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Lesson Eight
Pseudo-Scientific
Demagoguery
The materialists claim that the establishment of their school of
thought in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was directly connected to the progress
of science and that the dialectical method was a fruit plucked from the fertile tree of
science. They depict every philosophy apart from materialism as a form of
idealism, opposed to the scientific method of thought, and insist that their position is a
scientific and progressive one. According to them, realism consists in turning away from
metaphysical truths; everyone ought to base his worldview on sensory and empirical logic
and opt for materialism. But this claim is nothing more than a fanatical illusion based on
unproven theories. Views such as these derive directly from a system of thought centered
on materialism; within it, everything is defined and delimited with reference to
materialism. Belief in an object of worship is without doubt one
of the principal sources of human culture and knowledge. The propounding of belief in God
as basis for a correct worldview has brought about profound changes in the foundations of
society and thought throughout human history. Now, too, in the age of science and
technology, when man has found his way into space, a considerable number of scientists
have a religious outlook as part of the intellectual system; they have come to believe in
the existence of a creator, a source for all beings, not only by means of the heart and
the conscience, but also through deduction and logic. ***** If the materialists' justification for their worldview were true,
instead of being based on inadequate knowledge of the history of materialist thought,
there ought to be a particular connection between science and an inclination to
materialism; only materialist views would be represented in the realm of science. Has every philosopher and scholar, in every age, held an atheistic
worldview and belonged to the materialist camp? A scholarly examination of the lives and
works of great thinkers will suffice to show that not only is the religious camp by no
means empty of true scientists, but also that many great scientific thinkers and
personalities, including the founders of muchof contemporary science, have believed in
monotheism. In addition, materialistic and atheistic beliefs have by no means
been confined to the period of the evolution and advancement of science; since ancient
times and, indeed, throughout history, materialists have stood in opposition to a united
front of believers. Today it is primarily in a vulgarized form of Marxism that the wares
of science have been turned into a tool of deception. Those who supposedly should be
mapping out their path in the clear light of knowledge and weighing all matters with
profound, logical perception and investigation, in complete freedom from all fanaticism
and hasty prejudice—precisely these people have fallen prey to stagnation and blind
imitation. They have arrogantly denied all values higher than intellect and reason, and
even boast of their ignorant denial. Their claim that the coming of science has put out the notion of God
is purely rhetorical and has nothing to do with logical method, because even thousands of
scientific experiments could not possibly suffice to demonstrate that no non-material
being or factor exists. Materialism is a metaphysical belief, and must, therefore, be proven
or disproven according to philosophical method. Precisely for this reason, an acceptance
of materialism cannot be made a basis for the denial of metaphysics. To interpret
materialism in such a sense is in the final analysis strictly meaningless; it would be a
superstitious notion involving the perversion of truth, and to regard it as scientific
would, in fact, be treason to science. It is true that until very recently man was largely unaware of the
natural causes and factors that give rise to phenomena and that he had little awareness of
the occurrences that took place around him. But his belief did not derive from ignorance,
for if it did, the foundations of belief in God would have collapsed once certain facts
concerning the world were discovered. On the contrary, we see in the present age that with
the discovery of a whole mass of mysteries concerning creation, belief in God has taken on
added dimensions. Now science illumines a limited realm; the scientific
worldview is a knowledge of the part, not a knowledge of the whole. Science is unable to
demonstrate the aspect and form of the whole of creation. But at the same time, since the
scientific mode of perception is precise and specific, belief in God acquires a more
scientific natureand anewkind of logic through theadvancementof science. Man's awareness
comes into being through his perception of cause and effect, and one who believes in
causality underlying phenomena cannot possibly ignore the role of the most fundamental
factor that is at work over and above all other causes. ***** Until very recently, man imagined his own being to consist simply of
a symmetrical and well-proportioned form; he was unaware of the complex mysteries
contained in his creation. Today he has discovered astounding and far-reaching truths
concerning the interior of his slight being, realizing that there are tens of millions of
billions of cells in the body. This makes possible a particular appreciation of the
greatness of the creator responsible for this artifact that was not possible in the
past. Is it logical to say that belief in God is peculiar to those who
know nothing about man's composition and creation, and that, by contrast, a scientist who
is aware of the natural laws and factors responsible for man's growth and development, who
knows that law and precise calculation preside over all stages of man's existence, is
bound to believe that matter, lacking all perception and consciousness, is the source of
the wondrous laws of nature? Do scientific discoveries and knowledge cause such a scientist to
conclude that matter, unknowing and unperceiving, is his creator and that of all beings?
