Religion: An Appendix

to the Rest of Life

This was not simply a division between science and religion: it was a division between religion and life itself. The Church did not get rid of those unrevealed thoughts and ideas, which had been incorporated into Christianity. Despite the irrationality of these additions, the Christians insisted on treating them as part of their religion. This meant that religion could not even find a place in the life of a thinking person. Man is a rational being. To believe in something, he has to be able to understand it. The inevitable result of the separation of religion from knowledge was that religion became nothing but a ceremonial appendix to the rest of life. It ceased to play a vital part in human activities.

It is stated in the Quran that ‘God has not put two hearts within one man’s body.’ (33:4) This means that two incompatible concepts cannot occupy an equal place in one person’s mind. That which does not come up to rational and intellectual standards may be an appendix to a person’s life, but it cannot become an integral part of his existence. It will remain ineffective. For religion to survive, even on a personal level, it has to conform to reason. Religion that does not come up to accepted standards of knowledge can be compared to an obsolete piece of machinery, which not longer serves any useful purpose.