Greater Impact — Lincoln or Darwin

Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln had a birth date in common, but similarities between the two men are rather sparse. Obviously they lived in different countries. Darwin was highfalutin but Lincoln was born in poverty and had to work his way up.

A similarity between them is that both hard to market themselves, Darwin with influential friends and knowing how to sell his ideas, Lincoln was in the Illinois state legislature, then the House of Representatives, ultimately President. Very different personalities and beliefs, each had a lasting impact on society.

On this fifteenth annual Question Evolution Day, it is important to contrast the influence each of them had. Since the stories of evolution are very old, someone would have come up with an allegedly scientific version. Indeed, we almost had Wallacism instead of Darwinism. There is compelling evidence that near the end of his life, Abe became a Christian; his beliefs underscored his policies. Charlie's religious beliefs are debated, either agnostic or fully atheist. He was a blatant racist. The legacy of evolution is coupled with Nazism, Marxism, and greatly increased "scientific racism," the opposite of Lincoln's "all men are created equal" views. Evolutionism has many negative effects even today.

There are many possible comparisons in the annals of history that seem more apt than the one drawn in this featured story in Newsweek. In “Who Was More Important: Lincoln or Darwin?” Malcolm Jones takes a look at two of the nineteenth century’s most remembered and, in many circles, respected figures: Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin.

The rest of the article is found at "Darwin or Lincoln: Who Mattered More?"