Materialism looks at the world with one eye closed and, as a result, is unable to answer
numerous questions. Science, too, offers no answer to the question of whether the world
can be divided into two parts, material and non-material, or to the question of whether
the world has an innate purpose. These questions do not belong to the realm of science;
scientific knowledge can acquaint us—to a certain degree—with what is, but it is
unable to show us a direction in life or inspire us with a path to be followed. A scientific worldview cannot, then, be the foundation for a human
ideology. The value of scientific knowledge is primarily practical, in that it enables man
to dominate nature. It is ideal and theoretical values that are required as the foundation
of belief. Furthermore, science is based on experiment and investigation, and
laws having experiment for their foundation are bound to be changing and unstable. Faith
requires a basis that partakes of eternity, being immune against change, and is able to
answer questions such as the nature and shape of the world as a whole in a trustworthy and
permanent manner. Only thus can man's need for a comprehensive interpretation and analysis
of existence be met. As he advances toward perfection, man requires spiritual and
intellectual equilibrium; lacking an aim, he will stray along false paths and risk
disaster. A man who does not find his aim in religion will pursue an aim of his own
making, which will be nothing other than a kind of revolt against the will of nature; it
will have nothing to do with creativity or intellectual maturity. The Reasons for Denial and Unbelief Books on the history of religion try to delineate the factors that
have drawn men to religion. But attempts such as they make are in vain and incapable of
uncovering the truth of the matter. It is necessary to focus on man's innate tendency to
monotheism, that primary existential characteristic of the human species which gives
man—for all his internal contradictions, thoughts, and desires—a special place
in creation. It then becomes possible to discover the factors that lead man to trample on
his own nature by foreswearing religion. Man's religious ties are an outgrowth of his nature, and materialism
is something opposed to his nature. In accordance with his specific make-up, man will
aeate his own god if he does not discover the true God, and the god he discovers may be
nature or historical inevitability. This fa;we god takes the place of the true God with
respect to comprehensiveness of authority, effectiveness of decree, and capacity to guide
man on a certain path and propel him forward, unhindered by anyone's desires. This is the source of the trade in false gods, the adherence to the
new idolatry, that would cruelly sacrifice God to history and exchange a pearl for a
bead. Alas that so many people smitten with self-inflicted abjection have
bowed down before the idol they themselves have fashioned and deified! They have turned
away from the peerless creator and willingly accepted the polluting disgrace of such
misdirected worship. If we examine the matter closely, we see that the
appearance of materialism in Europe as a school of thought, the severance of men's links
with a sublime principle, their imprisonment in the fetters of matter, the choice of
science in place of religion—all this was caused by a series of social and historical
factors that emerged in the West. ***** One of the factors that aroused a widespread reaction in Europe and
caused the emergence of freethinking and anti-religious propaganda, was the crushing
pressure exerted by the Christian ecclesiastical authorities at the beginning of the
Renaissance on scholars who were propounding new scientific ideas. In addition to specifically religious doctrines, the Church was also
beholden to certain scientific principles concerning man and the world that it had
inherited from ancient—primarily Greek— philosophers and that it was placed on
the same footing as religious beliefs. Whatever theory appeared to contradict the Bible
and these inherited principles was regarded as heretical, and whoever espoused it would be
severely punished. The clear contradiction between science and religion created a
mutual hostility in both camps. Intellectuals and scientists saw tha t the Christian
church was enslaving intelligence and thought, preventing the free development of ideas;
through its adherence to a petrified systemof thoughtand ananti-intellectual
tradition,itwas creating a stifling atmosphere for the man of the new age. Thinkers thus
retreated into a painful isolation from religion. These accumulating pressures finally led to violent reactions that
engulfed the whole of Europe. Once the power and dominion of the Church declined and its
oppressiveness came to an end, Western thought recovered its lost freedom and reacted
strongly against the limitations once imposed on it. The intellectuals removed the chains of ancient ritual from their
