This week's poll: What is more beneficial to humankind, religion or science?

science vs religion

science vs religionIn our poll this week, we ask what is more beneficial to society — religion or science.

The poll will be open until 5 AM Pacific time on Sunday, January 8.

It takes only a second to vote, and your vote is anonymous.  While our software tracks IPs to void double-voting, it is impossible to know your personal identity.

Comments are always welcome, particularly if you have a different answer from the choices provided.  If it is your first time commenting, your comment is held in the moderation queue that's set up to limit spam.  Once your first comment is approved, your future comments will post immediately so long as they comply with our terms.

This is a survey of our readers, not a scientific poll.

Thanks in advance for voting!

What benefits humanity more, religion or science?

  • Science. (96%, 1,574 Votes)
  • Neither - They both create benefits and dangers, and must co-exist. (2%, 39 Votes)
  • Religion. (1%, 19 Votes)
  • Not sure. (1%, 4 Votes)

Total Voters: 1,636

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  • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

    Wow! The majority is with me. :) Science RULES!

  • J

    Polio
    Science 1, Religion 0

  • Rob

    The only thing religion is good for these days is emotional support in times of crises. This can easily be achieved by family & friends and/or a good counsellor/psychologist and/or support group. In a modern, technological society religion is not only not necessary it is a burden. A waste of time and resources which could be better spent elsewhere.

    Science has made our lives much easier, safer and generally better. As opposed to in the past when religion ruled the world and everyone was incredibly ignorant, miserable and evil despots ruled everyone.

    The time has come to abandon these primitive superstitions and become a smart, rational society.

  • http://ogt.com.tr Mel

    How can you imagine a society with plenty of science but no religion. It would mean anarchy… Both are very important…

    • Rob

      Why do you equate a scientific society with a lawless one? That's absurd; ridiculous. We don't need religion to have law. Besides, we already live in a scientific society. Right now you're using an instrument brought about as a result of scientific research on a network of such instruments the underlining technologies of which were invented at CERN, to propagate scientific knowledge. I'm of course talking about the computer and the Web.

      If it wasn't for science and the abandonment of superstitions we would still be living in the dark ages.

    • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

      Rational, compassionate, and educated thinking is hardly anarchy. If anything, a society without religion would probably be very humanistic. You really do not need religion to have a society with laws. However, such a society would have less of a need for many laws. There would be fewer laws, but maybe more regulations, than a religious society. In fact, recent studies show that there is more lawlessness or rather more crime the more religious a society is and less crime the less religious a society is. So I would suggest you study up on science before you assume that little to no religion would cause anarchy.

    • http://www.youtube.com/user/themanofearth themanofearth

      "Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it." ~Christopher Hitchens
      I can't imagine that order is any different.

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/themanofearth themanofearth

    That's a question?
    Science addresses and improves mankind's knowledge on things like diseases such as polio, small pox and cancer just to name a few; energy production improvements to increase resource use efficiency and develop greener energy; physical health in the form of exercise and nutrition; communication technology which improving cross cultural understanding across the world leading to more fruitful relationships and less (violent) conflict; psychological health both clinical and spiritual; sociological issues like politics and social programs that work better and more efficiently; the so called "hard sciences" which improve our general knowledge about the universe at large; and all of these are just the tip of the iceberg.
    What do we get from religion?
    themanofearth?feature=mheewatch?v=_e9zUBV-yVo&list=UU3Lj1TvUhAVp3fZ_FfW8oNg

  • http://7edb Laura

    Science is ever-changing & creates growth and ingenuity. Science stays in a forward motion.

    Religion holds people hostage and frowns upon new ideas, growth & change. They fear it. How terribly sad.

  • http://bestnaturaldietpills.net/ beth

    Religion in itself is outdated in the sense that people are evolving past the need for stories and spoon fed belief systems.

    We are waking up and realize that the newest scientific discoveries are broadening our once finite view of science and reality. If humanity is to continue to grow and evolve I think that the merging of science and spirituality will inevitably have to occur.

    Theoretical physics has shown over and over again that physical matter doesn't exist; and in actuality we are more space than anything else. What about other realities, space-time, traveling faster than the speed of light, worm-holes, time-travel, etc? All these theories are now becoming proven scientific fact and will continue to do so.

    Our previous paradigm of what we see as reality is changing,…so you cannot say that either science or religion in itself is better for humanity.

  • Wasted Basho

    In human history there are 10,000 gods. Only in a few religions do these gods demand complete and utter devotion, commission indelible propaganda, and seek to destroy anyone who resists, by flood and fire, by frog and locust. Unfortunately, these seem to be the sorts of religions that thrive. We make our gods in our own image. I think that is what most people here (including me) think of when we hear the word "religion." There are Christians I respect very much, such as Thomas Merton, but like Sting's old song on the death of his father, "men go crazy in congregations, they only get better one by one."

  • http://stepspractice.wordpress.com/ Tyyne

    In the newest religious revelation called the New Message from God there is no competition between science and religion. Evolution is also stated as a part of human destiny. Worth exploring because it moves beyond the limits of the question itself.