Intelligent design is a branch of scientific creationism which holds that the structures of the universe (such as living cells) are sufficiently complex that they could not have evolved on their own, but necessarily required a powerful, intelligent designer. I've long been skeptical of this perspective and wholly disinterested in this hyperventilated debate of human and universal origins, but now I have decisive evidence that proves that there was, in fact, an intelligent designer.
What is it? The Hebrew language. I have begun studying it this semester at Asbury and its staggering and needless complexity suggests some intentionality behind its origin. Languages are products of evolution. We see, for example, changes in English from its Anglo-Saxon origins, 11th Century Norman influences, and ongoing metamorphosis through the past centuries until today. There is a slow, steady, and gradual change punctuated by occasional epochs of rapid change (e.g. the Norman invasion, which introduced Romance characteristics) as the needs of communication have changed over time. The human need to communicate clearly and easily has shaped the development of the English tongue.
But this same need to express oneself easily has not been an influential factor in Hebrew. It has, for example, no vowels. This itself is not that serious a problem. Croatian and Czech are often lacking in vowels. But Hebrew expresses vowel intonations through a vast variety of tick marks, jots, and tittles surrounding the consonants. These are not constant, but the meaning of the different markings varies depending upon the order of the letter within the word, order within the syllable, the nature of the preceding consonant, and the following consonant, and all possible combinations thereof, as well as a number of other factors that I lack the time and patience to detail. Suffice it to say, Hebrew is so hopelessly and purposelessly complex a language that it could not have evolved on its own and must point to some greater, intelligent designer. And one with a seemingly sadistic streak.
But does the design of Hebrew call into question the moral character of God? No. Let us look at the history of the language. It only came into being after the Fall. No manuscripts survive from the Edenic period. This is not a coincidence, rather, Hebrew was created out of the wrath of God as judgment upon humanity for its rebellion, just like death, tilling the soil, and painful childbirth. It is wrong to shake our fists in outrage to God for the Hebrew language, when its existence is our just punishment for our sins. And who came to pay that punishment for us? A person whose gospel accounts are written in the far easier Greek -- Jesus Christ, our liberator from Hebrew. And in the great Fulfillment at the end of the present age, yet even this language shall be wiped away, and we shall all speak a far easier and systematic language, Klingon.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
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8 comments:
John,
Three thoughts.
1) Ha! LOL! Etc.
2) That's the first time I've heard Greek called "easier."
3) Reminds me of the line from the the ST movie - You haven't heard Shakespeare until you've heard it in the original Klingon.
I almost shudder to ask this - Is there a Klingon translation of the Bible?
Whew. I struggled through Greek. When it was time to begin my Hebrew studies, my prof died...really! I never did get to take it...that may have been a blessing for me (although not for my prof's family).
Oh, man--I just got back from a scientific colloquium and a long discussion afterwards that wound up getting onto Star Trek. One of the guys actually brought up that ST line on Hamlet. He said that they'd originally wanted to have Capt. von Trapp quote Hamlet ("To be, or not to be") *in* Klingon. But they modeled Klingon on Hebrew, so there isn't a present-tense form of "to be" in it! ...and so he did it in English.
I read somewhere that you're either a Greek person or a Hebrew person. I don't mean OT or NT. But someone who "gets" the structure of one language or the other, and they're pretty mutually exclusive this way.
I only sat in on a little Greek, which should have been easy after my Latin, but it sure looked more complex.
I took a semester of Hebrew and did fairly well. The vocabulary was hard, but I think I "got it" better than I would have Greek.
So. Am I a blunt-spoken, direct kind of guy who uses lots of metaphors? Rather than a nuanced verbalist who delights in subtle shifts of verb mood?
I don't think so. But it's interesting to wonder.
John, I had much less trouble with Hebrew than Greek. To me Hebrew was straight forward with very few exceptions to a rule. While Greek rules always had many exceptions. It seems to me though that people struggle with one language or the other. There are very few people who find both languages easy.
I had French in high school and Latin in college, and I found Greek to be relatively easy, once I learned the alphabet. It was very similar to Latin.
But Hebrew seems to be communicated conceptually in a very different way. I'm still struggling to figure out how to pronounce words, what with double silent shewas and such.
Hi, Im from Melbourne Australia.
The intrinsic problem with looking at the complexity of biological forms for the "proof" of intelligent design (or god) is that all biological forms disintegrate and die. In other words death rules to here. Where is the reason for "faith" or even hope in that.
On the other hand all forms arise in and are a modification of the Radiant Conscious Light of Real God.
Please check out these related essays on Real god and the purpose of "creation" stories.
1. www.dabase.net/creamyth.htm
2. www.dabase.net/tfrbkgil.htm
3. www.dabase.net/dht7.htm
4. www.dabase.net/dualsens.htm
What I remember about Hebrew was that it was what forced me to wear glasses for the first time. All those little dots under the letters!
BTW, I thought Hebrew made Greek somewhat easier, since Greek is based in part on Hebrew (the alphabet, for instance.)
Gerry
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