In the movie Inherit the Wind the main dilemma is the People vs. Bertram T. Cates. Cates is a school teacher who has the horrible idea to bring forth the theory of, can you imagine?!, evolution. He is found guilty, but because 'there is no precedent to this case' he is not sentenced to any time in prison. I personally am totally sided with Cates. Ignoring what the obvious answer to this question today would be, given that evolution has been scientifically proven, I base myself whole on freedom. Freedom to think what you like to think and freedom to say what you like to say.
In this case, Cates was in no way harming anyone when he introduced his ideas and his beliefs, yet he was charged for speaking against the Lord. Yes, maybe the idea of evolution in its base goes against the story of God creating the earth with His own two hands in seven days but the Bible itself says: 'the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil' (Genesis 3:22) This is talking about after Adam and Eve have eaten of the Tree of Knowledge and God himself says that after eating its fruit they have been able to know bad from good, they have gained new knowledge, and they have become gods like Him. And yes, Adam and Eve were punished for their act, but only because the Lord was jealous, it was unthinkable for him to have equals, because that is what knowledge does, it makes us gods. How can it be bad?
Still, if what Cates said about evolution offended God in any way, then let Him take His revenge. In the same situation of Adam and Eve we see God himself take care of those who disrespected Him. This is a passage taken from the Book of Genesis:
'And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.'
(Genesis 3:15)
Who are we to intervene between God and his actions? Who are we to punish and do unto, in this case, Cates, without God having told us to?
New knowledge and discoveries have always been encouraged, even in these early times, so this shouldn't be any different even if it contradicts God. Who are we to fight the Lord's battle?
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