concepts of “Intelligent Design” (God
intervened in nature many times through
history to create various species) and
“young Earth creationism” (based on an
ultra-literal reading of the creation account
in the biblical book of Genesis, with the
conclusion that the Earth is 6,000 years
old). He labels them unscientific dogma
that has no place in public schools.
Collins’ world view is that science is the
discipline that can teach us how the natural
world works and how it got this way. Spirituality is the way to seek transcendent
meaning and purpose in life and explore
the question of why things are as they are.
“It is time to call a truce in the escalating war between science and spirit,” Collins
wrote in the conclusion of The Language of
God. “Science is not threatened by God; it
is enhanced. God is most certainly not
threatened by science; he made it all possible. So let us together seek to reclaim the
solid ground of an intellectually and spiritually satisfying synthesis of all great truths.”
All together now …
At the Community Genetics Forum in
Durham, Collins has reminded everyone
that no matter which two people in the
world you pick, their DNA will be 99. 9
percent identical. After his closing
remarks, he pulls out his guitar.
“In a final effort to try to make clear
that science isn’t just a bunch of mathematical equations and DNA sequences —
it’s also about humans — I’m going to do
something a little scary and a little risky
here and ask you all to sing a song with
me.”
One woman says, “Oh my,” with an
awkward chuckle as Collins reaches for
his beloved Martin acoustic, which he’s
taken the trouble to bring along on the
plane.
“This comes from a folk song that is
often sung at the end of a folk concert by
people who have had a warm and wonderful time and felt they made connections with other people that they hadn’t
met before,” Collins tells the crowd.
“That’s kind of what we’ve been doing
here. I re-wrote the words so they would
be a bit more appropriate for a gathering
of this sort.”
And he launches into his genome-themed chorus of Ken Hicks’ For All the
Good People in his tremulous tenor:
This is a song for all the good people,
All the good people who are part of this family
This is a song for all the good people,
We’re joined together by this common thread.
A woman laughs uncomfortably when
Collins suggests everyone sing it with him,
but then she sucks in a breath and whispers, “OK.”
And a bunch of math geeks and politicians and budding scientists and social
activists join their voices in the chorus,
then listen rapt as Collins solos through
the verses.
“Last verse, about the genome, of
course,” Collins finally says. And his singing
voice grows louder and more strident:
It’s a book of instructions, a record of history,
A medical textbook; it’s all these entwined
It’s of the people, by the people,
It’s for the people; it’s yours and it’s mine.
BRYAN GILMER is a Durham writer and
novelist who teaches in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Carolina.
“One special occasion that reassures me
of the wisdom of moving to the Cedars
is anytime children come to visit. They
look around, and are always pleased
with “home”... new walls, less space, but
familiar furnishings, pictures, and all
that transforms real estate into “home,”
and the look on their faces always reflects
how glad they are that we are here.”
Rollie Tillman, Cedars Member
To speak to a retirement consultant, call 1-877-433-3669.
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