I am going to be looking at how the religion of Hinduism relates to such scientific topics. I will be talking about some of the key issues that have been mentioned by religious people and scientists

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Introduction

In this project, I am going to be looking at how the religion of Hinduism relates to such scientific topics. I will be talking about some of the key issues that have been mentioned by religious people and scientists, and how their views contrast and differ. Religion is an important part of our life, and therefore, it coincides with almost everything we do. What we do, what we say, and even the way we think may be determined by our religion. This is why Religion and Science is a very important subject to be discussing.

Religion and Science has been debated by top world leaders. As scientific technology progresses, religious views fade away. People are unsure of what to believe – their religion or scientific knowledge?

There are several important topics in this section that involves religion. In this project I am going to talk about:

Origin of the Universe
Origin of Humanity
Care of the Environment

There are unknown facts in the world that are proved by science but challenged by religion, for example the creation of the universe, humanity and all of life. Since the holy texts of the different religions were written, scientists have told us a great deal about the origins of the universe and life on earth. Much has changed and scientific discovery has surged since the holy scriptures of the different world religions were written. Scientists have now come to understand more about how the universe was formed and how life began on the earth.

People used to believe that the earth was the centre of the universe, and the sun and the moon were just lights shinning upon it. They believed that the earth was created just so that people could live in it, but we know that our planet is one among many and our galaxy is just one of millions.

There are many theories on how the universe was created, for example scientists believed that the universe is much older than what people first imagined, about 8 million years old. However others believed that the universe is even older than that and it has always existed.

“There was neither non-existence nor existence then; there was neither the realm of space nor the sky which is beyond.”

(Nasadiya Sukta)

The Origin of the Universe

In India science and religion are not opposed fundamentally, as they often seem to be in the West, but are seen as parts of the same great search for truth and enlightenment.

"After a cycle of universal dissolution, the Supreme Being decides to recreate the cosmos so that we souls can experience worlds of shape and solidity. Very subtle atoms begin to combine, eventually generating a cosmic wind that blows heavier and heavier atoms together. Souls depending on their karma earned in previous world systems, spontaneously draw to themselves atoms that coalesce into an appropriate body."

(The Prashasta Pada)

Cosmology seeks an evidence-based explanation for the way the universe came into existence. Most cosmologists agree that the universe began in a 'Big Bang' about 14 billion years ago, and that all the stars and planets, including the earth, were formed during the subsequent expansion of the universe, which is continuing today.

The Big Bang Theory

This is a preview of the whole essay

(The Prashasta Pada)

The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory is the dominant scientific theory about the origin of the universe. According to the big bang, the universe was created sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that hurled matter and in all directions. In 1927, the Belgian priest Georges Lemaître was the first to propose that the universe began with the explosion of a primeval atom. His proposal came after observing the red shift in distant nebulas by astronomers to a model of the universe based on relativity. Years later, Edwin Hubble found experimental evidence to help justify Lemaître's theory. He found that distant galaxies in every direction are going away from us with speeds proportional to their distance.

The big bang was initially suggested because it explains why distant galaxies are travelling away from us at great speeds. The theory also predicts the existence of cosmic background radiation (the glow left over from the explosion itself). The Big Bang Theory received its strongest confirmation when this radiation was discovered in 1964 by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, who later won the Nobel Prize for this discovery.

Although the Big Bang Theory is widely accepted, it probably will never be proved; consequentially, leaving a number of tough, unanswered questions.

Hinduism view on the Origin of the Universe

Hinduism is the only religion that advocates the idea of life-cycles of the universe. It suggests that the universe experiences an endless number of deaths and rebirths.

There was a mythological angle to the creation of the universe. A translation of the Bhagavad Gita (part VIII, lines 16 and 17), states that:

"All the planets of the universe, from the most evolved to the most base, are places of suffering, where birth and death takes place. But for the soul that reaches my Kingdom, O son of Kunti, there is no more reincarnation. One day of Brahma is worth a thousand of the ages (Yuga) known to humankind; as is each night."

Hindus believe that the world is created, destroyed, and re-created in an eternally repetitive series of cycles. In Hindu cosmology a universe endures for about 4,320,000,000 years (one day of Brahma or kalpa) and is then destroyed by fire or water. At his point, Brahma rests for one night, just as long as the day. This process, named pralaya, repeats for such 100 years, period that represents Brahma's lifespan.

After Brahma's "death", it is necessary that another 100 of his years pass until he is reborn and the whole creation begins anew. This process is repeated again and again, forever.

Brahma's life is divided in one thousand cycles (Maha Yuga, or the Great Year). Maha Yuga, during which the human race appears and then disappears, has 71 divisions, each made of 14 Manvantara (1000) years. Each Maha Yuga lasts for 4,320,000 years. Manvantara is Manu's cycle, the one who gives birth and govern human race.

Each Maha Yuga consists of a series of four shorter yugas, or ages. The yugas get progressively worse from a moral point of view as one proceeds from one Yuga to another. As a result each Yuga is of shorter duration than the age that preceded it.

In a hymn called the Purusha Sukta the creation of the universe is explained in a myth which a great being a ‘cosmic man’ is sacrificed in order to create the world. This was the first sacrifice and is symbolic for Hindus. This is representative of the sacrifices made to God every day in homes or temples. Different parts of the cosmic man became the different elements of the universe.

