From The Vault Of Art Shay: Darwin

By Art Shay in News on Feb 20, 2014 8:50PM

The story of Evolution in its 500 million or so birthdays so far, as gently adumbrated by Darwin more than 150 years ago, can be discerned in this Wells Street coffee shop. It shows a magnificent Celebes sailfish , two of its simian descendants monkeying around, and a hard working waitress serving two patient customers sitting at the north end of their so-far evolution. The idea of men and women springing from fish and apes is repellent to many.

"Men never speak evil so convincingly," said Blaise Pascal, "as when they do it from religious conviction. His countrywoman, Simone de Beauvoir, once scolded her lover, Nelson Algren, when he said, "God damn!" over a trifle. "How can you damn Someone you don't believe in?" she purred. "Ok," he corrected, "Fuck!" "Much better," Simone said.

Serving God by selling subscriptions to His word in print, these two Evangelicals can't wait for the Rapture to begin.

At a dancing class for teenage girls a hip young west side Chicago priest encourages his charges to learn advanced skills in the Lindy Hop.

The title of this picture is, "Monkey at Brookfield Zoo, descends from 10 Zookeepers."

The bonnet monkeys at Brookfield Zoo all have to make a choice at the age of one year. Their heads become too big for easy traffic between the bars- so they have to choose between living in captivity or in relative freedom, outside the cage. Inside they score food, shelter and freedom from attack by dogs and cats. Outside they have to take their chances. Whatever the evolutionary reasons--they always choose captivity.

As we humans approach the end of our days we generally wonder at our "future." At our punishment for living sinful lives. Books "describing" a pleasant "Heaven" and afterlife sell well. Most of us atheists feel that if there is a God and He did indeed make our world, he made it a very cruel world. As my father used to say, "If there is a God, why does he give polio to so many children, and starvation to the underclasses?"

(Legendary Chicago-based photographer Art Shay has taken photos of kings, queens, celebrities and the common man in a 60-year career. This week Art honors Charles Darwin in his own inimitable way.)

Deep in the jungles of the Bronx a member of the great Christian majority, the Evangelicals, heads front and center to be saved in time for the Rapture.

It is 205 years this very week since Charles Darwin was born and gave his name and his life to the serious fun and games of Evolution and Natural Selection. He was a playful man who liked a good joke and willingly accepted the invitation to serve as Patron of the Cat Show in 1872. He allowed that "people might refuse to go and see a bunch of atheistical cats."

He became one, sort of.

These and other cats from the religious opposition to evolutionary science being even a day older than the biblical limit of 6,000 years, er, dogged him all his life after returning from a five-year trip on the sailboat-archeological goldmine, The Beagle. Notably, the controversial 1925 John Scopes trial in Dayton, Tenn., in which the brave high school teacher was convicted of the heresy of teaching Evolution vs. biblical determinis in the classroom. Famous orator and three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan prevailed as prosecutor over rational defense lawyer Clarence Darrow. Scopes lost thanks to a Bible Belt jury and was fined $100 in one of the most Pyrrhic of victories in our history.

As atheism has grown to some 18 percent of our population, the controversy rages on the best-seller lists which consistently have a book touting some afterworld "religious" experience. This kid has visited Heaven. This murdered girl has an epiphany about her murderer. This town gets phone calls from the Hereafter.

Happy 205th Charles Darwin, cats, Evolution, 10 kids with his cousin Emma, troubled sleep in Westminster Abbey, and all.

If you can't get enough of Art Shay's words and photos, please check out the photographer's blog, which is updated regularly. Art Shay's book, Chicago's Nelson Algren, is also available at Amazon.