Ukuphila Kwaqala Kanjani Emhlabeni?
Indoda ethile icwaninga impendulo
LAPHO ngisemncane ngangiyazi impendulo. UNkulunkulu okudalile. Abazali bami bangifundisa lokho eBhayibhelini. Njengoba ngikhula ngaqaphela ukuphila okungizungezile. Kwakumangalisa. Inhliziyo yami yagcwala ukumangala okukhulu.
Izimbali zasehlobo ziyabuna ekwindla kodwa zishiye izimbewu eziyoyibuyisa futhi imibala yazo entwasahlobo. Amanzi emithi ashona phansi kodwa ezinyangeni kamuva ayabuya ukuze emboze imithi ephundlekile ohlazeni lwasentwasahlobo. Izilwanyana ezihlala emithini emasimini ziyazisonga emigodini yazo futhi zilale kuze kudlule ubusika kodwa ziphume futhi lapho kubuya izinsuku ezifudumele zasehlobo. Izinyoni eziluhlaza ezihamba ngambili ezinesidleke esigxotsheni sensimbi esiwumbhobho esingemva kwejalidi lethu ekwindla ziyandiza ziye eningizimu kodwa zibuyele esigxotsheni esifanayo entwasahlobo ukuze zizoba nomunye umkhaya. Ngangibuka ngokumangala ukwakheka kwesimo esinjengoV samahobhe andiza aye eningizimu futhi ngilalele ngenjabulo umculo wawo omnandi onganqamuki—futhi lokhu kutshiyoza kungimangalise.
Lapho ngifunda okwengeziwe ngokuphila, kwakuyilapho ngibona umklamo ngokwengeziwe. Futhi lapho ngibona umklamo ngokwengeziwe, kwakuyilapho ngibona isidingo sokuba khona koMklami oyiNgcweti abazali bami ababengitshele ngaye.
Ingabe Akukho-Mklami Odingekayo?
Khona-ke esikoleni semfundo ephakeme ngatshelwa ukuthi kwakungadingeki mklami: ‘Konke kwamane nje kwazenzekela. Emkhathini womhlaba wasendulo amakhemikhali ahlukaniswa umbani nemisebe yeultraviolet, ama-athomu awo aphinde ahlangana ukuze kwakhiwe amamolecule ayinkimbinkimbi ngokwengeziwe, ekugcineni kwavela ingqamuzana eliphilayo. Njengoba liphindaphindeka, kwakuba nezinguquko ezithile ezazizenzekela, futhi eminyakeni eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane kamuva emhlabeni kwagcwala izinhlobonhlobo eziyizigidi zokuphila. Umuntu wavela kamuva.’
Benza ukuziphendukela kwemvelo kuzwakale kulula. Mhlawumbe kulula kakhulu. Ngabambelela enkolweni yami yendalo, kodwa ngangingafuni ukuthatheka. Ngangifuna ukucabanga, ukugcina ingqondo yami ivulekile, ukwazi iqiniso. Ngaqala ukufunda isayensi. Ngafunda izinto eziningi. Amehlo ami avulekela ngokwengeziwe kunanini ngaphambili ezimangalisweni zendalo. Lapho ngifunda okwengeziwe kwakuyilapho ngimangala ngokwengeziwe. Kodwa lapho ngibona umklamo ngokwengeziwe, kwakuyilapho ingqondo yami yayiba nobunzima bokukholelwa ukuthi ukuguquka okuzenzekelayo kwakungadala lokho abantu abahlakaniphile abasezindlini zokucwaninga abangenakukwazi ukukulingisa—hhayi ngisho nebacterium encane, kungasaphathwa izimbali, izinyoni eziluhlaza, amahobhe amise okuka-V.
Phakathi neminyaka yami yokufunda esikoleni esiphakeme naseyunivesithi, ngaqongelela yonke isayensi engangingakwazi ukuyithola—isayensi yamakhemikhali, isayensi yezithako, isayensi yezinto eziphilayo, nemathematics. Kamuva ngaqhubeka ngifunda izincwadi nezihloko zomagazini ababhalwe izazi zokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Kwakulokhu kungenelisi. Izinkulumo zokuziphendukela kwemvelo zazishwampuluza nje, zishwampuluza kakhulu uma kucatshangelwa ukukhulumela okuhambisana nazo.
