Religion here is meant in the wider sense of the word. It is a combination of beliefs that includes an ethical framework as well as an outlook on life.

Morality and ethics:

Religion offers a moral framework for technology to flourish in. It has the possibility of acting as moral anchor in a sea of constant development. The current state of technology is that it is developing at unprecedented rate. As a result of the development of modern technology it has caused some previously unquestioned moral issues to be revisited. Recent advances in medical technology, as an example, have caused many followers of religion to revise their ethical outlook.

Philosophical outlook (point of view):

Religion also provides a metaphysical model for technology to be understood in. Religion, in its broad vision offers such an outlook. It offers a rich cosmological vision that encompasses all that is known, seen and unseen, believable and unbelievable. Some of these cosmological doctrines that religion offers are beyond question, if science does question the validity of such doctrines it could have a detrimental effects on inquiry in such issues. Galileo (1564-1642) questioned the earth centric view of the universe was branded a heretic and condemned after a long trial in 1633. In other parts of the world where earth-centric universe was not a core doctrine it was a non-issue.

Abuse of framework:

Religion as with any philosophical outlook has the possibility of being abused to be an impediment for technological progress in certain areas. In history, many abuses have been done in the name of religion. Technological progress is among many of the victims of religion. Humanity had to suffer many losses due to religious teachings. However many of the recent wars of this century that have caused grievous losses have employed technology. The First World War was fought for economic –read technological progress. The Second World War was fought for political/ideological doctrines.

Although these wars were not fought in the name of technology, the use of technology has led the loss of many human lives much more than those lives that was lost due to religious wars. War has caused technology to progress that in turn has benefited humanity, but at what cost. There are many that would argue that it was because of war that we progressed as far as we did. While others argue that we have wars as of result of technological progress. Therefore technological progress is not good and will only lead to our destruction.

Abuse does not necessitate a failed outlook:

Religion has been used by political powers to control the population they ruled, fight the wars they pleased, hamper certain technological progress that could upset their power. However this abuse should not be interrupted as religion being bad for technology. As with certain philosophical outlooks which do influence the course of technological progress so does religion. Religion aside from its belief system has its own philosophical outlook.

Religion is open to interpretation:

Harvey Cox and Lynn White interpret Christian religion as a supporter of technological progress. Jacques Ellul and Egbert Schuurman interpret Christianity as limiting to the direction of technological progress. Ellul view of technology is reminiscent about technology of the past and thinks that it is more Christian. (Ferre: 1995, p. 99-114.)

Religion offers a framework for technology to develop in a particular direction. It was the dominant belief in the middle ages, which was inherited from Ptolemy that made scientist consider the world as earth centric. It was however the another Religion/Philosophical outlook mainly that of Copernicus to consider a sun centered universe. (Ferre: 1995, p. 45.) It would take an invention, a practical artifact, to prove the ‘correctness’ of this latter theory.

While there is a question whether religions as well as technology are a product of human nature there are many aspects that seem to be part of human nature. The question whether technology is natural or not, is still an issue to be settled and may never be settled. There are those who argue that technology is natural and part of nature, they define nature as such in technological terms. A cell is described as a factory. The functions of the human body as a system made up of parts that functional individually. Meanwhile machinery is described in biological terms, thereby confusing such terms as natural/artificial and biological/mechanical. This semantic confusion whether intentional or unintentional does not help clarify the issue of technology.

We do know that technology is necessary for human survival. Worst still, technology misused, it may well lead to total human destruction, if not total annihilation of the world that we inhabit. Strangely there are humans that using religion, doomsday seers, want to accomplish exactly that.