necks and turned away from religion. All the pain and anger they had felt found expression
in a great wave of hostility to religion. An acute spiritual crisis began that culminated
in the separation of science from religion. An illogical desire for vengeance on religion
led to the denial of heavenly truths and of the existence of God. It is true that some of the doctrines connected with religion were
illogical or even baseless, having no connection with authentic religious knowledge. But
to take revenge on the Church is one thing, and to fall into hasty and erroneous prejudice
concerning religion, as such, is something else. It is obvious that vengeance, being a
purely emotional matter, has nothing to do with scholarly precision. The spiritual poverty of man thus advanced at a rate commensurate
with his scientific and technological wealth. As he progressed in industry, he regressed
in ethics and spirituality, to such a degree that he lacked the moral capacity to make
proper use of his newly acquired knowledge. Scientific knowledge is in itself indifferent to values; one cannot
determine the duties of a responsible human being by referring to science. However far
science advances, it cannot see more than one step ahead of itself. Human knowledge cannot
attain to the essence of the world and perceive it in its totality, nor can it foretell
the future destiny of man. It is only the worldview of monotheism that does not attempt to
confine man to the material aspects of his existence. On the contrary, through the symbols
and signs that have been given to man to guide him on his path, monotheism delineates an
exalted origin and destiny for man. Once man places himself on the path of monotheism, he
acquires a comprehensive worldview within the framework of which he finds answers to his
probing fundamental question. Once he has reached this stage of comprehensive and
multidimensional belief, man's life takes on fresh vigor and the values that are the fruit
of that worldview come to fruition. The struggle with the church was, then, one factor in
the divorce of science from religion. Another group abandoned religion and took refuge in materialism
because the concepts propounded by the Church were improper and inadequate, lacking
transcendental value. These concepts were naturally found unacceptable and unconvincing by
intelligent people. The church would present God in material and human terms, in a sense
that was opposed to the human desire for absolute values and the striving to break through
and transcend all limiting frameworks. There can be no doubt that if an indubitable truth is impressed in
someone's mind in the defective form of a legend, that person will react negatively as
soon as he reaches intellectual maturity. Confronted with the anthropomorphic depiction of God made in
Christian theology, the exaltation of belief over reason, and the insistence that faith
should precede thought, enlightened people realized that these narrow-minded efforts to
imprison wisdom and science in the monopoly held by Christian theology were incompatible
with rational criteria and scientific method. Since they had no authentic source from
which they might learn true teachings about God, being wholly dependent on the
institutions of the Church and its corrupted books, and since they had no access to a
superior system which would satisfy both their spiritual and their material needs and
offer them a suitable framework for integrating all the vital elements of life, material
and spiritual, emotional and intellectual, the worldview of materialism took root in them,
leading to the denial of all transcend'ental and supra-human values. They were unaware that although error leads religion astray when it
follows the path of ignorance, true religion, free of all illusion, superstition and
distortion, can liberate man from bondage to myth and superstition, hold him firm on the
axis of true belief, and supply him with a correct understanding of teachings concerning
God, one that satisfies the enquiring mind. Instead, Western intellectuals were aware only of the superstitious
aspect of false religion and how the established dogmas of religion lacked all logical
basis, so they had no hesitation in condemning religion as such to be baseless. Their
judgment was based on their discouraging experiences with their own religion, and it could
not fail, then, to be hasty, unrealistic, irrational and illogical. This is expressed as follows by a scholar of physiology and
biochemistry: "The fact that certain scholars have not been led, in the course of
their researches, to a perception of the existence of God, has numerous reason. Here we
will mention only two of them. First, the political circumstances created by despotism,
together with the attendant social and administrative conditions, have tended to cause men
to deny the existence of the Maker. Second, human thought has always been influenced by
certain fantasies and i11usions, and although man may lhave no fear of spiritual or bodily