Lokho kwenzeka eminyakeni edlule. Manje sekuyiminyaka yawo-1980. Mhlawumbe manje kunobufakazi obengeziwe nokukhulumela okunciphile. Mhlawumbe sekuyisikhathi sokubheka ngelinye iso. Ngagxila esicini esisodwa—indlela ukuphila okwaqala ngayo emhlabeni. Kakade, uma ukuziphendukela kwemvelo kungenakubunikeza ubufakazi besiqalo sengqamuzana lokuqala eliphilayo, kungakusekela kanjani lokho okukushoyo kokuveza izidalwa eziphilayo ezinamangqamuzana ayizigidigidi—kanye nami nawe esinamakhulu ezigidigidi ngamunye wethu?
Ukuze ngizicwaningele ngakhetha izincwadi zamuva ezilotshwe izazi zesayensi ezineziqu ezithembekile—zonke ziyizazi zokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Ngangisebenzisa indlela kaJesu yokubhekana nabafundisi bamanga: “Ngamazwi akho uyakuthethwa, nangamazwi akho uyakulahlwa.” (Mathewu 12:37) Ukucwaninga kwami kwagxila ezinyathelweni ezinkulu ngokuphila zokuziphendukela kwemvelo: (1) umkhathi wasendulo, (2) Ubishi oluphilayo, (3) amaprotheni, (4) amanucleotide, (5) amanucleic acid abizwa ngokuthi iDNA, kanye (6) nolwelwesi.
Okucatshangelwayo Ngomkhathi Wasendulo
Okwakudingeka kuqala, umkhathi womhlaba wasendulo, okwakuyothi lapho ushaywa umbani noma imisebe yeultraviolet noma eminye imithombo yamandla, uveze amamolecule adingekayo okuphila. Ngo-1953 uStanley Miller wabika ngakho kanye ukucwaninga okunjalo. Wakhetha umkhathi womhlaba wasendulo owawunehydrogen ecebile, wadlulisa kuwo inhlansi kagesi, futhi waveza ama-amino acid amabili angaxutshiwe kwangama-20 adingekayo ukuze kwakhiwe amaprotheni.1 Nokho, akekho owaziyo, ukuthi umkhathi womhlaba wasendulo wawunjani.2 Kungani uMiller akhetha wona? Wavuma ukuthi wakhetha wona ngenxa yokuthi yiwona kuphela “okwenzeka kuwo ukuhlanganiswa kwezithako ezingokwemvelo.“3
Ngathola ukuthi ukuhlola kokucwaninga ngokuvamile kwakwenziwa ngobuqili ukuze kutholakale imiphumela efunwayo. Izazi zesayensi eziningi ziyavuma ukuthi abacwaningi ‘bangaveza imiphumela yokukhohlisa,’ futhi, ‘bangasebenzisa ukuhlakanipha kwabo ukuze bacwaninge ngobuqili.’4 Umkhathi kaMiller wasetshenziswa ekucwaningeni okuningi okwalandela okwakhe, hhayi ngoba kwakunengqondo noma kunokwenzeka, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi “kwakusiza ekucwaningeni ngokuziphendukela kwemvelo,” futhi “impumelelo etholakala ezindlini zokucwaninga iyayitusa.”5
Nokho, izazi zokuziphendukela kwemvelo zadumisa ukunqoba kukaMiller njengentuthuko enkulu. Kwenziwa ukucwaninga okuningi ngemva kwakho, kusetshenziswa imithombo ehlukahlukene yamandla kanye nezithako ezingafani. Ngobuqili obukhulu nangokukhohlisa, nangokungazinaki izimo ezikhona endaweni ezungezile engokwemvelo, ezindlini zokucwaninga okwenziwa ngobuqili izazi zesayensi zathola amanye amakhemikhali aphilayo adingekayo ekuphileni. Zenza okukhulu kakhulu ngomqondo kaMiller owubala. Wavula indlela yobishi oluphilayo lwezakhi zokuphila ukuba lunqwabelane olwandle. Ingabe Iwakwenza lokho?
