lew@ihuxr.UUCP (06/07/83)
I can agree to some extent with Silvio Levy's point about ridiculing Genesis, even though I view Genesis in a much more secular light (judging by the tone of his article.) Firesign Theatre, in "I Think we're all Bozos on this Bus", makes a similar point. This album includes a parody of a World's Fair style ride which gives an account of creation. After giving a mock version of an ancient creation myth, the narrator pompously intones, "... Yes, many uncomplicated peoples still believe this myth, but here in the technical vastness of the future we can guess that the past was surely very different. We know for certain, for instance, that for some reason for some time in the beginning, there were hot lumps ..." Also, by reacting against literal views of Genesis, one can overlook its points of general agreement with scientific discovery. Most notable is the opening phrase, "In the beginning ...". Very recently, the steady state theory was considered the sane and sober idea. I don't think its pushing things too far to say that the discovery of the cosmic background radiation is a vindication of the various ancient intuitions that there was a creation. Robert Jastrow makes a big deal out of this in "God and the Astronomers". A much quoted line from that has the astronomers climbing the mountain only to find the theologians waiting at the top. I think this is overly generous, but why not be gracious. Incidentally, I am completely out of sympathy with those who think that the term "Big Bang" is too frivolous to describe the moment of creation. After all, we really aren't quite as cowed by nature as were the ancients. "The Big Bang" expresses just the right attitude of being suitably impressed, but not so overawed that we're afraid to investigate. Lew Mammel, Jr. ihuxr!lew