Do Some Religions Still Suppress Science?

Galileo Galilei

Several centuries ago, many scientists were punished for publicly professing scientific theories that were not approved of by the Roman Catholic Church. Anything that did not go hand-in-hand with the views and beliefs of the church was deemed heretical and the person seeming in opposition (the scientist) would suffer serious consequences (i.e., death, imprisonment, etc.). This is evidenced when Pope Urban VIII placed Galileo on permanent house arrest in 1633 for excessively advocating Copernican theory in his book, Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems, as well as in his teachings. Galileo spent the last nine years of his life on house arrest. What a horrible way for such a brilliant mind to have to go!

To me, when the church punished scientists in this manner, it was weak on behalf of the church – or at least on behalf of Pope Urban VIII. A church that punishes scientists and their theories is a church that is not stable in its faith. They fear the demise of their fellowship. Any authority (i.e., church, government) that suppresses the views of others has either (a) something terrible to hide or (b) an intense fear of failure. Why did a church, so reverent in God’s power, worry about scientists like Galileo and Copernicus anyway? Did they believe such men and their theories were more powerful than God? They were obviously afraid that such scientific teachings would turn believers away from the church. As a religious body, where was their faith in God that he would not allow for such a force as science to come between the church and its people?

I want to know what you think: Although science has conquered mountains within the last hundred years, do you think some churches/religions are still, to this day, seeking to suppress it? And what would they be afraid of – that science is going to disprove God? In my opinion, I believe God will one day be solidly proven through science. Perhaps God was the force of energy that caused “The Big Bang” that so many religions cringe at. Also, why do people still complain about students learning the theory of evolution in school? After all, it is just a theory and, in my opinion, they should be allowed to form their own opinions about it. Again, I don’t think suppression of knowledge is the right way to bring people to God. Openness is the key to success.