Epigenetics & Human Behavior
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From the Encyclopedia Britannica; “Psychology”: The term “epigenetic” is used to describe the dynamic interplay between genes and the environment during the course of development. The study of epigenetics highlights the complex nature of the relationship between the organism’s genetic code, or genome, and the organism’s directly observable physical and psychological manifestations and behaviours.”
In humans, this entails a highly complex ‘dance’ between our conscience, our behavior and our genetic code. As noted elsewhere, babies as young as three months old demonstrate a type of moral conscience. As well as, we find similar laws and similar “golden rules” spread throughout the historical record, including in both connected and disconnected cultures. Like the Bible says and like Jefferson echoes in the Declaration, God has written his law on the hearts of humanity.
From Romans 2:15–16: “. . .for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.” As we can see young children on a playground, as well as adults in every society, accepting some people into their group while rejecting others, accusing some for their perceived faults while excusing others.
And the truth of this is clearly seen in the historical record, where nations have similar rather than dis-similar base laws against murder, theft, false witness and adultery and, similar and sometimes almost identical so-called “golden rules”. As America’s top genetic scientist Francis Collins has pointed out, this represents design and not random processes.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica; “Psychology” (and unlike Freud believed): “Developmental research provided clear evidence that humans, rather than entering the world with a mental blank slate, are extensively prepared for all sorts of cognitive and skill development.”
“. . .Epigenetic regulation of gene activity plays a critical role in the process of development, influencing the organism’s psychological and behavioral expressions. Thus, while the genome provides the possibilities, the environment determines which genes become activated.
“. . .Epigenetic factors may serve as a critical biological link between the experiences of an individual and subsequent individual differences in brain and behaviour, both within and across generations. Epigenetic research points to the pathways through which environmental influence and psychological experiences may be transformed and transmitted at the biological level.”
Darwin knew nothing about epigenetics and, the information here known by behavioral scientists today is very far removed from any concept of random “totally blind” processes inducing change by natural selection. Rather, as has recently been discovered in a much studied plant (see following link), organisms are hard-wired within their genes to accept some changes while rejecting others.
Our genes can affect our behavior and conversely, our behavior can affect our genes. And like the Bible says in Exodus 34:7 and modern evidence confers, our bad behavior “. . .visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” As we can plainly see today as our fragile planet warms, what we eat and otherwise consume and what we do can very much harm (or help) future generations. It is no small wonder that those who pretend to have no sin like Jesus says, are “the blind leading the blind.”
What modern epigenetic evidence demonstrates is that our Creator, in order to help ensure our survival, has hard-wired into our genetic code the ability to accept some changes caused by environmental influences while rejecting others. This is absolutely divorced from any foolish notion of random “totally blind” processes causing living things to adapt and change. Rather, the genetic code of living organisms aids in their survival by accepting some environmentally-induced changes while rejecting others.
As is clearly demonstrated in the following three links, our bad (and good) behavior very much matters not only to our own health, but to the health of our offspring to the third and fourth generation, exactly as the Bible long ago said. What consenting adults choose to do very much matters and can cause both ourselves and our offspring to suffer from various emotional, mental and physical diseases for generations, as well as our actions can greatly harm (or help) other people.
Directly Contradicts Darwin: DNA Mutations Are Not Random
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220112121512.htm
Sins of the Fathers; Epigenetic Evidence for Negative Inherited Characteristics
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170717100548.htm
Learned Behavior Genetically Passed Down for Generations
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190606150247.htm
