A prominent Russian scientist was sacked for asserting that although humans once lived for 900 years, our current reduced lifespan is a result of the misdeeds of our ancestors.
Dr. Alexander Kudryavtsev, the director of the Vavilov Institute of General Genetics at the Russian Academy of Sciences, had the solidly non-scientific opinions.
Dr Kudryavtsev, 60, made the series of controversial statements last March during the Third International Scientific and Theological Conference ‘God – Man – World’.
The Russian government did not give a reason for his sacking, but Fyodor Lukyanov, head of the Russian church’s commission on family issues, said the dismissal was ‘for religious beliefs and statements’ in accordance with belief that ‘violate the ethics of the scientific community’.
Dr Kudryavtsev claimed the universe was made by God, but fell into ‘decay’ due to the ‘original, ancestral and personal sin’ of people – and that before the biblical flood, people used to live up to 900 years.
When he was challenged by the media, he said: ‘I wanted to emphasise the harmful influence of so-called bad habits – what theologians call sin. They also affect the genome.
He said that while atheist scientists may blame genetic decay on radiation or pollution, he believes it is actually caused by sin.
‘These are the kind of mutations that genetic doctors find every day when they work with patients,’ said Dr Kudryavtsev.
‘Atheist scientists will tell you that in fact, it’s radiation, it’s pollution, it’s all mutagenic effects. Nevertheless, my personal conviction is that such destruction is initiated by original sin, aggravated by ancestral sin, and personal sin too.’
He added that the genetic mutations ’caused by sin’ could affect up to seven generations.
‘If a mutation occurs in your body, in your gametes [sperm and eggs], it will be passed on to your offspring, and nothing can be done about it. ‌The conclusion is simple: if you want to have healthy offspring, don’t develop bad habits, don’t fall into sin.’
Following a backlash, Dr Kudryavtsev was forced to issue a statement that his claims are only his personal belief, and that they should not be associated with his genetics department.
Lukyanov added: ‘We have already gone through Soviet times, when genetics was long considered a pseudoscience.’
Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union between 1924 and 1953, stopped the study of conventional genetics to favour the theories of Trofim Lysenko, who claimed the concept of genes was a ‘bourgeois invention’ and that acquired traits, which are believed to actually develop during a lifetime, are instead inherited.
