After its kind

A note from Margaret:

Thank you, Gorman, for mentioning "evolution" in connection with the museum at Drumheller. I have been thinking about evolution lately, too.

When Glen was in high school, he was taught the theory of evolution by a teacher who could made it sound very reasonable. One of the "proofs" had to do with "tigons" and "ligers." Lions and tigers can interbreed, was the argument, and that proves they have a common ancestor. Ergo - evolution is a fact.

But that's not the whole story. Biologists are well aware that MALE tigons and ligers are always sterile. Only the female is fertile; so they cannot interbreed. One evolutionist speaks ruefully of this "natural biological barrier against hybridization," because it effectively prevents "successful breeding." In other words, no matter how hard men try to manipulate the breeding of lions and tigers (which do not interbreed in nature), they cannot produce a new "kind" that can reproduce itself.

I find that exciting, because it fits so well the story of Genesis 1. All the kinds created by God were to reproduce according to their own kind; and that is something tigons and ligers cannot possibly do.

Humans, on the other hand, are all one "kind." In spite of the enormous diversity that exists between the races that have descended from Adam, there is no "natural barrier" to prevent interbreeding. In fact, the offspring of two different races usually exhibit the kind of "hybrid vitality" that biologists expect when the gene pool has been strengthened and lost genes restored. Humans - no doubt about it - have a common ancestor. They reproduce according to the "kind" that God created a few thousands years ago.

I believe the "natural biological barrier against hybridization" was put there by God. It ensures that the "kinds" God originally created will not be used to create another "kind." Tigons and ligers are evidence that the barrier works. They CANNOT reproduce according to their own kind, because lions and tigers do not have a common ancestor.

The laws that govern the physical universe are absolutely dependable. (That's why I sort of envy your place of residence near the path of the total solar eclipse that is forecast for 2017. I'd love to see that.)

But the biological laws that govern life are just as dependable, and I'm grateful to you for the reminder...

- Margaret Collier