Religion based on revelation but not science: Bhargava

Vijayawada, Jan 8 (UNI) National Knowledge Commission Vice-Chairman P M Bhargava said religion is based on revelation but in science there was no place for revelation.

Delivering valedictory address at the sixth three-day World Atheist Conference here yesterday, Dr Bhargava, former Director of CCMC, Hyderabad, said there was logical reasoning based on existing knowledge and all scientific tools could be tested and verified it was not so with religion.

''A scientist can say i don't know.. Can a religious leader say it'', he asked and said to make India a knowledge-based society, it required everybody to have a scientific temper.

''We are 99 per cent chimps and it is amazing that our cells have similar structures'', he said, adding, 'we should realise there are black boxes in evolution. The answer could be found only in science.

Former IHEU president Roy W Brown in his address said atheists were in a unique position to make an important contribution to a debate about social justice. There should be freedom of religion, which must include the right to change one's religion or to reject religion entirely. There was no conflict between freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief, he said.

The conference concluded here last night with a declaration to addressatheistic and humanistic concerns through a mandate.

UNI