Ubishi Oluphilayo Luyinganekwane
Umqondo kaMiller wawunephutha, futhi ukwehluleka kwawo kwenza lokho abase bekwenzile kwangaphumelela. UMiller wasebenzisa inhlansi ukuze ahlukanise amakhemikhali angaxutshiwe asemkhathini wakhe ukuze kwakheke ama-amino acid. Kodwa lenhlansi yayingawahlukanisa ngokushesha okukhulu ama-amino acid Ngakho uMiller waphinda futhi wenza ukucwaninga kwakhe kokuhlola ngobuqili: Wakha ingosi yokugcina ama-acid emshinini wakhe ngokushesha lapho esakhekile, ukuze angathintwa inhlansi yomlilo. Nokho, izazi zesayensi zithi emhlabeni wasendulo ama-amino acid ayengawubalekela umbani noma imisebe yeultraviolet ngokugxumbukela olwandle. Khona-ke izazi zokuziphendukela kwemvelo zifuna ukulondoloza ubishi.
Kodwa ngenxa yezizathu eziningana, lokhu kuba yize. Ama-amino acid awahlali emanzini futhi olwandle lwasendulo ayengaba khona ngezilinganiso ezincane kuphela. Uma ubishi oluphilayo lwake lwaba khona, ezinye zezakhi zalo zaziyotholakala emadwaleni ayizingcezu, kodwa naphezu kweminyaka engama-20 yokucwaninga, “amadwala akudala awazange anikeze noma ibuphi ubufakazi bangempela bokuba khona kobishi oluphilayo ngaphambili.” Nokho “ukuba khona kobishi oluphilayo lwangaphambili kubucayi.” Ngakho “kuyashaqisa . . . ukuqaphela ukuthi abukho nhlobo ubufakazi bangempela bokuba khona kwalo.”6
Amathuba Okwakheka Kwamaprotheni
Vumela ubishi olungavumelani nemvelo. Faka ama-amino acid ayizigidi obishini, izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene ezingamakhulu, cishe ingxenye yawo ngakwesobunxele futhi ingxenye ngakwesokudla. Ingabe-ke manje ama-amino acid azoxhumana akhe iketanga elide lokwakha amaprotheni? Ingabe izinhlobo ezingama-20 kuphela okungadingeka zikhethwe ngengozi ezinhlotsheni ezingamakhulu ezisobishini? Futhi kulezinhlobo ezingama-20, ingabe kuzokhetheka ngengozi kuphela ezakheke ohlangothini lwangakwesobunxele ezidalweni eziphilayo? Khona-ke bese zilandelana ngokohlelo olufanele ukuze kwakheke iprotheni ngalinye elihlukile futhi ngalinye lakheke ngendlela yalo efunekayo?7 Kungenzeka ngesimangaliso kuphela.
Iprotheni elivamile linama-amino acid angaba yikhulu futhi liqukethe ama-athomu ayizinkulungwane eziningi. Ingqamuzana eliphilayo lisebenzisa amaprotheni ayizi-200 000. Izinkulungwane ezimbili zawo zingama-enzyme, amaprotheni akhethekile ingqamuzana elingenakuphila ngaphandle kwawo. Akhona yini amathuba okuba lama-enzyme akheke ngokuzenzekelayo obishini—uma wawunalo ubishi? Ithuba elilodwa kwayizi-1040 000. Lokhu kuba u-1 olandelwa ozero abayizi-40 000. Kubhalwe phansi ngokugcwele, bekungagcwalisa amakhasi ayi-14 alomagazini. Noma, uma kubekwa ngokwehlukile, ithuba lilingana nokugingqwa kwedayisi kutholwe o-6 abayizi-50 000 ngokulandelana. Futhi lokho kungokwayizi-2 000 kuphela kwayizi-200 000 adingwa ingqamuzana eliphilayo.8 Ngakho ukuze uwathole wonke gingqa abanye o-6 abayizi-5 000 000 ngokulandelana.
