*Evolution, Religion, and Alternate Lifestyles*
Greetings, it seems that there is almost nothing that Man will not do to try and answer the questions that seemingly have no answer. We try and give irrefutable references for those views of ours that may look rather “suspect” to those who seem to believe that is their job to discredit everyone's work but their own. Darwin once said “Anyone whose disposition leads him to attach more weight to unexplained difficulties than to the explanation of facts will certainly reject my theory.” Man with his competitive nature has always been tempted to live more by the “Why should you be happy?” mode than the “I'm so glad you're such a total success. This is especially true if success up to this point has been elusive. But does one really have the time (in years) to be successful or imperviously happy? What can we hope to accomplish with such a short life expectancy? Maybe we are just like the microbes that inhabit and give some mass to our bodies. We have a “consciousness” that we are for the most part unaware of. Are we part of some “master plan”, or just inconsequential grains of sand on a seemingly endless beach?
Is this life of ours “one big joke?” If so, the joke appears to be on us. In some cases it appears that we are frustrated and angry about our miniscule allotment of personal time. Many of us are unhappy about the small amount of time that we have to try and convince many that we come in contact with to agree with our theories and views on just about everything. And when others won't agree, often it's “off to philosophical or sometimes even real war we go.” This basic human tendency has cost the lives of millions in world wars and countless human disagreements. Divorce, unjustified incarceration and racism are also proof of our intolerant characteristics. Only disease has been deadlier than this being known as Man. Where did we come from? Where are we going? Are we alone in this universe? What's right and what's wrong? And how can we know? Well here's a little about a few of these questions.
As far back in history as we can delve there has been an end to the inhabitants of this planet. Did these former inhabitants (animals, various early primates etc.) deserve some form of annihilation? Did they somehow contribute to their own demise? If so, can we expect the same?
*Six Major Historical Planet Earth Extinction Events*
- The Precambrian – 542 million years ago
- The Ordovician – 435 “
- The Late Devonian – 375 “
- The Permian – 250 “
- The Triassic - 198 “
- The Cretaceous – 65 “(Dinosaur Extinction)
97% of all life that has ever existed on this planet is now Extinct!
Is Homo Sapiens Man next?
In view of this information one has to wonder just when our number might be up. Maybe we can continue to evolve and escape this planet before we have such a catastrophic event that would also cause our extinction. If other beings have evolved to the point of inter-planetary time travel (and now many scientists begrudgingly admit that they may exist) then can we?
Our galaxy (the Milky Way) has over 100 Billion stars. Our universe conservatively has over 100 billion galaxies! If every star had just one planet (like our sun) with intelligent life we are literally surrounded by unseen alien activity! Today's scientist is no longer nearly as skeptical about extra- terrestrial life as they once were. In fact many of us (scientists) may actually believe in the existence of aliens and UFO'S but our discipline frowns on this as somewhat “unscientific” so most of us will deny this phenomenon. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to keep denying some rather compelling evidence of genetic tampering, alteration or timely additions to our surprisingly potent earthly brain power.
If you read my articles regularly then you know in the article titled “What's Wrong?” www.henriwtartt.com I mentioned a couple of unique genes that are in our brains. Those were VMAT2 and FOXP2. But there is an additional gene that makes everything come together and work synergistically. This includes our inexhaustible language abilities, our unequaled massive brain size and our complex thought patterns. And this gene exists nowhere else on earth but in our heads! It's called HAR1. It is found on chromosome 20. This gene is found in the neo cortex as early as in the developing fetus. Some scientists believe that of the 25-30,000 genes in the human body it may be most responsible for the human brain adopting a “different fold” than any other animal on earth. Each human genome has 3 billion DNA letters. Not even our closest primate relative the chimpanzee's DNA sequence incorporates this gene. But where did it come from? When did it “take over?” Were we the recipients of some kind of “close encounter?”
