Independent Book: Angels and Demons

Religion vs Science. Faith vs Facts. This novel primarily focuses on these concepts, which have been raging since the very foundation of religion. Two characters, the Camerlengo and Robert Langdon clash in the novel. I wanted to list some major quotes that caught my attention in the novel that revolves around this conflict:

Camerlango:

“Why did they hid that which inspired fear? Fear brought people to God!”

Hassassin:

“Faith does not protect you. Medicine and airbags…those are the things that protect you. God does not protect you. Enlightenment. Put your faith into something with tangible results. How long has it been since someone walked on water? Modern miracles belong to science, …computers, vaccines, space stations, …even the divine miracle of creation. Matter from nothing…in a lab. Who needs God? No! Science is God.”

Maximilian Kholer:

“Mr. Langdon all questions were once spiritual. Since the beginning of time, spirituality and religion have been called on to fill in the gaps that science did not understand. The rising and setting of the sun was once attributed to Helios and a flaming chariot. Earthquakes and tidal waves were the wrath of Poseidon. Science has now proven those gods to be false idols. Soon all gods will be proven to be false idols. Science has now provided answers to almost every question man can ask. There are only a few questions left and they are the esoteric ones. Where do we come from? What are we doing here? What is the meaning of life and the universe?”

Aamerlengo:

“Science seems irrelevant. Science can heal, or science can kill. It depends on the soul of the man using the science. It is the soul that interests me.”

“We all benefit from a sense of contact with divinity… even if it is only imagined.”

“Who is this God science? Who is the God who offers his people power but no moral framework to tell you how to use that power? What kind of God gives a child fire but does not warn the child of its dangers? The language of science comes with no signposts about good and bad. Science textbooks tell us how to create a nuclear reaction, and yet they contain no chapter asking us if it is a good or a bad idea.”

“”And all the while, you proclaim the church is ignorant. But who is more ignorant? The man who cannot define lightning, or the man who does not respect its awesome power? This church is reaching out to you. Reaching out to everyone. And yet the more we reach, the more you push us away. Show me proof there is a God, you say. I say use your telescopes to look to the heavens, and tell me how there could not be a God! You ask what does God look like. I say, where does that question come from? The answers are one and the same. Do you not see God in you science? How can you miss Him!”

I thought this novel was very interesting as it revolved around the conflict between science and religion. Also, this novel was very tense as it was a mystery novel. I would give this book a 10/10!

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