His mouth became the Brahmin: his arms were made into the Warrior, his arms were made into the Warrior, his thighs the people, and from his feet the servants were born. The moon was born. The moon was born from his mind: from his eye the sun was born. Indra and Agni came from his mouth, and from his vital breath the Wind was born.

(Purusha Sukta 12. 13)

The universe is said to also be created by the scared symbol ‘OM’. There was a form of an inert emptiness in which there was no ‘being nor non-being, death nor non death’. From this empty space desire was born, and from desire came humans, gods and demons.

The universe was once tiny with a lot of energy packed into it. This reverts to the big bang theory. In Hinduism we also believe that there was a big bang and there will be a big crunch. This cycle will then repeat and continue, like the cycle of reincarnation.

Origin of Humanity

Evolution

The theory of evolution was the most important scientific theory to emerge in the nineteenth century. This was a far greater challenge to religious understanding than the work of Copernicus or other previous scientists. The theory was produced by a scientist called Charles Darwin, who spent some years on the Galapagos Islands studying plant and animal life. His work suggested that all life developed over very long period of time. As life grew, it adapted itself to surrounding conditions. The species of life, which weren’t able to do this, died out. The strongest survive, whilst the weakest died.

In the 1830’s Darwin travelled around the world to various places. Darwin believed evolution was true because he found different fossils in different places, for example sea creature fossils in Andes Mountains. In farming you had artificial selection. Farmers’ artificial selection and animals were adapting and he said that if you can do it artificially it could be done naturally. Animals can also be domesticated.

Darwin did not publish his work until later, as he thought it would be damaging to the church. A man called Wallace, who supported the evolution theory, published Darwin’s works. Other scientists agreed with their views and even the church had to agree with some terms.

Hinduism and the Creation of Life

Hinduism believes that God created all creatures. Modern science speaks of physical evolution and the evolution of the nervous system, starting with simple life forms and proceeding to more organised and complex beings with well developed features. Man is so far known as the ultimate product of the development of creatures.

Hinduism talks about the different aspects of evolution for example, the mental and spiritual evolution of life on earth. The development proceeds in three primary stages:

“The first stage consists of formation, development and strengthening of individual centers of consciousness in physical bodies that are mostly and vastly very inert and unconscious and driven by the force of blind instinct and natural impulse.

The second stage consists of the consolidation and concretization of these personalities into individual egos which act under their own individual and independent wills powered by the energy of desires, and the instinct of survival, undergoing repeated births and deaths, as an ongoing process of further evolution towards the next phase.

The third phase consists of development of a new center of discriminating awareness (parisilanatmaka buddhi) that leads to the gradual surrender and ultimate dissolution of the ego into Truth, Consciousness and Bliss.”

(Bhagavad Gita)

Both evolution and Hinduism have the same view on evolution however, when talking about how creatures adapt to their environment, Hinduism talks about them evolving.

Care of the Environment

Environmental Issues

As Indian is a fairly poor country, certain environmental issues, which are important in the west, are not very relevant there. For example, the use of too many packages in the supermarkets is not an issue in India, as most of the food is grown at home or brought from market stalls. Recycling is a way of life for certain people in India, as they cannot afford for things to go to waste. Many homes in India don’t even have cars of electricity, so it is hard to be wasteful, even if they wanted to.

Instead, the environmental issues, which are of main concern in India, are to do with basic hygiene. People are encouraged not to pollute the water supplies, and also dispose rubbish properly, to keep the streets clean and safe from vermin, such as rats. For Hindus, there are two main reasons for wanting to protect and keep the environment clean:

First of all Hindus believe that the whole word, is in actual fact an aspect of God, meaning that by caring for the environment, you are showing respect to God.
Also, because Hindus believe in reincarnation, the future of the planet is of immediate concern to them as they are the ones who will be living there, in their future lives.

As a Hindu, I personally believe that it is my duty, to keep the environment clean, as God has given us this beautiful universe and by keeping it clean, we as humans are, showing a sign of gratefulness towards God. Also, because I believe in the laws of karma, I think that damaging the environment, will be consequential. Many Hindus, also believe that the more man protects, the more we will benefit from nature and the environment.

Animal Welfare

Hindus believe that all living things whether they are people or animals all come from one source and are all united or related to one another because of their relationship with God. Many Hindus believe that it is only possible to be reborn in another human, but that someone could be born into the animal kingdom aswell. So, therefore there is a possibility that any animal could be your ancestor, which means it is bad to kill animals for food. Animals are as also related to Hindu deities. Hindus believe that they are higher than animals in the natural order of life, but this does not give them the right to treat animals cruelly. The concept of ahimsa (harmlessness) is central to Hinduism.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Hinduism teaches that the universe was created by cosmic man and that the great cosmic man was sacrificed to create the world and all the elements in it. Also, it teaches that humans evolved, but they did not adapt to their environments. Hinduism also teaches us, to care for the environment and to look after animals.

I believe in the Big Bang theory and that it is growing in belief. I don’t believe that the cosmic man was sacrificed, but I believe that God possibly created the Big Bang itself. I think that it is a matter of opinion, and will still be debated in years to come.