torment, he is still not completely free to choose the right path. "In Christian families, most children come to believe early in
life in the existence of a God similar to man, as if man had been created in the form of
God. When they begin to enter the realm of science and to learn and implement scientific
concepts, they can no longer reconcile their feeble, anthropomorphic concept of God with
the logical evidence and methods of science. So, after a certain time, when all hope of
reconciling belief and science has disappeared, they totally abandon all concept of God
and expel it from their minds. "The main cause for this is that the evidenceof logic and
thecategories of science do not modify their previous feelings and beliefs but, instead,
cause them to feel that they were mistaken in their previous belief in God. Under the
influence of this feeling, combined with other psychological factors, they are appalled at
the inadequacy of their concepts and turn away from all attempts at the knowledge of
God."20 Hence, scientists tried, by propounding all kinds of laws and
formulae, to leave no place for God and religion in the solution of questions touching on
existence and creation. They tried to sever men's hopes from religion and to depose God
from playing any role in the functioning of the world and the ordering of nature. Whenever they came to a dead end, they tried to solve
the problem by means of various hypotheses or postpone its definite solution until more
extensive research had taken place. They imagined that in this way they were avoiding
surrender to non-scientific formulae and superstitions. Thus, although they did escape the
perils of assigning polytheism, they regrettably took up arms for irreligion and
atheism. ***** Although a faith in God and belief in an originating principle is
natural and innate in man, it cannot be compared to the material necessities of life which
man constantly strives to obtain. It is quite distinct from material life, and being an
inward need, belongs to a totally separate category. In addition, it is easier to deny an invisible being than it is to
affirm it, given our inability to describe it adequately. People who lack mental capacity,
therefore, choose the easy and painless path of denial instead of undertaking mental
exertion. The path of denial does not, moreover, involve any apparent harm. By turning
away from God, people gradually acquire an attitude of obstinacy and hostility to
religion, tainted with fanaticism. The profound effects of such an attitude can easily be
seen in the malicious arguments of those who have turned their backs on religion. It is also easier to denyan invisiblebeingbecause to affirm it
implies various obligations for man; those who wish to shake off those Dbligations simply
deny the existence of an originating principle. The Quran says: "Does man wish to spend all
the remaining days of his life in impiety and vain desire? For he asks, implying denial,
'When will be the day of resurrection and accounting?' Say: 'On a day when the eyes of
mankind will be blinded in terror and fear." (75:5-7) ***** The teachings of ignorant and illogical professional ascetics also
cannot be overlooked as a factor impelling certain groups of people in the direction of
materialism. The instincts that come into being together with the natural life of
man that are intertwined with his existence, not only are not vain and purposeless; they
are, also, a determining and destiny-shaping force, a factor of development and motion,
that drives man forward to the purpose envisaged in his creation. It is true that man
should not be a blindfolded slave to his instincts like a prisoner all of whose being and
motions are under the control of the jailer. But he should also not do battle with the
reality of his own being and seek to block all activity and movement on the part of his
instincts. A fruitful existence for man is, in fact, dependent on the active presence in
his life of his instincts, deployed in proper equilibrium; the suppression of the
instincts leads to complexes and the destruction of the personality. The worldview prevailing in Christianity during the Middle Ages was
based on an exclusive orientation to the hereafter that entailed the devaluating of the
material world. Now what will be the consequence if one denies all validity to the forces
of instinct, in the name of God and religion, and even tries to annihilate them; if one
sanctifies celibacy and monasticism and denounces as impure marriage and procreation, the
very activity that secures the survival of the species; and if one regards poverty and
deprivation as the guarantee of bliss? Will it, then, be possible to expect religion to
play an active and creative role? The true role and mission of religion is to refine, to guide and to
control the instincts; to delimit the sphere of their activity; and to purge them of all
perversion and excess. It is not to annihilate and abolish them. Through controlling the instincts and striving always to free
