The Facts and the Figures

My eldest brother and I often argue over our fundamental beliefs. I have a fairly old-school, structured Christian outlook on things, whereas his view is a touch more “new-age” to say the least. And more often than not, our arguments end up at the Evolution Debate. He’s a highly intelligent man, who finds it easy to punch holes in theories – to explain why something might not be so. Which is all well and good, but if the substitute theory which you replace it with is equally “holey”, then where does that leave us? And as we know from something as simple as a pair of old socks, there are all kinds of holes, of varying shapes and sizes…and some can only be seen when looked at from underneath.

In his mind, my brother’s Evolutionary theories are watertight. In fact, in the view of most of the educated people on this planet, his assumptions would be pretty well thought of. And, admittedly, this leaves me in the opposing corner; most of Earth’s intellectuals would likely scoff at my thinking. It wouldn’t be difficult to imagine that phrases like ‘out-dated’, ‘two-dimensional’, and even ‘backwards’ might be bandied about at my expense. My brother’s favourite way of putting it is that my beliefs are “the misguided equivalent of when man believed the world to be flat”.

Strangely, however, his mockery has opened a small crack in his, until now, impenetrable scholarly fortress.

When man believed the world to be flat.

Presumably when he says this, my brother isn’t only speaking of ignorant men, or even your average man in the street? I would have to guess that this would include highly educated men – the same highly educated men who, before it was disproved, went along with what is now thought to be such a preposterous and laughable notion, and who even used it as a basis for further study and greater theories. Indeed, before it was disproved, the “flat Earth” was almost factual in its wide-spread acceptance. I say almost, because to ignore those forward-thinkers who had determined that the Earth was in fact spherical well ahead of their time, would be blatantly erroneous. Parmenides, the Ancient Greek thinker, was one of the first to conceive a spherical Earth…but it took until the 17th century for this truth to become widely accepted in China. Even in India, it took until the Gupta period (in the early centuries AD) for this fact to become widespread. And they were not alone.

When I talk of Evolution and my queries regarding its validity, especially in light of my Christian ideals, commonly people will express their disbelief that I could follow what is such an unpopular theory. Admittedly, I simply do not know enough – scientifically or in religious terms – to fully explain the faith I have in my convictions. But should that be enough to disprove them? In fact, can a belief be “disproved” at all…ever? A theory based on science and other man-engineered ‘facts’, yes – by nature of the ever-shifting ground on which those thoughts are built, they are subject to change. If a fundamental pillar of science were to fall – as in the case of the Earth’s true shape becoming known to not be flat – then all theories which rely on such an assumption must necessarily be adjusted accordingly.

Faith, however, stems from another place. One which is not embedded in anything human, or tangible – and it is suggested is therefore beyond contest. That is not to say that all beliefs are correct simply by being a belief in the first place – indeed most religions will attest that there can only be one correct line of thought – but would it not be correct to say that, on this planet, there is no-one able to truly cast judgment and determine who is in fact right, and who isn’t.
The issue then, of course, is why do we ask? Why do we try to find the answers to the more “unanswerable” questions which abound, like those of God and the life which exists beyond this (or doesn’t…depending on who you ask)? That question, thankfully, is the easiest of all to respond to – because we are human, and it is in our nature to ask, and ponder, and dig, and come out with something…something that makes sense to our small brains, and whether right or wrong ensures that life makes more sense. It is one of our undeniable traits…and one of the few “truths” on which we can actually rely.

I do not believe that all higher thought is a pointless waste of time – if I have given that impression, I apologise. I encourage, unnecessarily, for everyone to continue to ask, dig, think, and become content in warmth that the answers give us. Unnecessary because without a moments doubt, man will do so until we are no more. Let us perhaps keep in mind though, that as many ‘fact’s as we discover and determine in our time on this Earth, one day we will be faced with the true reality of all that has been, all that exists, and all that is to come….and I’d say we’re in for some surprises.