A Challenge to the Scientists

Once, it so happened that there was a seminar organized in the Chemistry Department at the university. The seminar lasted about 4 or 5 days and many important speakers came from different parts of the United States. The Department Chairman at the time was Prof. Rowland (he became a Nobel laureate in 1995). Dr. Stanley Miller, who first synthesized amino acids from simple molecules, gave two or three lectures during this seminar about evolution and life's origin. The lecture was about interstellar chemistry, the chemistry in the upper atmospheric regions, and he spoke on life's chemical origin. Miller was very hopeful that the life could have generated from chemical elements.

Since I was already with Srila Prabhupada, I got the idea that I should ask this person a question. During the question session, therefore, I asked him, "At this stage of our chemical knowledge we practically know how to synthesize all the bio-chemicals in our body. Do you agree with that?" He agreed. "Suppose we assemble all these chemicals: nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates, enzymes in the laboratory then we don't have wait for thousands of years for small molecules to become big molecules. DNA, RNA and everything are readily available. Do you think that if we put these together we will generate a living cell?" I asked like that, and he said, "I don't know". "Then how can you claim that the life could have come from this chemistry? If it is really true, then you must be able to assemble life from chemicals!" Perceiving some difficulty for the guest, Dr. Rowland immediately interjected saying that this question would lead to a theological discussion and it was not appropriate for the occasion. As chairman of the seminar, he stopped the discussion there.

Next day during the morning walk I mentioned to Srila Prabhupada the previous day's happenings. Srila Prabhupada was extremely pleased to hear that I had openly challenged a great scientist. He said that this scientist must surrender to me! In the Vedic culture, when there is an argument, and if someone is not able to answer, they immediately surrender. So he must surrender to me! Srila Prabhupada was very happy. The incident went deep into Srila Prabhupada's mind. He was convinced that modern scientists are responsible for bringing atheistic propaganda in the world and somehow this must be corrected. He felt that we must launch science preaching on a very, very big scale.