In Orwell’s “1984,” the story is constantly being adjusted to fit ongoing reality. But we're not that stupid to let something like that happen to us - except perhaps during the election campaign. After all, compulsory education has existed in our country for more than a hundred years, giving us all our own access to history and knowledge. Since the beginning of industrialization, the development of natural sciences and the freely available fossil energies have improved the quality of life, health and life expectancy of an originally artisan, agricultural population to an almost unimaginable extent and have stimulated our usable technologies and personal mobility. Today's average person in western industrialized countries is therefore blessed with a standard of living whose energy consumption is equivalent to that of a Roman emperor.
The real question is how such a reconquista of religious madness could come about in our enlightened and scientifically influenced society. Because science and religion occupy two fundamentally diametric positions:
The goal of science is to gain knowledge. The body of knowledge in science is free of emotions and so liberal that everyone can make their contribution to shared knowledge. Science is dynamic , designed for constant development and can never be completed. Society finances science and guarantees freedom of research and teaching. It is the responsibility of science to give honest and unfiltered scientific knowledge back to society.
The goal of religion is salvation. The cognitive structure of religion is based on the belief in the unchangeable rules of a higher power and is aimed at the salvation of its followers and the world. The community of believers is emotional, believes in a savior and in salvation from a hereditary enemy. Religion is static , strictly focused on itself and excludes any further change.
