpose [expression of supreme].
