CREATIONISTS AND EVOLUTIONISTS.( updated)

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By K P PASWAN

 Before we take up the case, let us know, that by 1925, theory of Relativity as propounded by Einstein, pervaded the entire scientist community of the world. There was too much tension among the theologians, as some of the physicists expressed the opinion, that GOD was made to disappear forever. Einstein had to clarify that his theory had nothing to do with religion. Arthur Eddington. an British Astrophysicist,  proved that Relativity  was right theory of gravitation. He was of the opinion that only three persons in the world, understood the theory of Relativity, these persons were, Einstein,  he,himself( Eddington), he wondered who was the third person, The third person was none other than an Indian physicist, S Chandrasekhar who was working on Relativity. His finding, Collapse of a star to nothing, was denounced by Eddington and Einstein, but Chandrasekhar won the Nobel prize for his discovery and proudly declared himself, an atheist Hindu.

 By this time 1925, theory of Evolution, which stipulates that human being are descendant of Ape, was hated and loved by scientific community in US. In a way theory of Evolution, as theorized by Darwin was a much talked about subject and this theory attracted greater attention than the theory of Relativity. As a challenge to Evolution, the US witnessed the emergence of a theory. named Creationist, which was difficult to prove by conventional scientific experiment. So the Creationists devoted their time to refute Evolution on the basis of holy scriptures, which was also difficult to prove as there was a lack of experiment. So the Creationists turned  again to Holy Scriptures like Bible for possible clues.

MONKEY TRIAL Aug 1925. As per records available to us a, teacher was found teaching evolution in a high school in Dayton in the state of Tennessee, this state had passed a law forbidding teaching of evolution in any forms. Moreover, a large number of scientists had expressed opinion against the Evolution. The Teacher was declared as infidel and he had to face a court of law to justify his teaching of evolution, he was also accused of polluting the young minds, by teaching a scientific theory which was unproven and was against the teachings of Bible.

 The trial began in Dayton of Tennessee in Aug 1925.  The young teacher named John T Scoopes, was cautioned by his well-wishers against teaching Evolution, but the teacher declared that, nobody could teach biology without evolution. He was supported by one George Reppelyea, an influential person of Dayton. So it was decided to take the issue to a court in Dayton. Accordingly, the teacher Scoops surrendered on his own and released on bail to face trial. 

The case snowballed into a major case in US and reached even to Britain. Clarance Darrow, the most famous criminal lawyer of America of his time volunteered his service to defend the teacher, he was assisted by group of eminent lawyers led by Dudley Field Malone, who was a devout Catholic and Arthur Garfield Hay, who was a Jew.  Birtley Mather of Harword was a professor of repute and was appearing for the defense. William Jennings Bryan, three times Democratic nominee for presidency of US was representing the prosecution. For the first times live caste of the trial was arranged by using the latest radio transmission technology. Jennings Bryan was an authority on Bible and responsible for drafting the legislation against the teaching of Evolution. 

A large number of people traveled to Dayton to witness the trial. Most of them were shouting slogan like Death and hell for the infidels. Outside the court one live Ape was brought from a wild life sanctuary and it was declared the ancestor of the people of Dyton. The Ape was kept in a large cage and people were allowed to see their ancestor by paying little fortune.It is for this reason, the name Monkey trial emerged.

  Before the trial begins,the Judge John T Raulston called a minister from the local Church to conduct prayer and read some verses from chapter one of the Genesis, Of the twelve jurors, three admitted that they had some knowledge of Bible while one juror was found to be an  illiterate, who could  neither read nor write.

 Dudley Field, opened the arguments by telling the Jurors that intellectual freedom was being threatened by Jennings and his coterie of incompetent scientists. A woman in the court room yelled,You Infidel. One boy of the concerned High School, testified that the teacher told students, that they were like any other mammals  The Defence Lawyer Darrow, an agnostic himself called Jennings Bryan as  witness, which was opposed by the prosecution on the ground that prosecutor could not be called as witness.  Any way the Judge Raulston refused the request of defense to call Jennings as a witness.

Later on Jennings, was cross-examined by Darrow. Jennings had to appear as a prosecution witness and was subject to hilarious cross examination. When Darrow asked him, what was the proof that you came from above, meaning created by GOD, Jennings was startled, while the counsel for defense was telling the Jurors that human being emerged from below, meaning from Ape through evolution. Meanwhile outside the court, the Ape became restless and starting making loud noises, while the faithful carrying Bible in their hand were yelling, Death for the infidels. A large number of scientists were raising slogans like, Long live Darwin and Long live Evolution. Twenty two Telegraphers were  sending words to different parts of America.

 After completion of the trial, the Judge Roulston adjourned the precodings, and called the jury for their verdict. Next day, only few minutes were taken by the jury to declare the teacher, Scoops, guilty of teaching of evolution. Since no criminal offence was cited, so the  Judge imposed a penalty of US dollars 80 with cost on the teacher. Scoops was dismissed from service but later on. offered him the same teaching job, he refused and became a Geologist. The Defence called the verdict as a victorious defeat.

The Monkey trial led to the birth of Creationist movement in a new form in US, which continues even to day, Dayton has become  a large industrial town. Teaching of Evolution is banned in Tennessee and there is an university named after Jennings.Dayton has become became a large industrial town.

 FINAL WORDS. The Creationist movement suffered set back as there is no scientific basis of this movement. Darwin’s theory is a theory, philosophy and an idea with scientific proofs.