Letter from a Reader:
I have been gratified to have received a letter from a faithful reader of this web site. This is the thrust:
“I have some evidence to back you up from all places, The Bible.
“Do you remember the story of Isaac and Rebekah?
“Abraham was told by God ‘Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee; And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.’
“When Abraham was old and dying, he said unto his oldest servant ‘That thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell. But thou shall go unto my country , and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.’
“The servant did as told, and met Rebekah, who was the granddaughter of Abraham's brother.
“Next when Isaac was old:
“Also, Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
“Arise go to Paddanaram, to the house of Bethuel, thy mother's father, and take a wife from there, of the daughters of Laban, thy mother's brother. And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people.
“So, they knew back then, marry a cousin and be fruitful.”
It may seem a stretch once again to refer to scripture when dealing with a scientific matter, but I have good precedent. Isaac Newton looked at scripture no doubt for mystical material but also because it was an extensive record at a time when records were rather sparse. And as far as records of genealogy and fertility, the Old Testament shows that the people who put it together had an enormous interest in the subjects over a very long time, so I think it fair to suggest one does not take their opinion lightly.
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