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Deity and Darwin
notes – not for distributionFrank Kaufmann - 06/05/10
Spiritual reality is proven in the Darwin debate, not bythe content of the conversation, but by its vehemence.I have a special interest in those conversations thatcannot be held intelligently by intelligent people.Why? Because this fiery torrent that substitutes forreasonable and dispassionate conversation alwaysreveals that something significant is at stake. Whereare some such places where a simple difference of opinion disqualifies your partner from respect andvirtues for compassionate engagement becomeovershadowed by such undesirable qualities as closed-mindedness, impatience, and vitriol? Palestine andIsrael, Abortion, Darwin, conservative and liberal-politics, and whales in the sea.Most people who reach a level of leadership, especiallyin intellectual circles believe that one important sign of a mature intellectual is the ability to see "all sides" of an argument, and the willingness to grow and modifyone's views in light of information and soundargument. But in these hot areas, even the smartestpeople descend into negative passions, and grow blindto any and all thoughts on the matter contrary to theirown. Instead of being able to learn from others with
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opposing points of view, valid and interestinginformation from “the other” never helps. Suchopportunities instead are used to further hone our ownarguments and positions. Greater understandingseems to have an inverse effect. Instead of gaininggreater sympathy for those with "opposing views," werather sharpen and hone our positions all the morefiercely. A chasm an inch wide in this “hot issues”somehow stays as deep and non-traversable as onemiles wide. Darwin is one such arena.Supposing I were to show up to an important scientificgathering, or sought to teach in schools a theorychallenging the conventional wisdom of the lunarimpact on tides? Surely such a position would be asradical and perhaps unthinkable such a proposition aspossible. Yet, I would be met with establishedprotocols of the scientific establishment, and myresearch would be allowed to rise or fall on the basis of its merit within the strictures of the scientific method.Why is it then that rivers run red when bonafidescientists seek to question a even the tiniest elementin the edifice necessary for Darwinism to stand?Obviously because something far more central tohuman affairs at stake than mere scientific theory. Inmy few moments, I would like to offer thoughts tosuggest what is at stake. My argument and conclusionis that the discussion suffers from the dysfunctioncharacteristic of the great shame of religious conflict.
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 The Christian theologian Paul Tillich in the 1957 classicDynamics of Faith, described faith as "ultimateconcern" The intense agitation and response tochallengers by committed Darwinists should beunderstood and engaged as a form of religiouszealotry.What is religion, and how does it function forbelievers? To be human requires us to come to deal with threeelements of subjective experience: 1. Who am I. Whyam I here? What makes me the way I am? 2. What isnature and the natural world around me? What is it tome? And 3. How am I to function as a social being.What is my life as it pertains to other human beings?Every complete, and major world religion offersanswers for these three fundamental questions to itsbelievers. The question who am I in faith systems iscalled theolgical anthropology. The account of thesignificance and truth about nature is found in what iscalled “the creation myth” of any given religioussystem. And my life vis a vis the greater social realityin which my life unfolds is the doctrine of humanresponsibility.I will take a quick look at a couple of scripturalpackages of these 3 elements momentarily. But first
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Cha-am Jamal

enjoyed reading this document and learned a lot. thanks.

reply06 / 16 / 2010
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