Manje ngabona ukuthi ngase ngijaha utalagu. Kodwa ngaqhubeka. Njengoba ngangivuma ukuthi ubishi lusinikeza amaprotheni, kuthiwani ngamanucleotide? ULeslie Orgel weSalk Institute eCalifornia uye wabonisa ukuthi amanucleotide “angenye yezinkinga ezinkulu zezakhi zangaphambili zokuphila.“9 Ayadingeka ukuze kwakhiwe amanucleic acid (DNA, RNA), abizwa ngokuthi futhi inkinga eshaqisayo. Ngokuzenzekelayo, amaprotheni awanakuhlanganiswa ngaphandle kwamanucleic acid, futhi namanucleic acid awanakwakheka ngaphandle kwamaprotheni.10 Kuyimfihlakalo yakudala ekusebenzeni kwamakhemikhali: Ikuphi okwaba khona kuqala, inkukhu noma iqanda?
Kodwa ake siyibeke eceleni lengqinamba bese sidedela isazi sokuziphendukela kwemvelo uRobert Shapiro, onguprofesa wezamakhemikhali eYunivesithi yaseNew York nochwepheshe kwezokucwaninga ngeDNA, sichaze ukwakheka kwamanucleotides namanucleic acid emhlabeni wasendulo okwenzeka ngengozi:
“Noma nini lapho ama-amino acid ehlangana, kuphuma imolecule yamanzi. Lapho kuhlanganiswa inucleotide namamolecule amabili amanzi kumelwe akhishwe enhlanganiseleni yayo, kukhishwa futhi amanye amanzi lapho kuhlanganiswa amanucleotide ukuze kwakhiwe amanucleic acid. Ngeshwa, ukwakheka kwamanzi endaweni enawo ngokwamakhemikhali kufana nokuthuthela isihlabathi eSahara. Akuvumelani, futhi kudinga ukusetshenziswa kwamandla amaningi. Izinqubo ezihjalo azimane nje zizenzekele. Empeleni, imiphumela emibi yamakhemikhali iyona ezenzekelayo. Ngenjabulo amanzi ahlasela amamolecule amakhulu ezinto zemvelo. Ahlukanisa amanucleotide, ahlakaze inhlanganisela kashukela nephosphate, abese ehlukanisa izinhlanganisela zikashukela.”11
Isinyathelo sokugcina seziyisithupha ezishiwo ekuqaleni: ulwelwesi. Ingqamuzama alinakuphila ngaphandle kwalo. Kumelwe livikelwe emanzini, futhi lokhu kubangelwa amafutha olwelwesi angahlangani namanzi.12 Kodwa ukuze kwakhiwe ulwelwesi kudingeka “izakhi zokwakha amaprotheni,” futhi ‘lezakhi zokwakha amaprotheni’ zingasebenza kuphela uma zihlanganiswa ngolwelwesi.13 Iyaphinda futhi iyaphakama inkinga yenkukhu neqanda!
Isayensi Yamamolecule Ezinto Eziphilayo, Isiyehluleka
Iphupho lezazi zokuziphendukela kwemvelo laliwukuthola ingqamuzana eliphilayo lokuqala. Isayensi yamamolecule ezinto eziphilayo iye yenza iphupho layo laba iphupho elithusayo. UMichael Denton, uchwepheshe wesayensi yamamolecule ezinto eziphilayo wamemezela ukwehluleka kwayo:
“Isayensi yamamolecule ezinto eziphilayo iye yabonisa ukuthi ngisho nesimiso esilula kakhulu sokuphila emhlabeni namuhla, amangqamuzana amabacteria, siyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu. Nakuba amangqamuzana amabacteria amancane kakhulu emancane ngokungakholeki, enesisindo esingama-10-12gms, ngamanye amazwi ngalinye liyimboni ekhiqizayo encane equkethe izingcezu eziyizinkulungwane eziklanywe ngobungcweti eziyinkimbinkimbi zamamolecule, sekukonke lakhiwe ngama-athomu ayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu zezigidi, okuyinkimbinkimbi ngaphezu kwanoma imuphi umshini owakhiwe umuntu futhi akukho nokuncane okufana nakho ezweni lezinto ezingaphili.
