Evolution (Unmasked)
One of the most preposterous notions ever to be published by anyone can be found in the July 5, 2021 issue of Scientific American by Allison Hopper. No one could even imagine the level of absurdity that this article contains; truly, it is worthy of the Babylon Bee, which publishes fake news items in a tongue-in-cheek manner. Even they do not probably have enough imagination to invent this kind of lunacy. Hopper alleges:
I want to unmask the lie that evolution denial is about religion and recognize that at its core, it is a form of white supremacy that perpetuates segregation and violence against Black bodies.
Seriously? Well, it seems that practically everything is white supremacy these days—or so the promoters of Critical Race Theory try to convince us. Much could be said on that issue, but this article will just deal with the false statements in Scientific American. First of all, the clash between creation and evolution has never been about race; it has been about truth. For example, Christians believe in the law of biogenesis and the first two laws of Thermodynamics. Do evolutionists?
Second, since the Bible is a great deal older than Darwin, the tenet that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” has been around several thousand years longer. Was Moses, who recorded those words, some desert dweller trying to promote white racism? Probably Darwin was a great deal whiter. And as a matter of fact, the original title of Darwin’s book was On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. Has Allison Hopper ever wondered what Darwin meant by “the Preservation of Favored Races”? Hmm.
Third, the Bible answers questions, such as, “How did this world come to be?”; “Why are human beings here on earth?”; “What happens to a person at death?” The evolutionist answers: “The universe is an accident that arose through chance.” They have no clue why mankind is on earth except to do what his genes dictate to him. At death, life is over; no part of man survives. Creation versus evolution is more of a battle over whose ideology is the best and does the most for mankind. White supremacy has nothing to do with which one is correct.
Are there white supremacists who might advocate “violence against Black bodies”? Probably, but they do not now, nor ever have, represented the vast majority of those who are Bible-believers. To be a racist, one must deny one of the cardinal principles of Christianity. Jesus said that the second commandment was to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Matt. 22:39). Loving God completely is ranked as number one. Perhaps Allison Hopper can explain how a person can love his neighbor and be a white supremacist at the same time.
Further Charges
The Scientific American piece further alleges that “the first wave of legal fights against evolution was supported by the Klan in the 1920s” and that racism has been involved in the fight ever since. The Klan probably favors the second amendment, also, but there is a vast difference between supporting what the Bible teaches and being a racist. One would think that nobody but whites have ever believed the Bible. Anyone with a modicum of common sense knows that is not the case. Has Hopper never seen Dinesh D’Souza?
Speaking of the 1920s, however, it was in 1922 that Margaret Sanger founded the American Birth Control League (the forerunner of Planned Parenthood). She became “closely associated with the scientists and theorists who put together Nazi Germany’s ‘race purification’ program.” Her goal was for Black Americans to practice abortion so that there would be fewer of them. Has Allison Hopper ever investigated Margaret Sanger? Some material from this section came from Skip Andrews’ chapter in Philosophy and Vain Deceit (244-47), edited by Tommy J. Hicks (2009).
The bogus charges continue: “At the heart of white evangelical creationism is the mythology of an unbroken white lineage that stretches back to a light-skinned Adam and Eve.” This is preposterous! Commentaries don’t teach such a feeble notion, and gospel preachers would not teach such a ridiculous thought. If their color had been important, God would have told us what it was. The important fact is that they sinned—which is what bothers evolutionists; they don’t like that concept. However, Hopper becomes even more fanciful.
As the biblical story goes, the curse or mark of Cain for killing his brother was a darkening of his descendants' skin. Historically, many congregations in the U.S. pointed to this story of Cain as evidence that Black skin was created as a punishment.
What Bible is this “story” in? Please tell us, Allision Hopper, where is the verse that teaches such a ridiculous notion? The Bible never states what the mark was. It never implies anything about Cain’s skin color. This writer has several thousand books in his library and has read periodicals for five decades but has never heard this theory until Harper alleged it. Perhaps, Allison could cite a credible source.
It has been alleged that the curse on Canaan in Genesis 9:25 involved his descendants having a dark skin color, but no evidence has ever been forthcoming to substantiate the claim. It is fair to say, that at times, some have tried to malign the Black race, but it is not fair to impugn the motives of all Christians—especially when they clearly disagree with such ideas.
The Bible Appeals to All
According to Wikipedia, India has a Christian population of almost 28 million. In Nigeria, there are 80 million. Over 70% of the population of Ghana is Christian. What’s wrong with these people? Don’t they know that Christianity is just a front for white supremacists? No, the fact is that, as we often sing, “The Gospel Is For All.” Notice that nothing of a racial nature appears in the verses. Here are the words we sing:
Of one the Lord has made the race
Thru one has come the fall,
For why should we be blest alone?
The Gospel is for all.
Received ye freely, freely give,
From ev’ry land they call.
Unless they hear, they cannot live.
The author, Andrew McCaleb, spoke of only one race—the human race. It makes no difference what race the person who committed the first sin was. We all commit sin. If we have salvation, we ought to share with others. They call from every land on earth—regardless of the racial mixture in the country. Christians do not have a skin-color test so that they can say, “These have a lighter skin—let’s go there first.” Rubbish! Everyone sins; everyone needs a Savior.
Speaking of Jesus, how many times have His words been repeated over the centuries with respect to the invitation to come to Him? He said:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).
What restrictions can anyone find there—those of race, sex, nationality? No. Sin is a universal burden; salvation is a universal solution. After His resurrection, Jesus commanded His followers: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). First, He did not limit His disciples to light-skinned countries; everyone must hear the Gospel. Second, He did not charge them to go and preach White Supremacy. No one, who knew the Bible very well, would ever make such an absurd allegation.
Paul was a Jew, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. If anyone could have claimed racial superiority, it would have been Paul (Phil. 3:3-6). And a time had existed when those things were important to him—when he was a persecutor of the church (like Allison Hopper). “But what things were gain to me, these have I counted as loss for Christ” (v. 7). Those things could not save him; after his conversion he counted all those things as rubbish (v. 8); now he could have salvation through Christ. And so could everyone else!
Paul wrote in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” He was willing to minimize race, which had once been so important to him, and embrace Gentiles as brethren. He further talked about Christ breaking down the barrier between Jew and Gentile.
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of division between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity (Eph. 2:14-16).
For this same reason, Paul could write, “There is one body…” (Eph 4:4). Jesus didn’t build one church for Jews and one for Gentiles. Neither did He build one for Blacks and one for Whites. Hispanics don’t get their own, either, and neither do Orientals. Jesus died for but one church—His—and it includes everyone who has the desire to be in it (and obeys the gospel).
Entrance requirements into the kingdom are the same for everyone. No votes are taken to see if anyone “qualifies.” What Peter preached on Pentecost remains the way in—through repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). No division ought to be observed in the body of Christ; Paul pleaded with the Christians at Corinth to “be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). Brethren must work at maintaining unity (Eph. 4:3).
John also emphasizes what the Lord said about love:
He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness… (1 John 2:9-11a).
Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 John 3:15).
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar…” (1 John 4:20a).
One might ask Allison Hopper, “What are your motives? Is it right for you to slander all Christians as White Supremacists? Do you love your brethren, regardless of skin color?” In Christ, there is genuine peace from strife and racism. The Bible even closes with an invitation for all mankind.
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17).