Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 11
February 4, 1960
NUMBER 38, PAGE 5b-6a

Latest Scientific Theory On Earth-

Life Origin Is "Garbage"

Robert M. Atkinson The Miami Herald front-paged recently the latest wild speculation on the origin of earth-life. A "world-famous astronomer" who is director of the Cornell University Center for Radiophysics and Space Research, Professor Thomas Gold, has speculated that "Life on earth could have started from germs and 'garbage' left here a billion years ago by exploring space travelers.... " The professor's views evidently were taken seriously in some scholastic circles, because his views were "released by the university." The theory further speculates that spacemen from earth might start life on other planets in the same way. "Then life might evolve (over a billion years, give or take a few minutes, we presume — RMA) there from germs to intelligent forms who build space ships and contaminate other planets with life."

Many were our thoughts concerning this "profound" pronouncement. So deeply were we moved, we determined to let our thoughts be made known by giving birth to verse, as follows:

Patience, lowly germ, as you in greasy garbage swish —

Five hundred million years (or so) and you might be a fish.

And if you eat your spinach, and flip on bars of sand,

In an even shorter time, you'll evolute to land.

And 'ere a billion years go by, we may expect to see

You stand erect, and proudly get, a nice new Ph.D!

Seldom am I moved to poetry ( ?) by scientific theories, speculation, wild guesses, etc., because they exist by the thousands and change rapidly. Many of them are products of "science falsely so called" (I Tim. 6:20). But this one must not be ignored! The terminology is too appropriate. It sets a precedent which I, for one, shall most gladly follow. I've read many theories or speculations of personified and deified human wisdom "science", and it has occured to me, I must confess, that the word "garbage" would eloquently describe them. But being a gentlman, though not a scholar, I've used more refined language to denounce them. But now since one who is both a gentleman and a scholar has introduced the word, surely I can safely use it, though perhaps in another sense, in regard to his speculations, and in regard to others, from the theory of evolution right on down (or up).

In days gone by, in state schools, this writer has had some rough moments in geology, biology and astronomy classes. Contending for the Scriptural Account of the origin of this planet, as well as life on this planet, has precipitated some laughter, and the writer has been labeled non progressive," "anti-scientific," "gullible," etc. The facts of Genesis have been called "incredible," "impossible," "wild folk stories," "long discarded myths," etc. But now, oh boy, let me at that astronomy professor, or anyone else who might assert that "science has proved the Genesis account of creation to be just a wild tale." Talk about wild tales! Even granting that "garbage" refers not only to rotting foodstuffs, but to all abandoned equipment, clothing, etc., which spacemen "might" leave, a comparison of this latest theory with the Genesis account of the origin of life is quite revealing concerning things wild. The comparison:

"About a billion years ago, exploring space travelers may have stopped on this planet. When they departed, they probably left behind certain bacteria, viruses or other low forms of life in their 'garbage'. If tough enough, these germs may have evolved into intelligent forms of life. These intelligent forms of life have now reached the stage of development in technical matters that they are nearly ready to build rocket ships and repeat the cycle." — Science

"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. . .And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass...And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life...Let the earth bring forth the living creature . . .God created man in his own image . . .male and female created he them." — Excerpts from Genesis 1 Some wild tales are being circulated, alright, but it is the personified monster called "Science" that is responsible for many of them. But the great "deity", human wisdom, still expects each tale to be solemnly received. Nuts!