“Isayensi yamamolecule ezinto eziphilayo iye yabonisa futhi ukuthi umklamo oyisisekelo wesimiso samangqamuzana cishe uyefana kuzo zonke izimiso zezinto eziphilayo emhlabeni kusukela kumabacteria kuye ezilwaneni ezincelisayo. Ziyefana izindima ezifezwa iDNA nemRNA kanye namaprotheni kuzo zonke izinto eziphilayo. Incazelo yesimiso samangqamuzana ofuzo siyefana futhi kuwo wonke amangqamuzana. Ubukhulu, ukwakheka nalokho okuqukethwe isimiso esakha amaprotheni kuyefana kuwo wonke amangqamuzana. Ngakho-ke, ngokuphathelene nomklamo wawo wamakhemikhali wezinto eziphilayo, asikho isimiso sezinto eziphilayo okungacatshangwa ngaso njengesakudala noma esokhokho uma siqhathaniswa nesinye isimiso, akukho ngisho nobufakazi obuncane bokulandelana ngokohlelo kokuziphendukela kwemvelo phakathi kwawo wonke amangqamuzana angefani ngokuphelele emhlabeni.“14
Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi uHarold Morowitz, oyisazi sezokwelapha eYunivesithi yaseYale, wabonisa ukuthi amathuba okuthola ibacterium evamile ephilayo ngezinguquko ezizenzekelayo awu-1 olandelwaozero abayizi-100 000 000 000. UShapiro wathi, “lelinani likhulu kakhulu, kangangokuba ukuze silibhale ngendlela evamile singadinga izincwadi eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amaningi.” Ubonisa ukuthi izazi zesayensi ezihileleke ekuziphendukeleni kwemvelo kokuphila okwenzeka ngamakhemikhali azibunaki ubufakazi obandayo futhi “ziye zakhetha ukubambelela kukho njengokuyiqiniso elingenakungatshazwa, kanjalo zikunonga njengenganekwane.“15
Esinye isazi sesayensi esinguchwepheshe wesayensi yengqamuzana lezinto eziphilayo sithi ezigidini zeminyaka edlule “ingqamuzana nje elilodwa lalingenza izikhali, libambe ukudla, likugaye, likhiphe okungasafuneki, lihambahambe, lakhe izindlu, lihileleke ebulilini ngokuqondile noma ngokuyisimangaliso. Lezidalwa zisekhona. Amaprotist—izidalwa eziphilayo ngokuphelele, nokho ezakhiwe ngengqamuzana elilodwa kuphela ezinamathalenta amaningi, kodwa ezingenazo izicubu, izitho, inhliziyo kanye nengqondo—empeleni anakho konke esinakho.” Sikhuluma ngengqamuzana elilodwa lihlangana “nalawo makhulu ezinkulungwane ezinguquko zamakhemikhali ezenzeka kanye kanye eziwukuphila.“16
Yeka insambatheka engakholeki yokuhamba kwamakhemikhali phakathi kwengqamuzana elincane elibonakala ngezibonakhulu, kodwa angavimbeki! Ngokusobala, lokhu kudinga uMklami oyiNgcweti wokuhlakanipha okuphakeme. Ukwaziswa okuqukethwe iDNA engangechashaza enesilinganiso “esingaphansi kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbalwa segram” kwanele “ekuqondiseni ukwakheka kwesidalwa esiphilayo esiyinkimbinkimbi njengomuntu.“17 Ngisho nokwaziswa okuqukethwe ingqamuzana elilodwa, “uma kubhalwa phansi, bekungagcwalisa izincwadi eziyinkulungwane ezinamakhasi angama-600.”18 Yeka indlela okwesabeka ngayo! Nakanjani kumelwe ngempela kube nokuhlakanipha okungaphezu kwamandla ethu okuqonda okwaqalisa ukuphila emhlabeni.