DNA rotation is in the same direction for all living organisms. Had DNA developed singularly on earth it would have a 50/50 distribution. We do not have such a distribution! Why? Directionality has consequences in DNA synthesis. DNA polymerase can synthesize DNA in only one direction by adding nucleotides to the end of a DNA strand. Well, it's obvious that we're not going to answer this question today. I have observed that our best and brightest people just can't seem to live long enough to answer the toughest questions. This is especially true of those who are actually most capable of answering them. The major questions still remain unanswered. Chemist and microbiologist Henry Pasteur said “Life evolves from pre-existing life and not from inanimate material. Life is an unbroken chain of living organisms that go all the way back to the origin of life in the universe.” Well not if you're one of the 95% of the world's population that believes in God! Because it is written: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. (Genesis 1:1) According to the Bible, before that there was nothing. Unfortunately most people disagree on what nothing is and just about everything else. Things like God and acceptable life styles. All Homo Sapiens on this earth regardless of race, origin or ethnicity have exactly the same biological structure, including those with alternate lifestyles.
Recorded history shows us that homosexuality has been with us for at least as long as religious records exist. Therefore they are also a part of our religious and evolutionary history. But as far as mass human disagreements go, there is none more controversial or fraught with more vehemence than the questions concerning the normalcy parameters of Human Sexuality. For the record, I am a married heterosexual male. By profession, I am a chemist in my 60's with three grown children, all of whom are also heterosexual. Adam and Eve supposedly were the first modern heterosexual Homo Sapiens. But “Who was the first homosexual?”
Historically no one has taken the credit for initiating the first alternate lifestyle. Most of the “Great Religions” have not spoken well of same sex unions: Bible: Gen 19, Leviticus 18:22, Lev. 20:13, Holy Quran: Surah 7: 80-81, 26: 165, 27: 54-55, 29: 28-29, Book of Mormon: “Law of Chastity.” Bhagavad Gita: 5: 22, Guru Granth Sahib: Violation of the “Five Thieves”, Buddhism: Unnatural Karmic Punishment and a violation of the “Third Precept.” Biblically the first he or she is not named. Some have turned to the biblical book of Genesis for help with identification. Specifically genesis 9: 20-29 and some have named Ham, who many speculate had homosexual relations with his father (Noah) while he was in a drunken stupor. They further state that because Ham was cursed by his father for what he had done to him it is written that his seed would be the slave of all mankind. That in the minds of today's racists meant that the land of Canaan must be Africa, and therefore slavery is natural. But they are in error.
It is true that Ham was the “Father of Canaan.” But “where was Canaan?” Ancient Canaan is present day Israel/Palestine. This includes the West Bank, Western Jordan and Southern and Coastal Syria. Not Africa. The curse of Canaan had nothing to do with the origin of the black race. Ham had three other sons besides Canaan, they were: Cush, the father of the Ethiopians, Mizraim of the Egyptians and Phut of the Libyans and the African people. (See Genesis chapter 10). The Canaanites were notorious in the ancient world for their sexual escapades and excess. These people had various shades of brown skin as did most non-Africans because European featured and complexioned people had not yet proliferated in that part of the world. The term “White People” would not be coined until the 1800's in America by a newspaper editor named “Horace Greely.”
Other researchers name Egypt's Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum (2400BCE) as the first homosexual couple. Archaeologists also indicate there is evidence of a caveman in the Czech Republic (2900BCE) that was buried with traditional female rituals and symbols. Are homosexuals somehow different than heterosexuals? No.
Functionally speaking, there are 700 trillion-trillion atoms that make up our human bodies. Normal human genitalia will respond to non-visual manual manipulation from both male and female sources. Visually, a “choice” of stimuli becomes necessary to facilitate results. In my view, this visual necessity validates the choice argument. “Triggering” mechanisms vary immeasurably among people. But whatever turns one “on” be it a shapely leg, a muscular arm, or boulders in Colorado, it is still requires ones cooperation and is therefore a choice.