himself from the trap they may present, man creates a purposeful destiny for himself. If
he fails to do this, the intenseclashof instincts within him is so intense that he cannot
easily be master of his own being. He, therefore, needs a comprehensive system of moral
education. Man is, on the one hand, subject to the influence of the religious
impulse; this tames him inwardly and draws together his scattered energies in the grasp of
its power, directing them toward the acquisition of virtue and benefit. On the other hand,
he is also subject to the influence of his instincts. In any society where people are constantly told, in the name of God
and religion, that the path to happiness lies in turning one's back on the gifts of this
world, an opening is automatically aeated for the development of materialism and a
concentration on material values, so that the lofty concepts of religion, with all their
farreaching implications, disappear from the scene. But this does not represent the true logic of
religion. True religionsdirect man's attention to authentic spiritualvalues,basing
themselves on belief in the creator and presenting man with comprehensive teachings and
principles for living. They extend the field of his vision to the frontiers of the
heavenly realm, deliverhim from the servitude of self-worship and materialism, and, at the
same time, permit him to enjoy material pleasures to a reasonable extent. ***** Some people imagine that the free enjoyment of certain things
religion has prohibited will guarantee them happiness. They think that religion is
obstinately fighting against all enjoyment and is in no mood to compromise with the
pleasures of this world, as if God were forcing man to choose between happiness in this
world and happiness in the hereafter. This attitude to religion is totally misleading and unrealistic. If
religion seeks to play a role in man's efforts, and his choice of direction, it is because
unbridled indulgence of desire, unconditional surrender to instinct and appetite, and
obedience to the commands of the ego, darken man's life and propel him into a form of
unconscious slavery. Despite his essentially pure nature, he falls from his true rank and
strays from his real path. Were the free indulgence of instinctual desire not a cause of
eternal misery and painful degradation, it would not have been forbidden. It is considerations such as these which make it possible to
understand why religion has forbidden certain things and how worldly happiness is
compatible with happiness in the hereafter. Similar considerations apply to the imposition on man of certain
duties. The attempt to perform obligatory acts of worship, sincerely and without any
hypoaisy, brings about an inward change in man; the purpose of these acts is not in any
way to diminish man's worldly happiness. Worship is like a tempest in the stagnant lagoon of the heart,
transforming man's inner nature and his criteria of judgment. It is the cornerstone on
which the foundation of religion is made firm, a fruitful educative practice that
penetrates the depths of the soul. Its sharp sword severs the skein of corruptionand
lowliness inman, enabling him to take flight for a pure, vast and limitless realm. In
short, it makes it possible for man to grow to true maturity. Not only is there no contradiction between the concerns of life and
those of the spirit; spiritual concerns are conducive to a life of greater happiness in
this world. It may be that the unconvincing and illogical teachings of
Christianity have influenced the anti-religious tendencies of people like Bertrand
Russell. He evidentlybelieved that faith in God leads to unhappiness, as is apparent from
the following words: "The teachings of the Church have made man choose between two
forms of misery and deprivation: either misery in this world and deprivation of its
enjoyments, or misery in the hereafter and deprivation of the joys of paradise. For the
Church, one of these two forms of misery must necessarily be endured. One must either
submit to misery in this world and suffer deprivation and isolation in order to enjoy
pleasure in the hereafter, or, if one wishes to enjoy the pleasures of this world, he must
accept that he will be deprived of pleasure in the hereafter." The diffusion of opinions such as these, which display an intense
and profound ignorance of the religious worldview, may deterrnine the fate of the
prevailing religion in a given society. Their effect on human beliefs and actions is too
profound to be adequately measured with a passing, superficial glance. This mode of
thought has caused the attention of man to be directed exclusively to the material
sphere?consciously or unconsciously. The resulting concentration on pleasure and
indulgence has caused the weakening of spiritual and moral concerns. Religion does not condemn man to enduring one of two
forms of misery. It is entirely possible to combine happiness in this world with happiness
in the hereafter. Why should God, Whose treasury of mercy and grace is inexhaustible, not
