Creationism
“In the beginning, G‑d created the heavens and the earth”
One simple sentence that changes everything.
Do you ever wonder why we care?
Why does it disturb us when thousands of people are killed by an earthquake? Why are we outraged when a crazed gunman mows down a flock of children in a schoolyard? Why are we pained by the sight of a sick child?
All of us - male and female, rich and poor, religious and secular, hippie and yuppie – seem to agree that life and existence has value; that we not only exist, but alsoshould exist; that anyone who thinks otherwise is evil, crazy or both.
Why? Why do we innately sense life to be meaningful? If our existence is one big accident and a random mutation why should it make any difference if we are or we are not? Why, indeed, is the word "meaningful" even in our vocabulary? And why is "suicidal depression" an illness?
Dear friends, all of us - atheists too - believe in G‑d and believe that He created the universe. They just call Him something else. They believe that human life is purposeful - that there is something beyond our existence which our existence serves. A person may attempt to create theories, hypotheses, and reasons to reject this truth, but his every instinct affirms it. And if he doesn't, the race will unanimously label him "not normal."
Take a look at headlines: "Heroic 30-Hour Effort by Surgeon to Save Mom's Life"; "Tragedy on Mountain: Mudslide Buries Four"; "Outlook Good for Burn Victim." These are news items, supposedly devoid of any moral or religious value judgements. So why do they presume that their readers will agree that the doctor's efforts are heroic, the mudslide tragic, and the possibility that the burn victim will survive "good"?
Why do we care?
Because in the beginning G‑d created the heavens and the earth.
Dear friends, our Sages teach us that the way we position ourselves on this Shabbat of the first Torah reading - called “Shabbat Bereishit” - sets our course for the whole year. Tomorrow, as we begin reading the Torah anew from “The Beginning” I encourage you to join us. We’ll have a wonderful luncheon and guest speaker to follow the Torah reading … it’s going to be very special!
Fruma and our children – Malka, Yankele, Shimi, Mendel, Mushka, Riva & Rachmiel –join me in wishing you a Shabbat Shalom!