However, any use of the “Human Reproductive System” for matters other than human reproduction is scientifically classified as a deviation from their intended reproductive use. The use of condoms and all other methods of birth control can also be considered by definition to be “Deviant Behavior”. The question is: “Should any law abiding group (or race) of people live their lives according to the dictates of the majority? In a civilized society the answer is no. This and other “less than majority” important questions are settled by the Supreme Court. Recently 22 American Senators have collectively said concerning homosexuality: “That they are also entitled to the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, with equal respect, responsibility and protection under the law, including the right to marry.”
There are many people in this country and around the world that still do not believe that homosexuality should be viewed as a normal and equal right. Everything in life has its own price. As long as one is willing to pay the necessary price and the product or activity is legal, that choice should be respected without continued attempts at revocation or continual harassment. But many people of today still view homosexuality as a sin. Jesus said “He who is without sin let him cast the first stone” (John 8:7). Who are these perfect, sinless people? Personally, I am not endorsing homosexuality, I do however, endorse civility and equal rights for all. Right or wrong, (in your mind) get used to it. The United States is a nation of laws. There is no felony or misdemeanor incurred here. Jurisprudence and belief systems don't always agree. And looking at much of our historical writings on this subject, it is not going anywhere…ever.
“Let Us Make Man in Our Image?” (Genesis 1: 26)
It seems that Man is still struggling with the most basic of human dilemmas while seeking to survey the upper reaches of the cosmos to find the source of his origin. Here is one possible example of man's evolution, and development history: (Simplified short version). It appears that (during different time periods) *Someone, Something or perhaps God* for reasons of genetic improvement, selected Homo Erectus, and Homo Neanderthalensis for some type of genetic experimentation. But particularly in the case of Neanderthalensis, before he left regions near Africa. These superior beings or Force then “seeded” the genes VMAT2, FOXP2 and HAR1 into their DNA sequence. Homo Erectus stayed in Africa and eventually went extinct but because of the intervention a new offspring from him managed to survive and evolve.
The Neanderthal migrated to Europe, southwestern and central Asia 200,000 – 30,000 years ago. (While both Erectus and Neanderthal had a common ancestor, this point is where the differences in environmental complexion, survival requirements and subtle outward feature changes first began to appear). Then, to camouflage their intervention in human evolution, They, Who or What left our planet and allowed the genetic recipients to evolve and reproduce, naturally from this point, into beings capable of reaching the moon and beyond. (And of course we did). In scientific overview, the sudden historical appearance of a modern, thinking algebraic capable Adam does not appear to be a traditional slow evolutionary process. When compared to Man's progress this earth's other primates are still in genetic neutrality and are still not reading books or driving cars.
We have far too much scientific evidence and information to the contrary to continue to ignore the obvious. All scientists have not always been seekers of truth. Some of us have looked to exploit falsehoods for personal and sometimes political gain. Sooner or later falsehood is always exposed and discredited. Apart from the evidence presented in this article, I don't believe anyone actually knows or can explain exactly how our immense mental prowess so suddenly appeared. Think about it. How do we go from a small ape-like “ardipithecus”, 4 million years ago, to a geometric quantum physical inter-planetary Homo sapiens in less than 100,000 years? Chimpanzee's and other lower primates are learning some minimal word recognition skills today, but only at our direction. Do you think it's conceivable that we received no instruction and Man is the product of evolution alone? Was it the hand of God...or what?
