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Darwin is a Problem for Jews
The Jerusalem Post ^ | 4/18/2006 | David Klinghoffer

Posted on 04/18/2006 10:31:13 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator

Did the software in the cell, DNA, write itself? Is genetic information the only information that science has ever encountered that was not generated by an intelligent agent? These are some of the questions raised by the scientific and cultural war going on over Charles Darwin's theory and its modern challenger, intelligent design.

In an April 6 Jerusalem Post op-ed, the writer and editor Larry Yudelson took me to task for arguing in numerous venues that the debate about Darwin is a crucial one for Jews who care about Judaism. If it was simply Yudelson offering his personal opinion that "Darwin is no problem for Jews" (the title of his article), I wouldn't have sought the generous permission of the editor to respond.

But given that Yudelson also summons no less a figure than Maimonides to the defense of Darwin, along with another rabbinic luminary, Abraham Isaac Kook, a response is necessary. MAIMONIDES lived seven centuries before Darwin presented his argument that natural selection operating on random genetic variation produced you and me. Yet Judaism's greatest sage of the past millennium was engaged in a strikingly similar scientific argument in his own time.

That argument centered on the question of whether the universe is eternal and without a starting point (the position of Aristotle) or whether it had a beginning in time at the moment of creation (Maimonides's view).

Larry Yudelson recommends to us the path of Maimonides, "who opposed his contemporaries who preached the eternity of the world simply because 'the theory has not been proved' (Guide II:25), while allowing that were it to be proved, it would not contradict the core Jewish beliefs."

I wish Mr. Yudelson had read that important chapter in Guide for the Perplexed more carefully. In fact, the sage writes that he rejects the eternity of the world for two reasons not, as Yudelson says, just one.

First, Maimonides rejected Aristotle's thinking on this point because it "has not been demonstrated." But second because it makes nonsense of the Jewish religion: "If the philosophers would succeed in demonstrating eternity as Aristotle understands it, the Torah as a whole would become void, and a shift to other opinions would take place. I have thus explained to you that everything is bound up with this problem."

Maimonides was saying that though parts of the Bible's text may indeed be interpreted in other than a literal fashion, there are philosophical reasons that make an eternal universe incompatible with the God of the Torah. Simply put, Aristotle makes God's role in the world, as a creator and guide, superfluous and impossible. AND DARWINISM does the very same thing, ascribing all creation to blind material processes, as Darwin himself wrote: "I would give absolutely nothing for the theory of natural selection if it requires miraculous additions at any one stage of descent."

Maimonides would ask if Darwinism nevertheless has been "demonstrated." Well, Darwin's followers reached a high point of self-confidence in 1959 with the Centennial Celebration held at the University of Chicago to mark the 100th-year anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species. The event was notable for the total conviction on the part of many speakers that any debate about Darwin was over and done.

But since then, the intellectual trend has changed directions. The Discovery Institute has compiled a list of Darwin-doubting scientists, a list currently standing at more than 500 doctoral researchers at places like Berkeley, Princeton and MIT.

It is now 71 years since Rav Kook died. So obviously in writing the beautiful and poetic words that Larry Yudelson quotes, Kook was not aware of the current state of knowledge about microbiology and the nanotechnology of the cell. Was Kook a close student of Darwin's writings or of the state of biology even in his own day? Is Yudelson?

In theory, it's very inspiring and idealistic to write, as Kook did, that: "In general this is an important principle in the conflict of ideas, that when an idea comes to negate some teaching in the Torah, we must not, to begin with, reject it, but build the edifice of the Torah above it, and thereby we ascend higher, and through this ascent, the ideas are clarified."

In practice, however, there is simply no way to reconcile an idea with its precise negation. The premise of Judaism is that God commands us on the basis of his having created us. The question before us, therefore, is not a simple-minded one of whether the universe was made in six calendar days, but rather of whether the universe has a need for a God, period.

In the philosophical system elaborated by Darwin and his disciples, there is no room for a creator in any sense. To explain the existence of life without reference to a deity was Darwin's entire purpose.

He developed a theory that answered his own purpose, certainly not ours as Jews. Given that his idea has neither been unambiguously demonstrated nor is it congenial to Jewish belief - the two-fold test of Maimonides - I am bewildered to find Jews who are committed to Judaism rushing recklessly to Darwin's defense.


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KEYWORDS: darwin; id; judaism; klinghoffer; maimonides; ravkook; torah
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I will reiterate this again: aside from some of the "Modern Orthodox," some in academia, and a few Sefaradi intellectuals, all Orthodox Jews--creationist or evolutionist--believe that the Torah was written by G-d and dictated to Moses letter-for-letter, and that once one arrives at the creation of Adam the Torah becomes literal. This is a far cry from chr*stian and atheist evolutionists who view the entire Torah as mythology whose only purpose is to convey philosophical concepts. With the few exceptions mentioned above ALL Orthodox Jews believe in the literal historicity of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Methuselah (and that he lived 969 years), Noah's flood, the Tower of Babel, the Three Patriarchs, the Egyptian slavery and all the miracles of the Exodus, etc. The entire traditional Biblical/Jewish chronology is adhered to even by mainstream Orthodox Jews who are evolutionists. Even Dr. Gerald Schroeder switches to Jerry Falwell mode once Adam arrives on the scene on the Sixth Day of Creation.

These facts are often omitted by Orthodox Jews who are evolutionist or who hold that evolution is a legitimate interpretation of the Torah. This creates the impression that evolutionist Orthodox Jews buy into the JEPD/Biblical criticism/Torah-as-mythology philosophy without actually saying this and removes any real or perceived pressure not to be seen as "fundies" by the non-Jewish world. Personally, I regard it as cowardly and dishonest to defend Darwin while omitting the very important point that Darwin stops when Adam appears.

