Sins of the fathers visit the children.....

[anwin]

Hi everyone,

Most ancient religions tell us that the.... 'sins of the fathers visit the children'. Is this true?

The science of epigenetics is a field that has become prominent only in the last decade and its still in its infancy. But it is revolutionary and goes far beyond genetics. (Epigenetics meaning 'beyond genetics').

Our lifestyle, behavior and exposure to certain environmental factors release certain chemicals in our body which get deposited along the DNA strand on our genes. These chemicals can affect gene expression by switching the genes on or off. These changes to gene expression can be passed on to our offspring.... and affect their health and behavior. Up to five generations can be affected by our lifestyle. This process is called epigenetics.

Inheritance = genes + epigenes.

In other words....if a person is exposed to stress, wrong diet, sexual promiscuity, drinking or other lifestyle issues....their gene expression could get affected and ....through the epigenetic process.....these changes would get passed on to their children... such that they could develop diabetes, cancers, risk to Alzheimer, autism, nervous disorders and so on. Even sexuality has been seen to be affected by epigenetics.

Here are some articles on this subject.......

Epigenetics-Beyond Genes Spirituality Science

Epigenetics - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

The important point here is that our lifestyle and behavior affect the health and well being of our children for up to five generations.

Epigenetics could slowly become more important than genetics and could explain many aspects of our inheritance and many evolutionary processes also. It is possible that the main difference between different humans in the world is due to epigenetics rather than genetics. In fact, the major differences between humans and primates could be due to epigenetics. Even homosexuality has been linked to epigenetic changes.

So...what does this mean? If any of us lead highly stressed lives or adopt a very liberal lifestyle.....it is possible that our children could face the consequences through disease and other such problems. In other words...'the sins of the fathers visit the children'...just like the ancients said.

Best Wishes.

anwin

 

[HaShev]

Or just cause & effect, action reaction.
Look at the crisis in Iraq today.
Started as Sunni's misstreating Shiites and Kurds, then when Shiites maintained control they reacted poorly treating and shutting out Sunni's.
Thus continuing the pattern where Baath Sunni's resorted back in reaction to misstreating Shiites and Kurds again.
The acts of the Iraqi Baath party Sunni fathers againt Iran causes Iran today to take on the sons of these Baath party fathers called Isis.

 

[turzovka]

Hi everyone,

Most ancient religions tell us that the.... 'sins of the fathers visit the children'. Is this true?

The science of epigenetics is a field that has become prominent only in the last decade and its still in its infancy. But it is revolutionary and goes far beyond genetics. (Epigenetics meaning 'beyond genetics').

Our lifestyle, behavior and exposure to certain environmental factors release certain chemicals in our body which get deposited along the DNA strand on our genes. These chemicals can affect gene expression by switching the genes on or off. These changes to gene expression can be passed on to our offspring.... and affect their health and behavior. Up to five generations can be affected by by our lifestyle. This process is called epigenetics.

Inheritance = genes + epigenes.

In other words....if a person is exposed to stress, wrong diet, sexual promiscuity, drinking or other lifestyle issues....their gene expression could get affected and ....through the epigenetic process.....these changes would get passed to their children... such that they could develop diabetes, cancers, risk to Alzheimer, autism, nervous disorders and so on. Even sexuality has been seen as caused by epigenetics.

Here are some articles on this subject.......

Epigenetics-Beyond Genes Spirituality Science

Epigenetics - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

The important point here is that our lifestyle and behavior affect the health and well being of our children for up to five generations.

Epigenetics could slowly become more important than genetics and could explain many aspects of our inheritance and many evolutionary processes also. It is possible that the main difference between different humans in the world is due to epigenetics rather than genetics. In fact, the major differences between humans and primates could be due to epigenetics. Even homosexuality has been linked to epigenetic changes.

So...what does this mean? If any of us lead highly stressed lives or adopt a very liberal lifestyle.....it is possible that our children could face the consequences through disease and other such problems. In other words...'the sins of the fathers visit the children'...just like the ancients said.

Best Wishes.

anwin

I am not here to discount these scientific discoveries, but only to offer my perspective.

Science helps to manifest the presence of God and spirit. Science can never explain the origin of life or near death experiences or the “sins of the father visited upon the children” without the admission or effects of the spirit or soul.

Body and spirit are the same being. They each affect the other. Man is a spirit body, and not a spirit trapped in a body.

As far as the father’s sins are concerned, one can reference Scripture for some considerations. When the Lord says “he that soweth the wind reap the whirlwind” all one needs to do is look around. I would describe whatever the sixties begot as the "whirlwind generations."

 

[anwin]

I agree with both of you. My point is that....in earlier decades, genetics could not explain how lifestyle changes could affect our progeny since lifestyle did not (normally) affect the DNA.

Now there is a scientific mechanism by which it can be explained as to how certain types of behavior and certain lifestyles can adversely affect the health and well being of future generations. This translates directly into the idea of 'sins of the fathers visit the children'.

 

[anwin]

What most of us believe about cause and effect and the idea of 'what goes around comes around' or Karma... is fine. I believe in the law of Karma too.

However, these are only beliefs and at best... philosophical ideas. There is no evidence for all this and no way in which we can establish that such effects actually happen. Till now that is......!

The process of epigenetics establishes just how our lifestyle can affect our lives and the lives of our children....for many generations. In-disciplined lifestyles can dramatically and adversely affect the lives of our children...resulting in autism, downs syndrome, diabetes, cancers, homosexuality....besides many other risks. See my above links.

In today's world when religious beliefs are being increasingly questioned....the above fact is something people should know so that they can understand the consequences of their 'liberal' lifestyles.

Leading disciplined lifestyles (even without religious beliefs) is imperative. This is my point.

 

[HaShev]

Actually there's 2 theorems David Bohm's and
Kohn's theorems together combine to prove interconectivity and opposite effects/entities.
But I like where you are going with the DNA effects as being relevant as well.
As the Evening Star has his Morning Star nemesis the Night had his Uday opposite, same age and everything.

 

[anwin]

Yes...there are many ways in which science can be interpreted. Philosophical issues are still open.

In the 20th Century many people thought that science has answered all questions and within a short time most doubts would be cleared and there will be no place for philosophy and spiritual matters.

But we are now finding that it is not so. Science has only found that the more the doors we open the more the doors that remain to be opened. The more we try to understand, the more complex it gets. This is true in almost all areas including cosmology, QM, evolution and genetics.

Epigenetics is one such complexity related to genetics and evolution. Its beginning to look as though Lamarckism is valid after all!