Which is More Advanced, Science or Theology?

Which is More Advanced, Science or Theology?

Xue Mo

People always ask me the following questions: which one is more advanced, science or theology? Does the development of material civilization necessarily lead to the decline of spiritual civilization? My answer is that every culture has its essence and dross. It happens in Shanghai culture, in the culture of Western China, in the theological culture of the West, and even in science. It was an evil that such a great scientist as Bruno was burnt to death and became a victim of the theological culture at that time, whether it was done by means of God’s voice or His hand. On the other hand, when this same theology preaches universal love, there is something in it that inspires awe among mankind. Maybe you cannot totally accept it, but you must respect it. Science advances with the times, but when it is developed to such a degree that all human talent and wisdom is used to produce an atom bomb to kill people, it is also an evil. However, when science and technology is applied to illness treatment and life saving, it demonstrates the essence rather than the gross of science. In Shanghai culture, there is something broad and profound, which we may describe as “all-embracing.” That’s why people call it “Great Shanghai.” Because of its open-mindedness, I was accepted by this amazing city. There are a lot of things there that keep abreast of the times. I thought I must learn them, so I spent two years in Shanghai for postgraduate studies. They not only waived my tuition fees but gave me an allowance. During my stay there, I learned much about the essence of Shanghai regional culture. It is because of this that, when I came back to my hometown, I found the treasures of Western China. Once, I was standing on the Bund in Shanghai when the small village of my hometown came into my mind. I felt a thrill in my soul. I thought that, as a child from Western China, I should transmit the information about the advanced civilization to the west and meanwhile spread the undiscovered treasures of the west to the east, so as to allow these two cultures to interbreed and absorb nutrition from each other, thus creating something new. Only when a culture can understand, praise, embrace, or tolerate other cultures, will it become broad and profound. If it rejects good cultures from outside, whether or not it is an urban culture or a materially developed culture like Shanghai culture, that culture cannot be said to be an advanced one. So, what is an advanced culture? It is a culture that advances with the times. The culture of Western China needs to do that; so does the culture of Eastern China. Both the cultures should take the whole world as their source of nutrition and absorb it into their own. We should accept our imperfection but never stop pursuing perfection; we should stand in awe of others and tolerate their imperfection. Only in this way can our world become perfect. Thank you.

Notice

Translated by non-professional volunteers, there would be some inaccuracies in the translation. You are welcome to offer us some advice for emendation. Please feel free to contact us.We also look forward to you joining our voluntary translation team.

Please contact us at suonanzhuoma1988@163.com, thank you.

科学与神学哪个更先进？

雪漠

有人老问我？科学文化和神学文化你觉得哪个先进？物质文化的发达和精神是反比么？我告诉大家，所有的文化当中都有精华和糟粕，上海文化有精华和糟粕，西部文化也有精华和糟粕，西方的神学文化有精华和糟粕，科学文化同样有精华和糟粕。当西方的神学文化，把布鲁诺这样非常伟大的科学家烧死的时候，无论它是借上帝之口还是上帝之手，它都是罪恶。但是，当它宣扬一种博爱的时候，有一种让我们人类觉得敬畏的东西，你可以不认同他但必须敬畏它。科学是进步的，当科学发达到能够把所有人类的才华和智慧，用来制造原子弹投放到人类头上的时候，这种科学文化也是罪恶。但是当科学用来把这种非常好的技术抢救人类的生命时，用来增加人类的健康的时候，它就是精华。上海文化有非常博大的东西，有种“海纳百川”的胸怀，所以称之为“大上海”，所以我才能够在大上海这样一个地方得到一种认可，它非常了不起。这里有与时俱进的许多东西，是我必须学习的，所以我在上海学习了两年，上了两年研究生。上海免去了我的学费，还给我生活费，我学到了大量海派文化当中的精髓。正因为学到了海派文化当中的精髓，我回到西部的时候，再放眼西部的时候，我才发现了那些地方的宝藏。我站在外滩想起家乡的小村庄的时候，我感受到了一种灵魂的颤栗。我想作为一个家乡的孩子，我既要把这种非常先进的文明信息传递到西部，又要把西部没有被挖掘的宝藏输送到东部，让两种文化可以杂交一下，互相汲取一种优秀的东西，产生出一种新的东西。只有当不同的文化能够包容、宽容、善待、赞美、理解并且容忍对方的时候，那么这种文化才可能博大。无论它是城市文化，无论它是上海文化，无论它是物质多么发达的文化，当它拒绝一种外部世界的善文化的时候，这仍然不是先进文化。什么是先进文化？先进文化就是与时俱进的文化。西部需要与时俱进，东部同样需要与时俱进。无论是东部文化还是西部文化，都要把整个世界作为自己文化的一种营养而不。敬畏对方，承认自己的不完美，追求自己的完美，并且容忍对方的不完美，那么这个世界才可能真正的完美，谢谢大家！

声明：本文系文化志愿者试译，非专业人才翻译，错误定然不少，如出现疏漏及错误，敬请读者见谅。如有任何翻译上的建议及修正意见，欢迎及时与我们取得联系，我们会加以校对、修改，并希望有专业才能的朋友也能加入我们志愿者群体中来。

邮箱地址：suonanzhuoma1988@163.com