What is Bioligion?

By Bernie Dehler                  9-12-07

  Bioligion is a term I made up.  It is what you get when you try to combine the truths of Biology with Religion.  Currently, I see three areas where biological understanding is conflicting with Evangelical Christianity.  These three areas can be under the heading of "biological fossils."  (By the way, I heartily recommend Dr. Francis Collin's book for more info on this; click here to see it.  He's the guy who headed-up the international public human genome sequencing operation.).

  According to Evangelical Christians (both "old-earth" and "young-earth"), God made man unique.  He did not make mankind from other animals.  (God formed man from the dust of the earth, not from other living animals, per Genesis 2:7.)  However, since the human genome has been mapped, as well as the genome of other species (mouse, fly, etc.), biologists are claiming there are three (very strong) indications that mankind did evolve from lower life forms.  These three biological evidences/claims are:

1. Human and ape chromosome changes.  Apes have one more chromosome than humans.  How could humans come from an ape-ancestor? By combining the ape's 2a and 2b chromosome, you get the human 2 chromosome.  You should expect to see where this splice occurred in the human chromosome 2, and it is reported that the splice is visible.
2. Pseudogenes.  These are genes that humans have, as well as lower life-forms.  However, humans don't use them.  They are left-overs from evolution.
3. Truncated genes.  These are copies of genes in the human genome that are "copy errors" from lower life forms.  In lower lifeforms, these genes have a function.  In humans, they have no function because they have a portion missing, due to DNA replication errors.

  So, is the science right? The only way to decide for yourself is to learn more about biology and genetics and make up your own mind.  That is what I'm doing, and it is taking quite some time because it is very technical.  However, if the statement regarding truncated genes is true, I think it will be a revolutionary impact on religion, just as we''ve experienced with Galileo and learning that the earth circles the sun (Christians at that time were convinced that the sun circled the earth). 

  However, in this case, the implications are much deeper and wider than with Galileo.  If science is right, then I believe the creation story in Genesis should be regarded as a myth.  That doesn't mean that all of Christianity is a myth-- that would be "throwing out the baby with the bath water."  However, certainly the reputation of the Bible as "the Word of God" will be greatly diminished.  That may not be so bad, as I tend to think that too many people worship the Bible anyway.  God is to be worshipped.  The Bible is only meant to lead people to God.

  For a good discussion on this, from the scientific viewpoint, cick here.  To read a rebuttal from the young-earth position, click here.

  For more on sciligion and related topics, click here.