Science and religion have been at odds for eons. The fundamental difference between the two is buttressed in philosophy. Science relies on empirical data. Science believes in the tangible and concrete. Religion is predicated on all faith. Faith is a belief in that which is not seen, or experienced. Religion says I believe therefore it is real. Science says reality must be grounded in fact. Religion sets its sights on a reality that has no bases in logic, but rather emotional rectitude.
When Charles Robert Darwin first presented his book of theories entitled, "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859, it was met fairly much as it is today. Darwin believed that first man evolved. Changes came about because of natural selection. Religion has promoted the notion that an omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient deity created all life here on Earth.
Today, the naturalist feel that Darwin has be vindicated. The human genome project confirms the theory on evolution.
…none of these headlines capture the most basic, the most important consequence of mapping out all of our genes. The genome reveals, indisputably and beyond any serious doubt, that Darwin was right mankind evolved over a long period of time from primitive animal ancestors. Our genes show that scientific creationism cannot be true. The response to all those who thump their bible and say there is no proof, no test and no evidence in support of evolution is, "The proof is right here, in our genes." Eric Lander of the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Mass., said that if you look at our genome it is clear that "evolution …must make new genes from old parts."
The core recipe of humanity carries clumps of genes that show we are descended from bacteria. There is no other way to explain the jerry-rigged nature of the genes that control key aspects of our development. No one can look at how the book of life is written and not come away fully understanding that our genetic instructions have evolved from the same programs that guided the development of earlier animals. Our genetic instructions have been slowly assembled from the genetic instructions that made jellyfish, dinosaurs, wooly mammoths and our primate ancestors. There is, as the scientists who cracked the genome all agreed, no other possible explanation. Sure the business side of cracking our genetic code is fascinating. And we all need to be sure that our government does not leave us in the genetic lurch without laws to ensure our privacy and protect us against genetic discrimination (11).
The debate further intensifies as religion frowns on the notion that man will attempt to play God. Even those not particularly religious, fear a resurgence of Adolph Hitler's vision of creating the perfect race. Gene mapping will make it possible to do away with perceived flaws, or defects in children. Change the eye coloring, change the hair texture, add to the aptitude of the child, and by all means, let's make the child athletic and very aesthetically pleasing. Though we have the technology, is it moral to take away the variety that nature provides? Will scientists one day perceive certain ethnic groups as being unwanted flaws?