Nor do you hear much about some of the wilder theories of Orthodox Jewish evolutionists, such as that the dinosaurs evolved into the beings we know as angels today, that the earth is hollow and the home of demons, or that the tabernacle was made of the skin of unicorns. And yes, these are the beliefs of Orthodox Jews who criticize creationism for being unscientific! (NB: I am not ridiculing a "hollow earth" or another dimension inhabited by strange beasts per se; I am pointing out the inconsistency of holding to these things while using "science" to attack creationism.)

However, what Klinghoffer is attacking is not evolution per se but the notion of the eternity of the universe, once a dogma of atheists. Atheists today no longer claim the universe is eternal (admitting that at one point it didn't exist and then suddenly it did), but they insist that this big bang was a natural phenomenon, even though nature was the result of the big bang, was brought into existence by it, and therefore could not have caused the big bang (though there are a few of the more mystical atheists who believe that unalterable natural law exists outside reality as we know it, presiding over the creation and extinction of innumerable universes). Spontaneous self creation (which implies the big bang was caused by its result, natural law) is far more illogical than the mere eternity of the universe, and I wish Klinghoffer had said something about this.

1 posted on 04/18/2006 10:31:15 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator
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To: Zionist Conspirator
In the philosophical system elaborated by Darwin and his disciples, there is no room for a creator in any sense.

What philosophical system would that be? Or do you mean science?

To explain the existence of life without reference to a deity was Darwin's entire purpose.

Uh, no, not even close according to the historical record.

2 posted on 04/18/2006 10:37:43 AM PDT by balrog666 (There is no freedom like knowledge, no slavery like ignorance. - Ali ibn Ali-Talib)
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To: balrog666

Are you saying science refuses to allow for God in anything?


3 posted on 04/18/2006 10:39:37 AM PDT by mlc9852
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To: Zionist Conspirator

You can count the number of creationist Jews on the fingers of one hand -- for good reason, because Jews aren't stupid.


4 posted on 04/18/2006 10:39:50 AM PDT by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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Placemarker
5 posted on 04/18/2006 10:41:18 AM PDT by CarolinaGuitarman ("There is grandeur in this view of life....")
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To: CarolinaGuitarman

placemarker


6 posted on 04/18/2006 10:41:55 AM PDT by RadioAstronomer (Senior member of Darwin Central)
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To: Alter Kaker

What a suprise! Jews aren't stupid but Christians are. No surprise there. How about atheists are stupid?


7 posted on 04/18/2006 10:46:17 AM PDT by mlc9852
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To: Zionist Conspirator
Klinghoffer is virtually alone among Orthodox Jews in attacking Darwin's theory. As I have pointed out elsewhere, most Orthodox Rabbis-- and all Conservative and Reform Rabbis-- have no problem with interpreting Genesis in a figurative way, so long as it is understood that (a) God created the universe, and (b) He created humanity in His spiritual image. How God did this is within the domain of science, and is really of little importance to Judaism.
8 posted on 04/18/2006 10:46:18 AM PDT by Lurking Libertarian (Non sub homine, sed sub Deo et lege)
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To: Zionist Conspirator
Entertainment place-marker.
9 posted on 04/18/2006 10:50:01 AM PDT by M203M4 (BEEEEEG gubermint to the rescue; or "how the nanny state ruins everything")
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To: Alter Kaker
You can count the number of creationist Jews on the fingers of one hand -- for good reason, because Jews aren't stupid.

From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things
as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.
The way of a fool seems right to him,
but a wise man listens to advice.
A fool shows his annoyance at once,
but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
Proverbs 12:14-16

10 posted on 04/18/2006 10:52:45 AM PDT by Echo Talon
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To: mlc9852
What a suprise! Jews aren't stupid but Christians are.

I didn't say anything about Christians, you're putting words in my mouth. In fact I know a great many believing Christians who support science. The only people who reject science are a narrow group of fundamentalist Muslims and Christians who have fooled themselves into believing that they understand God.

11 posted on 04/18/2006 10:53:06 AM PDT by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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To: Alter Kaker

"who have fooled themselves into believing that they understand God."

You mean the ones who believe the Bible?


12 posted on 04/18/2006 10:54:25 AM PDT by mlc9852
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To: mlc9852
You mean the ones who believe the Bible?

No, just those who believe the Bible contains all the information there is to know.

14 posted on 04/18/2006 11:00:02 AM PDT by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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To: Alter Kaker

Now who thinks the Bible contains all the information you need to know? LOL We obviously need to know lots of things not in the Bible. However, I believe what the Bible says is true.


15 posted on 04/18/2006 11:03:28 AM PDT by mlc9852
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To: Zionist Conspirator

Note: Darwin was a rebellious character who was a seminary student, gone bad...


16 posted on 04/18/2006 11:03:46 AM PDT by Mrs. Darla Ruth Schwerin
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Comment #17 Removed by Moderator

To: Alter Kaker
may be some good advise
18 posted on 04/18/2006 11:05:36 AM PDT by Echo Talon
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: mlc9852
Now who thinks the Bible contains all the information you need to know? LOL We obviously need to know lots of things not in the Bible. However, I believe what the Bible says is true.

I also believe what the Bible says. But I recognize that there are limits to what it says and does not say. One thing it doesn't explicate is the method God used to create the universe.

20 posted on 04/18/2006 11:08:33 AM PDT by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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