LETTER TO THE EDITOR: God and evolution remains an unresolved issue

In reference to the excellent and eloquent informative offering by Mike Apgar on “Evolution is the unifying principle of biology” article on the Letters To The Editor page on Sunday, Jan. 29, may I preface my statements and say that I do not have the superior expertise of Michael and his forensic knowledge of current scientific data. His article states that for itself. My observation of the difference between the believers and non-believers of God’s creative abilities to establish our world remains quite simple. Yes, there should be a co-existence between God’s creation and the theory of Evolution. Unfortunately, people stand in the way of achieving this goal. There are the pros and the cons from either side. Scientists believe in the factual existence of evolution, while the common folk are more in favor of the opinion that God created our world. There was the Scopes Trial (or The Monkey Trial) in Dayton, Tennessee, in 1925 – the state of Tennessee versus John Thomas Scopes, a young high school coach and substitute teacher who was believed to have taught his students about the theory of evolution. He was on trial for violating the Butler Act that made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any state-funded school. Ironically, Thomas could not recall if he had actually taught evolution but purposely incriminated himself so the case could have a defendant. A brave man of his convictions. Clarence Darrow was the defense attorney for Scopes, while William Jennings Bryan (three times candidate for president) was the state prosecutor. A very volatile, explosive experience for both sides. Anger and controversy ruled the day. was found guilty and fined $100 ($1,366 in today’s world), but the decision was overturned on a technicality. Ain’t lawyers grand? With our present-day scientific information available to all, there still remains the seemingly never-ending question of God versus Science. Still the pros and the cons. However, as memory serves, I do recall an instance during the Battle of the Bulge when Gen. George S. Patton was in dire need for air support, but the inclement weather prohibited that action, and he requested Chaplain O’Neill to submit to him (within the hour) a weather prayer. The chaplain obliged, and the prayer was answered in the affirmative. The next day, Dec. 26, 1944, our Allied air command was able to provide the much-needed air support and crippled the Nazi juggernaut to a halt and dejectedly returned them to the fatherland. At present, as America is again in need of heavenly help from above, I’d be willing to bet dollars to donuts that General “Mad Dog” Mattis prays for our American military to be successful in all their undertakings throughout this complex world. Personally, I have never heard of anyone praying to Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution and human selection. May God always bless the United States of America.

Beverly Monahan Dover