As long as religion and science exist, man has asked the question, which one is more dangerous? However, over the centuries man has figured out that the answer is not that simple. Many aspects are involved that have to be taken into consideration. Some scientists argue that religion can cause more harms, but on the other side believers of many religions point their fingers toward science as being the ultimate danger. Despite the benefits of religion and science, they both can be equally dangerous because they can be destructive, abuse their power and can harm uneducated people.

Although religion can be very dangerous, it has many benefits for mankind. Authentic forms of religion offer hope and are a force for positive change. Through religious ideas and commitments, endless numbers of individuals are inspired to go beyond self-interests in pursuit of higher values. Throughout history, religion has brought out the noblest and best in human beings. Take, for instance, all the humanitarian relief organizations into consideration, which respond to natural disaster, wars and poverty. These institutions are usually one of the first to respond in crisis and they are in for the long haul in many

Likewise, if people do not have enough knowledge about science, they can wind up in harmful situations. Often a person agrees to medical procedures or chemotherapeutics because of his lack of knowledge maneuvering him into danger. Antibiotics and other drugs can cause allergic reaction, which can be fatal. Furthermore, dangerous situations are created through the increased prescription of the growth hormone against dwarfism. Uneducated parents often do not question the diagnosis of a doctor and pediatricians who designate their children as abnormal because they, the children, fall in the bottom three percent of the height scale of their age group (Edwords 26). Hormones are prescribed where they are not needed and the side effects are impossible to predict. Still, uninformed parents do not interfere by asking questions and trying to get informed. Moreover, thirty years ago most parents in the United States accept the smallpox vaccine to be given to their children. They do not get educated on the vaccine and its side effects and it takes cases of serious illnesses and even death for the vaccine to be taken out of the immunization program. Similar concern is lately raised about the measles vaccine in Japan and Great Britain when scientist find a connection between the MMR shot and resulting neurological damage, like autism. People repeatedly do not get informed on how certain drugs and vaccines work. Results are terminal illnesses, physical damages or even death. Even though many scientists try to calm the public by saying that vaccines are safe, opposite sides have proof how dangerous it can be to just say yes to any vaccine. Their recommendation is, to always become educated before agreeing to medications. Consequently, science can have damaging effects on humans, if people do not get educated about the scientific subjects they are dealing with.

Furthermore, religion and science can be exceptionally harmful if they abuse their power. Often authoritative people in religion and science use their position to make decisions for their own gratification and not for the benefit of society. Hence, this can result in an exceptional hazard for innocent people. In religion, sincere people are easily susceptible to authoritative claims made by charismatic leaders. Fear and insecurity of normal people help the leaders along to abuse their power (Kimball 1). Not too long ago, priests of the Roman Catholic Church were exposed for using their positions to sexually assault and abuse children. The innocent children put all their trust in the men of God, but their trust was shamelessly abused by the powerful clergymen. Jim Baker and his wife Tammy are another example for abuse of power in religion. As TV evangelists, they committed fraud over several years utilizing their powerful positions. The Bakers presented themselves as faith healers and collected money from Christian believers who needed healing. Instead of using the money for the ministry, they obtained it for their own luxuries. Again, clergymen abused their power in 1954, when the US Army and the heads of the Seventh-Day Adventist church arranged for the medical research operation Whitecoat. The leaders of the church force numerous members to volunteer in the participation of experiments where they are exposed to Q fever, a disease similar to typhus. No commitment from the church members side is punished with expelling from the church (Moreno 12). Ruthlessly the "volunteers" are exploited, and put in a hazardous physical situation by their powerful leaders. However, one of the most famous abuses of power in religion occurs in the thirteenth century, when the Christian Church founds the Inquisition, an organ of the Church government used to investigate crimes against the faith. If a person does not fit the standard of a good believer the Inquisition arrives and prosecutes until "church justice" is served. The accused people are not being told who their accusers are. They do not ha

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Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)