A few days ago, I was having lunch in the school staff room. Two new teachers walked in and sat beside me. So after the usual "Aapka
kya naam hai, Kahan rehte ho, Kaunse teaching subjects hain?" (Oho!
Science student ho!) the
conversation turned to matters of food. Among other things, one of the teachers mentioned that her religion forbade her from eating pork, but that
eating fish was acceptable. Another teacher asked her why this was
the case. The first teacher replied that it was okay to eat fish because fish
didn't have blood.
For a second, I couldn't believe my ears. I looked at
her, expecting a more complete and less absurd explanation. But she was
silent. Her voice carried conviction. But to me that conviction was
disturbing and scary. My first instinct was to rush and tell her the
"scientifically proven truth," that fish do indeed have blood, a heart,
the works, and yes, I know this, not from a textbook, but because I have
dissected fish. But before I had a chance to say anything, she and her
friend abruptly walked out for a drink of water.
I realized
then that it wasn't as simple as "telling someone a fact." Here was a
classic case of faith versus science. This teacher firmly believed what her
faith told her. All the science in the world can sometimes fail to
shake that faith.
I don't know what she would think if she did indeed
witness a fish being cut. Would she continue to eat fish? Or would she
stop? It's as much an individual's dilemma as it is the entire faith's.
Students, please share your experiences in battling superstitions and myths with science and logic.