Thousands, including professional educators, engineers, scientists and the educated public will soon be able to read this article on my science website: *Tartt's Scientific Approach* www.henriwtartt.comand I'd like to know what you think. Currently, we are read throughout America and thirty-three foreign countries. For this I am grateful. Eventually you're all going to have to use your education and common sense like never before on this one. This subject material is not only common to the Bible, but The Torah, The Kabbalah, The Book of Mormon, The Holy Quran, The Guru Granth Sahib, The Mahabharata, The Bhagavad Gita, and The Buddhist Catechism. All contain indications or stories of celestial visitations. If I have missed your religious book, I am sorry, but I am not familiar with it. As an analytical scientist I am not overjoyed to report this type of material, because traditionally we don't write about this subject often, but with all the “cosmological commotion” going on today, it's time.
Both the Evolutionists and the Creationists have a stake in preserving their efforts at the status quo levels. Does this new information contradict the scriptures and undermine our basic understanding of God and religion? I say to you a resounding No! Even with the possible genetic DNA modifications found on the helix, and the discovery of billions of stars and galaxies the concept of the existence of God is even stronger. It appears that God is more powerful and far reaching than any of us ever imagined. Probability equations indicate the possibility of the presence of other forms of intelligent life, but that does not mean that God didn't put them there too!
As I asked earlier, can one get something from nothing? (Singularity is not “nothing”) If man has evolved from a continuous life chain from bacteria, microbes, molecules, organisms etc. from the universe as Henry Pasteur has said, then where did that first something come from? If God was born at some point then he is not God. Why? Because if he was born, then he must die, and if he dies he was not God in the first place. Truthfully, this argument will never be won. It is my opinion that science will never be able to answer this question because only God (assuming there is one) knows how all of this was accomplished. Over 100 billion stars in our one galaxy (The Milky Way). There are100-200 billion galaxies in our universe. The mathematics necessary to calculate and prove this universal phenomenon as a “lifeless, causeless accident” has not yet been successfully formulated. Assuming that our mathematical systems and calculations are near correct, have we had visitors from beyond? If so, “Who are/were they?” “Where did they go?” “Will they return?” and better yet, “Are they still here?” Perhaps this is just our imagination? How can we explain away the *mountains* of almost supernatural evidence? These are serious questions. I have been a respected, serious scientist throughout my career. I do not believe in ghosts, ghouls or goblins. But this is altogether something else. What do you think?
Question: *How can you get something from nothing?*
“Anyone?”
I hope this article has at least, piqued your interest.
We have fought countless wars for thousands of years over the name of God and regional ideology. What is God's name? Unless we all speak the same language how can the name of God be the same? Am I being clear here? Is it Jesus? Allah? Yahweh, Brahman? The only answer has to be yes! Perhaps the Supreme God made and named them the God of this earth (In your language). But language and rituals change. What has remained unchanged however, is man's desire for individuality, the right to love whomever you so choose, and the self-assurance that equality brings by having your sense of human worth validated. Too many of us have been cursed with an “insurance company mentality.” That people are only worth specific amounts of money. We all long for the right to be treated as though we really do count. This is a basic civil right that millions world-wide have died for.
Whatever happens to this little planet Earth that we call home, we are all in the same boat, in the same span of time. Thoughts about death and the end permeate our society. These thoughts invoke feelings of dread and anxiety. Psychologists tell us to eliminate these thoughts and anxiety becomes a non-sequitur. But without God, this elimination is not possible. While we play with our careers, babies, hobbies and hormones for 85 (or so) years many do not think of this “end time”, but when this time comes (and it will) we all need a God that has no limits. Most believers are straight, but some are gay and death bed atheists are rare. No matter, he will still be there because as we have seen, both mentally and physiologically, He's probably in our genes. But what if the “naysayers, final day ignorers and disbelievers” are right and in the end there is no God? Has all of the fervor and devotion been for naught? In my opinion no, believers have still won. In the immortal words of the English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson; “It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.” Stay well.
*The Fool hath said in His heart, There is no God*
- Holy Bible, Psalms 14: 1
All the Best,
- Henri W. Tartt
Henri W. Tartt
Supervising Chemist &
Chief of Microbiology
City of Cleveland, Ohio (Retired)
Email:henri@henriwtartt.com