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The Original Catastrophe

Again and again our world is ravaged by catastrophes. Some 160 thousand people died as a result of the tsunami in December 2004, the loss of the Titanic cost 1522 lives and the Second World War left 50 million people dead. The original catastrophe, however, was the Fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. This is the reason for all other catastrophes that have befallen the world. Sin brought about the separation of man from God. Without God man was drawn into everlasting damnation. Were God to allow just one sin into Heaven, suffering and death would enter. That is not God’s will.

Many people try not to think about eternity. Even those who think about death, try not to think about what will happen afterwards. As a child, the American actress Drew Barrymore (born 1975) played one of the leading roles in the film ‘E.T.’ At the age of 28, she said; “Should I die before my cat, then I would like her to be given my ashes to eat. At least then, I’ll live on in my cat.” Isn’t such ignorance and short-sightedness frightening?

Four skulls lie on a low wall in a church in South Tyrol, Northern Italy. Above them is a sign bearing the words, “Who was the fool? Who was the wise man? Who was the beggar? Who was the emperor?” The emperor’s power and wealth are no longer there to give us a clue to his identity. Maybe the beggar’s skull is directly beside his, but likewise, the beggar’s poverty, rags and rumbling stomach are no longer there to attest to his identity. Perhaps we should erect a second sign with the words: “Death has made them equals!” But is this, in fact, the case?

On 31 December, 2008, in a perfectly timed anticipation of 2009’s “year of Darwin”, the German newspaper Die Zeit ran a four-page item devoted to the theme of evolution, with the double spread header, “Thank you, Darwin!” The gratitude was directed at a man born 200 years ago, whose revolutionary book The Origin of Species was published 150 years ago.

The world we see around us

Even a glance at the realm of living things reveals a vast range of highly goal-directed concepts—incredible design. The sperm whale, a mammal, is equipped to dive up to 3000 metres, without any risk of dying of the “bends” from its ascent. And the woodpecker pounds its head against a tree again and again without getting brain damage.