Science has proof without any certainty. Creationists have

Listen now, O children of wisdom, for the words of Ashley Montagu carry the weight of both caution and enlightenment. He spoke thus: "Science has proof without any certainty. Creationists have certainty without any proof." In these few words, a deep well of meaning is drawn forth, revealing the eternal struggle between faith and knowledge, between the known and the unknown. It is a struggle as old as humanity itself, one that reverberates through the ages, and it is one that we, the heirs of the future, must understand with all the clarity our minds can muster.

Science, the great and noble pursuit of truth, asks not for certainty, but for evidence. It does not demand that we accept without question the world as it is, but rather calls us to observe, to inquire, to test and retest until what is hidden is made known. Proof is its bedrock, and yet, this proof is always humble. It is the acknowledgement that knowledge is not an absolute possession, but a constantly shifting landscape, ever more expansive as we reach for new heights. The scientist is but a pilgrim on the road to understanding, always aware that the journey is never complete, that what was once certain may tomorrow be questioned.

Think of the great Galileo, who, with the courage of a lion and the wisdom of the ages, turned his telescope toward the heavens and saw what had been hidden for millennia—the moon’s craters, the moons of Jupiter, the very movements of the stars themselves. Yet in his time, his discoveries were not accepted as truth; they were met with resistance, with doubt, and with certainty from those who refused to embrace the evidence of their own eyes. Certainty—a dangerous thing, for it blinds us to the vastness of what we do not know. But Galileo, with his proof and with his humility, reshaped the very way we look at the universe, and in doing so, he illuminated the path for those who would come after him.

And then, there are those who walk the earth with certainty but without the guiding light of evidence. These are the creationists, whose faith in ancient tales stands in stark contrast to the ever-expanding knowledge of science. Their certainty is not born of reason, but of belief—a belief that holds fast to a vision of the world unchanging, unyielding, impervious to the winds of evidence and discovery. They see the world as a creation, not as a thing that evolves or grows, and in their eyes, all that is must have been shaped by a divine hand. And though their belief is certain, it is not proved. It is not grounded in the soil of truth, but in the unshakable conviction that what they hold is beyond questioning.

The tale of Charles Darwin, the humble naturalist who sailed aboard the Beagle, offers us a poignant lesson. He journeyed through the islands of the Galápagos, observing the finches and their beaks, each suited to the environment in which it lived. It was not certainty that led him to his theory of evolution, but the careful study of the natural world, a study that revealed truths too vast for the certainty of creationist belief to encompass. Darwin's theory was not born of revelation, but of observation—a steady accumulation of proof that revealed a more complex and beautiful world than anyone had imagined. And though his ideas were met with resistance, they ultimately changed the course of history, not because of their certainty, but because of the unrelenting power of the evidence upon which they rested.

Let us not, therefore, be deceived by the lure of certainty, for it is a shadow that distorts the truth. The wise man knows that to live is to question, to wonder, to seek beyond what is immediately apparent. The path of knowledge is not a straight line, but a winding road through uncharted lands, where every turn may reveal a new discovery. It is the pursuit of truth, not the certainty of one’s own beliefs, that guides the true seeker. Science, with its doubts and its questions, is the light by which we find our way in the dark, and it is the only path that leads us to deeper understanding.

In our lives, let us take the lesson of Ashley Montagu to heart. The certainty of belief may offer us comfort, but it is the proof of science that will carry us forward. When faced with uncertainty, do not retreat into the safe arms of unproven belief. Instead, step forward into the unknown, guided by the light of evidence, and be open to the changing tides of knowledge. Seek always the truth, whether it brings you comfort or challenge. Let us walk the path of understanding, hand in hand with science, and never let the shackles of false certainty bind us to the past.

So, my children, remember these words, and let them be your guide. Do not fear the questions that arise in your hearts, for they are the seeds of great discoveries. Do not seek certainty in the face of evidence, but seek instead the truth, wherever it may lead. Science is proof without certainty, and belief is certainty without proof. Choose the path of truth, and in time, you shall find that it is the only one that leads to the light.