Nasi isiphetho sami ngemva kwakho konke: Ngaphandle komkhathi ofanelekile, ubishi oluphilayo alukho. Ngaphandle kobishi oluphilayo, nama-amino acid awekho. Ngaphandle kwamaaraino acids, namaprotheni awekho. Ngaphandle kwamaprotheni, amanucleotide awekho. Ngaphandle kwamanucleotide,iDNA ayikho. Ngaphandle kweDNA, ingqamuzana eliziphindaphindayo alikho. Ngaphandle kolwelwesi olwembozayo, ingqamuzana eliphilayo alikho. Futhi ngaphandle komklamo nokuqondisa okuhlakaniphile, ukuphila akukho emhlabeni.
Kodwa izazi zesayensi ziye zenza umsebenzi omkhulu kubantu abakholelwa endalweni. Lokho eziye zakuthola ngokuqondene nokuphila kungamandla amakhulu aqinisa ukholo lwami endalweni, futhi manje ngifunda amaRoma 1:20, 21, 28 ngokwazisa okukhulu: “Kusukela uNkulunkulu adala umhlaba amandla akhe aphakade nobunkulunkulu—nakuba kungabonakali—kuye kwaba sobala ukuze ingqondo ibone ezintweni azenzile. Yingakho abantu abanjalo bengenakuzilandulela . .Benza okungenangqondo kokunengqondo futhi izingqondo zabo ezingenalwazi zazisebumnyameni . . . Okungukuthi, njengoba benqaba ukukubona kunengqondo ukwamukela uNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu ubashiyile emiqondweni yabo engahlakaniphile nasekuziphatheni kwabo okungcolile.”—The Jerusalem Bible.
Ukucwaninga kwami kwangiqinisekisa ukuthi lokho abazali bami abangifundisa khona kuyiqiniso: UJehova uNkulunkulu kuphela ‘owumthombo wokuphila.’ (IHubo 36:9)—Omunye wabalobeli bePhaphama!
Izikhombo
1. Origins: A Skeptic’s Guide to the Creation of Life on Earth, by Robert Shapiro, 1986, p. 105; Life Itself, by Francis Crick, 1981, p. 77.
2. Origins: A Skeptic’s Guide, pp. 96-7.
3. The Origins of Life on the Earth, by Stanley L. Miller and Leslie E. Orgel, 1974, p. 33.
4. Origins: A Skeptic’s Guide, p. 103.
5. Technology Review, April 1981, R. C. Cowen, p. 8; Science 210, R. A. Kerr, 1980, p. 42. (Both quotes taken from The Mystery of Life’s Origin: Reassessing Current Theories, 1984, p. 76.)
6. Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, by Michael Denton, 1985, pp. 260-1, 263; Origins: A Skeptic’s Guide, pp. 112-13.
7. Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, pp. 234-8.
8. The Intelligent Universe, by Fred Hoyle, 1983, pp. 12-17.
9. Origins: A Skeptic’s Guide, p. 188.
10. Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, p. 238; Origins: A Skeptic’s Guide, pp. 134, 138.
11. Origins: A Skeptic’s Guide, pp. 173-4.
12. Ibid., p. 65.
13. Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, pp. 268-9.
14. Ibid., p. 250.
15. Origins: A Skeptic’s Guide, pp. 32, 49, 128.
16. The Center of Life, by L. L. Larison Cudmore, 1977, pp. 5, 13-14.
17. Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, p. 334.
18. National Geographic, September 1976, p. 357.
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 7]
Ikuphi okwavela kuqala?
Iqanda livela enkukhwini, kodwa inkukhu ivela eqandeni
Amaprotheni awanakwakheka ngaphaandle kwamanucleic acid, kodwa amanucleic acid awakheki ngaphandle kwamaprotheni
Ulwelwesi alwakheki ngaphandle kwezakhi zamaprotheni, kodwa lezakhi azakheki ngaphandle kolwelwesi
[Isithombe ekhasini 8]
Izinguquko zamakhemikhali ezingamakhulu ezinkulungwane zenzeka kanye kanye engqamuzaneni ngalinye eliphilayo—ngaphandle kokuvimbekal
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Ukwaziswa okusengqamuzaneni elilodwa kungagcwala izincwadi eziyinkulungwane ezinamakhasi angama-600