Evolutionary obstacle

One wonders when we will see the disappearance of that hairy old chestnut, first discovered in the 19th century, which attributes to Charles Darwin the claim that our species, homo sapiens, descended from either apes or monkeys.

But neither Darwin nor any subsequent scientist ever made such a ridiculous claim. Indeed, modern evolutionary studies point to the evolution of apes, not monkeys, post-dating the appearance of proto-homo species. What evolutionists claim is that monkeys, apes and people share a common, albeit as yet unspecified, ancestral form. In other words, at some point in the past these species had an ancestor in common.

To minds unclouded by dogma and ego, the theory of evolution has been scientifically validated. While much work is needed to obtain detail, the general truth of the proposition has now been established in much the same way Einstein's "theory" has now transcended the problematic to become paradigm.

I would therefore like to question Mr. Daryadi's letter (Jan. 22, 1997) in which he insists in twisting the truth so that the position of those whom they perceive to be their opponents may be weakened. While I have no problems with Mr. Daryadi or anyone else professing a religious dogma, I fail to understand why the trivialization of a scientific truth should be acknowledged as contributing to genuine scientific and intellectual debate. Mr. Daryadi, I would suggest that you "know thine enemy" before parading your ignorance.

One also wonders whether those who feel that evolution demeans their faith and their God are not in fact responsible for devaluing religion. From what one gathers of the image of God in the various faiths of the world, a being with infinite wisdom and power, a mere mortal is incapable of attaining more than a glimpse, an ethereal glimmer, of the eternal truths of this being.

Aren't those who claim to know that their God would never approve evolution as a creative force being just a tad too presumptuous? Surely the truly religious allow for infinite wisdom and infinite subtlety of the creative force and accept that this force has facilitated the development of intelligence in humanity so that the workings of the universe may be made clear.

GARRY J. SINCLAIR

Jakarta