By MORDECHAI BEN-MENACHEM
Free speech is one of the most basic articles-of-faith for existence of a democracy; vigorous debate of public polices is an integral part of free speech. Both of these values lie at the core of everything “Western Values” stand for and need to be guarded assiduously by us all.
However, spurious claims and false pseudo-facts are not free speech — they are “shouting fire in a crowded theater” and endanger all speech.
A newspaper, or for that matter, any public media, must maintain a minimal level of fact-checking to maintain status as a respected source. Even in an “editorial” or a published “opinion” it is illegitimate to falsely accuse others. Respect is basic right of every citizen in a democracy.
It is legitimate for a person to be ignorant of facts — no human can know every subject. The difference between the wise and the fool is that the fool does not learn, but “knows” without performing the necessary, prerequisite work. Willful ignorance used to mislead is dangerous to public welfare.
There have been articles published, even in this respected journal, which make such dangerous claims. Some of these claims have been highly offensive and unnecessarily derogatory. This article address some of these — the scope does not permit a lengthy discussion, at this time.
Science is based upon observed phenomena.
One statement recently made in Laina Farhat-Holzman’s column (Pajaronian, Aug. 10) was: “Charles Darwin, … His lifelong observations about how species evolve (which he could see with his own eyes) differed from the Biblical explanation that God created all life in one moment and that nothing has changed since.”
The Theory of Evolution is one of the more important theories within science today — I emphasize that both as a Rabbi and a scientist, I strongly support it. It is a theory. Neither Darwin, nor anyone else can “see evolution” — the process is slow, over millennia. One observes evidence. One should also state clearly that conflicting evidence also exists (albeit lesser in quantity) and this is a conundrum which we do not yet know how to explain.
Judaism strongly supports the theory (concept) of evolution and evolutionary change — the Book of Zohar even gives a timeline; but one needs to actually have read to know that. The same is true concerning the so-called “flat earth” which is actually laughed at by Talmud as the mark of the ignorant.
Is evolution “verified” or even “verifiable”? Of course not! No one was alive for millennia. If humanity develops time travel (a scientist is extremely wary of “impossible”) then this may someday be verifiable. Today, it clearly is not! The so-called “Big Bang” is also an important theory. Much evidence exists to support it. Is it “verified”? Of course not! A great deal of science is based upon theories that are generally agreed upon, and some of them have eventually been disproven.
What is a much more egregious error is “the Biblical explanation that God created all life in one moment and that nothing has changed since.” I am a Rabbi for three decades; I study Bible and other Holy books every day. I have never seen any book in Judaism which made any such ridiculous claim. No bible that I have ever read said anything like that nonsense! No one who has read the Bible, even minimally, can say “in one moment” — this is laughable.
Quite the opposite, to give only one example [Genesis 1:21] – where are the great dinosaurs? Does the Bible not explain observable change? As to the issue of “Days” — ignorant people insist upon misunderstanding the process of creation, as described. What is the definition of a “Day” before time was created, on the third day? Stephen Hawking understood that question quite well, as does every reputable scientist. Time is not simplistic and linear; quantum physics showed that over a hundred years ago.
There are many models of time — I have published, among my 63 books, a seven-book set concerning various dimensions of time.
Now that Secularism has declared itself a religion, with poor Mr. Darwin its unwitting prophet, I suggest the proponents of Secularism actually read what Darwin said. He never said what is so blithely attributed to him.
The only “War on Science” comes from those making false accusations without minimal fact-checking. False science as a method for “political” debate is not liberalism; it is dangerous to public debate democracy.
Please make a point to vigorously debate, but keep out of it invented claims and do not use the forum to falsely accuse others of misuse, particularly by using “invented science.” Read! Scholarship is honorable and more fun than anything I know of!
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Mordechai Ben-Menachem is an Orthodox Rabbi, a former Systems Engineering researcher/lecturer and university Don, an author and historian. You may contact him at qu*****@ac*.org. His opinions are his own and not necessarily those of the Pajaronian.