wish for His servants a complete happiness that embraces both this world and the
hereafter? This is precisely what He does wish. ***** Another factor in the spread of materialistic ideas has been
indulgence of passion and immersion in the cesspool of lust. Every mental perception and
idea forms the base of some external action; man's path of action takes shape under the
influence of his beliefs. Conversely, man's actions and morals also bring about
qualitative changes in his mental habits and mode of thought. A man who worships his lusts will gradually lose all exalted ideas
about God. Once he chooses an axis for his existence other than God and imagines that
whatever exists in this world has simply been cast into it, free of any purpose, so that
the very idea of an aim in life becomes meaningless, he begins to devote all his mental
energies to the maximizing of pleasure. This humiliating plunge to a lowly plane of
existence withers the roots of all aspiration for growth and development. The idea of belief in God is, by contrast, like a seed that needs
suitable soil in which to grow. It can blossom only in a pure environment, an environment
in which man can swiftly and easily attain the degree of perfection that is peculiar to
him, thanks to a framework in which the principles of his life are set down. Belief in God
can never flourish in an unfavorable environment where corruption is rampant. One of the obstacles to the knowledge of God and the reasons for man
denying this existence, despite all the clear signs and decisive proofs that are
available, is, then, surrender to sin and indulgence in passion. Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq, upon whom be peace, said in answer to Mufaddal
in the Risalah-yi Ahlija: "I swear by my own soul that God has not failed to make
Himself known to the ignorant, for they see clear proofs and decisive indications of the
Creator in His creation and behold wondrous phenomena in the kingdom of the heavens and on
earth that point to their Creator. "The ignorant are those who have opened the gates of sin before
them and followed the path of indulgence in passion and lust. The desires of their souls
have gained dominance over their hearts, and because of their oppression of their own
selves, Satan has gained dominance over them. God has sealed the hearts of the
transgressors. The desire for comfort, contentiousness, profligacy, the weak logic
of certain ignorant believers?these, too, are among the factors impelling men to
materialism. The chaos and confusion of life, the abundance of mass produced
goods, affluence and power, the dazzling and distracting aspects of modern life, the
proliferation of means for enjoyment and pleasure?all these completely overwhelm greedy
men. They try completely to withdraw themselves from the sphere of religious concern and
refuse to accept the authority of any superior power, for not only would this not bring
them any material benefit, it would also rein in the tempest of their overweening
desires. In an environment where people are immersed in sin, dissipation and
corruption, and refuse to accept any limitation governing their deeds, religion can exist
only in name. Self-indulgent and materialistic people cannot be seekers and
worshippers of God. When one of the two opposing principles, pleasure-seeking and belief
in God, has occupied the mental space of an individual, the other must necessarily vacate
it. Once the spirit of worship prevails in human existence, it casts out all materialistic
inclinations by severing the firm fetters of lowly desire and inspiring constant effort in
man to ascend in the direction of his goal. Thus, a complete model of human freedom from
slavery to nature emerges. The more elevated and distant the goal man sets himself, the sharper
is the incline leading toward it and the greater and more prolonged the effort required to
reach it. So, if we choose God as our goal, we have chosen an infinitely elevated goal,
and the path leading to attainment of the goal will be similarly infinite, although clear
and straight at the same time. It is a goal that will answer many problems and questions,
and since it will compel us to negate the tyranny of the ego, it will bestow absolute
freedom on us. If we accept God as our goal, freedom will be harmonized with our
growth and development. Our efforts to develop and progress will take on content and
meaning, thanks to the divine impulse and the desire for eternal life. In short, the
desire for progress and advancement, once regulated by the worship of God, neither
contradicts man's freedom nor results in his enslavement. We can claim to have attained freedom only when we are in step with
the universal advancement of the world toward perfection, deliberately, consciously, and
in awareness of the benefits this will bring. To act in obedience to nature or historical
inevitability is not freedom, for when man ignores his own welfare to follow the dictates
of nature, this is nothing other than slavery or blind obedience.
