December 29, 2007
by Volt and Electra Penn
The letter was from The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, California. Dated April 26, 200l, the one-page missive from Dr. Francis H. C. Crick, co-discoverer of DNA and the finest molecular biologist of our times, was signed by his assistant Kathleen V. Murray.
In part, the letter read. "Dr. Crick is surprised that you appear to believe in an after-life. Modern science makes this hypothesis implausible and there is not a shred of evidence in favour. There is clearly a strong wish to believe in it, which is probably why the belief is so widespread. To an atheist like Dr. Crick your question is rather like saying, ?Are there fairies at the bottom of the garden or are they really gnomes?' "
I'd love to call for a redirect to ask Dr. Crick the difference between fairies and gnomes. However, that's impossible because in 2004 the biologist found out once and for all if life ever-after is made possible by self-replicating polymers. Dr Crick's Darwin-influenced answer left me invigorated and appreciating his sense of humor about God, infinity and the hereafter.
By now we should realize that death, not space, is man's final frontier. In the last few hundred years we've been inspired to think in an Age of Reason, sign a social contract in the Age of Enlightenment and now find ourselves adrift in a scientific vacuum that some want to fill with make believe. The sad fact is, except for the whoppers they tell in Sunday school, we know nothing about what happens after that final appointment with Mr. Grim Reaper. In the laboratory or from the pulpit, Death defies scientific scrutiny.
But try to tell that to a California-based Christian Science research institute (an oxymoron) that wants to teach a religion-based biology/science curriculum in Texas. This Institute for Creation Research preaches a creationist interpretation to man's origins and Earth's history. Their time compressed textbooks put our planet at 10,000 years old, says man walked with Dino and that Heaven's open only to those who believe Christ is their personal savior.
As portrayed in the gospels, Jesus always appeared to be a fine person. I especially like his compassionate plea for others who are not as fortunate. The New Testament story starts to unravel, though, when the miracles spin out of control, the dead are reanimated and like most martyrs, Jesus Christ levitates from your ordinary saint to God status. These days there seems to be tons of similar fibs circulating to throw a truth-seeker off track: atheists have no morals, homosexuality is learned behavior and Darwin recanted evolutionary theory on his deathbed.
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Need I remind everyone that the Old Testament named one God over all things great and small? It's logical that where there's one, there's order. But go adding another god here, then another one there, and we end up believing everything is so possible a papacy of popes couldn't keep enough candles burning to cover the coffers overflowing with indulgences.
According to the Torah, Bible and the Quran, Abraham was the third son of Terah, and the first person ever to bet even money on one Supreme Being. The story goes that Abe was in a crap shoot with a camel herder by the name of Zig. As Zig shook the dice for an easy four and prayed feverishly to his 14 Spanish angels, Old Abe put his faith in the one holy-spirit that he knew always came through in a pinch?his father, Terah.
We know from cryptic Coptic verses that the pagan Zig threw snake eyes and Abraham went away from the crap rug knee-deep in the camel herder's herd. What is immediately recognizable about Abraham's story is that it dovetails nicely with Einstein's misquoted cosmos theory: ?God does not play nice with the universe'.
The sobering truth these days is that all those who call themselves Christians believe in a Jesus Christ first introduced by New Testament gospel writers trying to tone down bloody Old Testament rhetoric. Stoning to death, tearing out an eye for an eye or sacrificing first born babies bordered on pornography.
And really, does anybody know if it was Jesus the carpenter, Jesus the plumber, Jesus the gardener or Jesus the contractor that the Jews gave up for Barabbas. The whole sordid event happened 2,000 years before C.S.I. could dust for fingerprints, before the DNA spiral was used to compare humans and before anybody could use the Scientific Method to prove the wrong man had been crucified.
When it comes to the late Dr. Crick's garden party, Ricky Nelson said it best; "You see, you can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself." I believe that's solid advice when we find ourselves surrounded by so many false idols as we are today. So, think before shedding skin for an unworthy cause or praying to a later day saint for salvation, especially one trumped up by paid scribes needing a fop to finish a fable.
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Have Penn they'll listen. Volt Penn writes speeches for Progressive Populists and reasoned arguments for those on the left of center. He has also written speeches for anybody who has read his work. You can reach Volt Penn through his artist friend, b.b.kemp, at bbkemp@bbkemp.com
Volt/Electra Penn copyright 2007
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