Last week their seemed to be a global euphoria about the discovery of a fossil treasure at the Cradle of Humankind near Pretoria, as the BBC, CCN and local media declared “Humanities Biggest Secret”.
While this unearthing may bring tourism to our nation, consider some broader implications.
Those who promote the evolution of humans from monkeys must consider the resultant. If evolution is accurate, does it imply that some humans evolved slower than others or did humans evolve at similar speed? If the speed of human evolution is not akin then by scientific inference does it not imply that some humans are more advanced than others? Is this not an argument advanced by racists, that people of dark complexion are generally less advanced. (Please note that I am very dark skinned).
According to the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the omnipotent God created Adam and Eve from “sounding clay”. In time, God blew from his divine spirit into their souls, which gives life. When they were exiled from Heaven to earth for the original sin, Adam and Eve had kids who had families and thus tribes and nations evolved. Abrahamic epistemology advises that God created diverse tribes and nations so that we may recognise each other.
Think about this; imagine how dreary and irritating life would have been if we were all from the same tribe, same height, built, complexion, eyes and so on. Where is the allure in that formulation?
Abrahamic epistemology advises that God made other intelligent creations that settled earth long before humans. God mostly eliminated them because of their rebellion to divine guidance. Abrahamic epistemology also advises that we are not the only creation that exists. Jews, Christian and Muslims believe in the reality of angels and so on. While humans may believe themselves to be the centre of the universe, God thus has the right to remove humans and occupy earth with whatever he pleases.
In the words of the wise, is the Abrahamic epistemology not more fascinating and interesting when compared to the narrative that humans merely evolved from monkeys?
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress