The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Science Validates Bible

Posted on | June 11, 2010 | 37 Comments

To a fundamentalist, there was kind of a “well, duh” reaction to this recent headline:

Studies Show Jews’ Genetic Similarity

It’s scarcely surprising to learn that members of an ethno-religious group — whose ancient scriptures advocate endogamy and proscribe marrying outside the group — would be genetically similar. What I didn’t realize, however, was that some revisionist historians have cast doubt on the Biblical geneaology of the Jews:

The two genome surveys . . . refute the suggestion made last year by the historian Shlomo Sand in his book “The Invention of the Jewish People” that Jews have no common origin but are a miscellany of people in Europe and Central Asia who converted to Judaism at various times.

So, for those of you keeping score:

Genesis, Exodus, etc. . . . . . 1
Revisionist historians . . . .  0

UPDATE: If you go back and read Genesis, you find that when Abraham’s son was ready to marry, Abraham — a native of Mesopotamia, which is modern Iraq — was horrified to think that his son Isaac would be married to a woman from one of the tribes of Canaan. So Abraham sent his servant back to Mesopotamia, where he found Rebekah — who, as it turned out, was the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother Nahor. So it was that Isaac married his own cousin or, to be geneaologically specific, his first cousin once removed. (Genesis 24.)

This custom was continued into the next generation, when Isaac forbade Jacob to marry a Canaanite woman, sending him to take a wife from “the daughters of Laban thy mother’s sister.” (Genesis 28). In one of the famous stories of the Bible, Jacob fell in love with Rachel but was tricked into also marrying her older sister Leah. Jacob fathered children by both wives, as well as by their servant girls Bilhah and Zilpah (Genesis 29-30). Jacob’s children were the original patriarchs of the “Twelve Tribes” of Israelites. By the time they entered Egypt, they numbered just “70 souls” but in the course of just a few generations they became so numerous that the Egyptian pharoah feared them (Exodus 1).

Given that Jacob was the ancestor of all of them, and that most of the 12 patriarchs were also the sons of Rachel and Leah — sisters who were Jacob’s cousins — then the original pattern of endogamy would have created very distinctive genetic traits among these Israelites. The sojourn in Egypt lasted 430 years (Exodus 12:40) during which they were socially distinct, marrying amongst themselves.

By the time of the first numbering at Mt. Sinai (Numbers 1), there were more than 600,000 Israelite men of military age — all descended from the line of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and, for the most part, also matrilineally descended from Abraham’s family via Leah and Rachel. At any rate, all were descended from those original “70 souls” and, the custom of marrying within the group being well-established, you can see what a genetically close-knit tribe it was that made its way through the Wilderness back to Canaan.

If they increased from “70 souls” to 600,000 men of war — counting women, children and old men, certainly well more than 2 million total — in less than 500 years, these Exodus-era Israelites would have left a large, clear genetic “brand” among their descendants. Even allowing for intermarriage and assimilation of converts, the DNA traits of the patriarchs would remain clearly evident, and this is what recent research appears to verify.

Why would revisionist historians wish to imagine that this biblical geneaology was false? Why would Professor Sand assert that “Jews have no common origin”? Very simple:

Professor Sand . . . candidly states his aim is to undercut the Jews’ claims to the land of Israel by demonstrating that they do not constitute “a people,” with a shared racial or biological past.

Tough luck, Professor. I believe the word is, “Oy!”

Category: Religion, Science

Comments

37 Responses to “Science Validates Bible”

  1. Dandapani
    June 12th, 2010 @ 1:53 am

    Science validates the Rig Vedas. Aum.

  2. Dandapani
    June 11th, 2010 @ 9:53 pm

    Science validates the Rig Vedas. Aum.

  3. JeremyR
    June 12th, 2010 @ 3:02 am

    Soon science will have another go. GOD laughs, he mocks. He frustrates the intelegentia with their very own best throwing it up in their faces like sand.
    A story: A brilliant scientist look heavenward and said. “GOD you are no longer needed. We have mapped the dna, and know all your secrets. We can design dna to fight illness and deformity. You can go away!”
    The heavens divided, and a voice from above spoke,” Do you challenge me? Do you think you can make man from dust?”
    The scientist stooped, grasped a handfull of disr and said “I am ready to try.”
    GOD laughed, and said, “No, get your own dirt.”
    Scientists point at the DHA and tout evolution since so much of the dna is similar.
    For me, it is more evidence of GOD. Even FORD does not go back to square one on every auto design. They take what works and move forward. Why would GOD design an all new heart or eye for every creature when he has ones that are perfect? We once were.

  4. JeremyR
    June 11th, 2010 @ 11:02 pm

    Soon science will have another go. GOD laughs, he mocks. He frustrates the intelegentia with their very own best throwing it up in their faces like sand.
    A story: A brilliant scientist look heavenward and said. “GOD you are no longer needed. We have mapped the dna, and know all your secrets. We can design dna to fight illness and deformity. You can go away!”
    The heavens divided, and a voice from above spoke,” Do you challenge me? Do you think you can make man from dust?”
    The scientist stooped, grasped a handfull of disr and said “I am ready to try.”
    GOD laughed, and said, “No, get your own dirt.”
    Scientists point at the DHA and tout evolution since so much of the dna is similar.
    For me, it is more evidence of GOD. Even FORD does not go back to square one on every auto design. They take what works and move forward. Why would GOD design an all new heart or eye for every creature when he has ones that are perfect? We once were.

  5. Noel
    June 12th, 2010 @ 3:22 am

    Only a foolish man would build his house on Sand.

  6. Noel
    June 11th, 2010 @ 11:22 pm

    Only a foolish man would build his house on Sand.

  7. Brian O'Connor
    June 12th, 2010 @ 3:36 am

    God levels another smackdown on science.

  8. Brian O'Connor
    June 11th, 2010 @ 11:36 pm

    God levels another smackdown on science.

  9. just a conservative girl
    June 12th, 2010 @ 4:29 am

    I just recently had a discussion about this on facebook. She used a book that was written by a person who supported Israel, but didn’t believe that they had no genetic relationship to Israel.

    She doesn’t think that the US should be helping them based on this. I found it bizarre.

  10. just a conservative girl
    June 12th, 2010 @ 12:29 am

    I just recently had a discussion about this on facebook. She used a book that was written by a person who supported Israel, but didn’t believe that they had no genetic relationship to Israel.

    She doesn’t think that the US should be helping them based on this. I found it bizarre.

  11. Joe
    June 12th, 2010 @ 5:16 am

    I mean…did they think that most Jews just made up they were Jewish? Even Muslims believes Jews are the other line from Abraham. 5000 years a long time in recorded history, but biologically it is not that long at all.

    Father Abraham joke.

    A Father Abraham song.

    And since you are into science, Caucasians and Asians may have 1% to 4% Neanderthal genes. Those Geico commericals may not be that far off.

  12. Joe
    June 12th, 2010 @ 1:16 am

    I mean…did they think that most Jews just made up they were Jewish? Even Muslims believes Jews are the other line from Abraham. 5000 years a long time in recorded history, but biologically it is not that long at all.

    Father Abraham joke.

    A Father Abraham song.

    And since you are into science, Caucasians and Asians may have 1% to 4% Neanderthal genes. Those Geico commericals may not be that far off.

  13. Joe
    June 12th, 2010 @ 5:20 am

    For all their dislike of the Jews, seems the Saudis hate/fear some other group even more…

  14. Joe
    June 12th, 2010 @ 1:20 am

    For all their dislike of the Jews, seems the Saudis hate/fear some other group even more…

  15. Joe
    June 12th, 2010 @ 5:35 am

    Obviously there are some genetic differences between Ethiopian Jews, Sephardic Jews from North Africa, and Ashkanazi European Jews. But I believe it has been proven those groups have genetic markers of a shared heritage going back 5,000 years or so.

    As for the numbers of Jews (and for that matter Semetic Arabs) being decendents of Abraham, do the math.

    Here is an example. Of of the 102 Pilgrims who landed Massachusetts in 1620, only 29 of them have decendents today, yet there are more than 10 million decendents. That is just less than 400 years. Impossible?

  16. Joe
    June 12th, 2010 @ 1:35 am

    Obviously there are some genetic differences between Ethiopian Jews, Sephardic Jews from North Africa, and Ashkanazi European Jews. But I believe it has been proven those groups have genetic markers of a shared heritage going back 5,000 years or so.

    As for the numbers of Jews (and for that matter Semetic Arabs) being decendents of Abraham, do the math.

    Here is an example. Of of the 102 Pilgrims who landed Massachusetts in 1620, only 29 of them have decendents today, yet there are more than 10 million decendents. That is just less than 400 years. Impossible?

  17. Estragon
    June 12th, 2010 @ 8:14 am

    Joe, I’m surprised and saddened at your last remark @ #6. There is no room for that sort of speciesism. Are you some kind of Sapiens Supremacist? You should be severely punished – unless, of course, you are a Democrat, in which case never mind.

  18. Estragon
    June 12th, 2010 @ 4:14 am

    Joe, I’m surprised and saddened at your last remark @ #6. There is no room for that sort of speciesism. Are you some kind of Sapiens Supremacist? You should be severely punished – unless, of course, you are a Democrat, in which case never mind.

  19. Virginia Right! News Hound for 6/12/2010 | Virginia Right!
    June 12th, 2010 @ 8:38 am

    […] Science Validates Bible […]

  20. Joe
    June 12th, 2010 @ 1:23 pm

    – unless, of course, you are a Democrat, in which case never mind.

    That is just mean! What did I ever do bad to you Estragon?

  21. Joe
    June 12th, 2010 @ 9:23 am

    – unless, of course, you are a Democrat, in which case never mind.

    That is just mean! What did I ever do bad to you Estragon?

  22. ak4mc
    June 12th, 2010 @ 2:21 pm

    Joe’s comment frightens and confuses me.

  23. ak4mc
    June 12th, 2010 @ 10:21 am

    Joe’s comment frightens and confuses me.

  24. Dave C
    June 12th, 2010 @ 11:33 am

    God did tell Abraham that he will have more descendants than the stars in the sky and the sand on the beach..

  25. Dave C
    June 12th, 2010 @ 3:33 pm

    God did tell Abraham that he will have more descendants than the stars in the sky and the sand on the beach..

  26. molonlabe28
    June 12th, 2010 @ 5:37 pm

    Thanks for the wonderful historical summary.

    It is a pleasure to study Biblical history.

    Why don’t you expand your summary to include Ishmael and his progeny?

    I agree that God laughs at scientists who try to prove or disprove his existence and greatness.

  27. molonlabe28
    June 12th, 2010 @ 1:37 pm

    Thanks for the wonderful historical summary.

    It is a pleasure to study Biblical history.

    Why don’t you expand your summary to include Ishmael and his progeny?

    I agree that God laughs at scientists who try to prove or disprove his existence and greatness.

  28. O'Bomber
    June 12th, 2010 @ 8:17 pm

    On topic (in my feeble mind!): here’s a headline from the iOTW “even steven” contest:

    MOSES LIES TO JEWS: “WE’LL BE OUT OF THIS DESSERT IN 20 MINUTES”

    blames broken GPS for getting them lost for 40 years

    (one more biblical headline to follow)

  29. O'Bomber
    June 12th, 2010 @ 4:17 pm

    On topic (in my feeble mind!): here’s a headline from the iOTW “even steven” contest:

    MOSES LIES TO JEWS: “WE’LL BE OUT OF THIS DESSERT IN 20 MINUTES”

    blames broken GPS for getting them lost for 40 years

    (one more biblical headline to follow)

  30. O'Bomber
    June 12th, 2010 @ 8:22 pm

    as promised:

    JESUS ARRESTED IN LOAVES AND FISHES MYSTERY

    pharisees question why all the local supermarket chains suddenly ran out of them

    Pontius Pilate reports big shortage of hand soap as well; seeks “suspicious 12 guys pushing U-Haul carts”

  31. O'Bomber
    June 12th, 2010 @ 4:22 pm

    as promised:

    JESUS ARRESTED IN LOAVES AND FISHES MYSTERY

    pharisees question why all the local supermarket chains suddenly ran out of them

    Pontius Pilate reports big shortage of hand soap as well; seeks “suspicious 12 guys pushing U-Haul carts”

  32. psota
    June 12th, 2010 @ 9:28 pm

    Didn’t Arthur Koestler get caught in one of these controversies? And, didn’t people treat him like an anti-Semitic crank for the rest of his life, as a result? Times have changed.

  33. psota
    June 12th, 2010 @ 5:28 pm

    Didn’t Arthur Koestler get caught in one of these controversies? And, didn’t people treat him like an anti-Semitic crank for the rest of his life, as a result? Times have changed.

  34. Joe
    June 13th, 2010 @ 1:31 am

    ak4mc, chill.

  35. Joe
    June 12th, 2010 @ 9:31 pm

    ak4mc, chill.

  36. Estragon
    June 13th, 2010 @ 7:06 am

    Joe ~ of course it was all in jest, but I did get carried away a bit at the end there – you must admit it was decent barb, if misaimed in this use. I apologize for any implication that you might be a Democrat, and I assure that I did not intend to thereby impugn your honor, integrity, or intelligence.

    Please accept that this was a case of misspeaking. In the immortal words of Idi Amin Dada, “Sometimes people mistake the way I talk for what I am thinking.”

  37. Estragon
    June 13th, 2010 @ 3:06 am

    Joe ~ of course it was all in jest, but I did get carried away a bit at the end there – you must admit it was decent barb, if misaimed in this use. I apologize for any implication that you might be a Democrat, and I assure that I did not intend to thereby impugn your honor, integrity, or intelligence.

    Please accept that this was a case of misspeaking. In the immortal words of Idi Amin Dada, “Sometimes people mistake the way I talk for what I am thinking.”