RECONCILING RELIGION AND SCIENCE.
In the bid to reconcile the long perceived feud between Science and Religion a wild spectrum of faiths; Christains (mostly protestants), Jews, Buddhists, Unitarian Universalists etc are currently signing the 'Clergy Letter Project' which seeks to accept the biggest miracle and gift given to man which is Reason and Research.
The "Letter Project" is an accord that maintains statements in support of the teaching of evolution and collects signatures which strengthen and support research in biology and general medicine.
My post comes at a time when reasoning purpots to stand aloof people of faith. Somewhere around 2010 while I was working for a construction company, we won the contract to build a new extension of the Suleja Prison in Niger state. On one of my visits to the prison something struck and got my attention. A young man of about late 20s was worn out with malnutrition and a life threatening sickness during the Holy month of Ramadan. He was repeatedly offered medicine and food so he could get back on his feet but he rejected anything that will break his fast during the Holy month. When I learnt of the incident he was barely alive and the yard master at a point needed to force him save his own life as he wouldnt.
I recently also heard of a pastor who adviced his congregation to never give birth using Ciserian operation as that goes against the natural order of child bearing as handed down by God. Most devastating of all, scores of deaths have been recorded among congregants. Don't be surprised if the man of God actually takes medication himself abroad.
The most shocking of all is that religious medical practitioners hold out this opinion today. Asking women to stay off painkillers during child birth, advising that more women should endure the agony of labour because pain-relieving drugs, including epidural injections, carry serious medical risks, diminish childbirth as a rite of passage and undermine the mother's bond with her child and further asserting that the pangs of childbirth is a motherly blessing handed out to women from the maker of heaven and earth. Such Nonsense!!!!!!
Any faith that science threatens should not be adhered to. It only increases the risk of numbing your rationality and leaves you at the mercy of the gentleman standing behind the pulpit.
I personally have a problem when faith healers who ask followers to stay off medication(s) when diagnosed of life threatening diseases like HIV and cancer. Is it becuase they feel faith may be neautralised by modern medicine or what? Strangely, these faith healers rely back on the same science they dumped to authenticate actual workings of the Holy Spirit by asking purported recipients of this miracles to go back to the hospital to confirm actual and total healing. Strange right?
Today I am speaking to someone, that the Holy water you drink, the anointing oil you rub and the midnight prayers you say should not stop you from seeing a doctor and if there is anything you should take religiously, it's modern medicine, science and your medications.
Love from little Ikeorah
©Paulinus Ikeorah 2017
