Jon Entine is an internationally respected, Emmy-winning documentary producer and writer on public policy issues related to religion, science and society, sustainability and corporate ethics. He is an adjunct fellow at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in Washington, D.C., and is contributing editor to NGOWatch.com. He also writes the column “The Last Word: The Contrarian,” for Ethical Corporation.
Abraham’s Children takes the reader on a journey through Jewish history using the prism of state of the art genetic science. In the new age of human biodiversity research, people all over our planet are learning about their connection to the past and about where and who they come from. The genetic history of the Jewish people is both fascinating and at times quite surprising. Like the discovery of a small tribe of Africans in Zimbabwe that are actually more Jewish than many American Jews.
I caught up with Jon for a phone interview at 8:30 AM (5:30 for me) last Wednesday during a rare moment of not being on a plane. Jon is in the middle of a whirlwind tour promoting his new book.
GATHER: In your bio I read that your main motivation for this book was based on your experience with family members that had been diagnosed with a type of breast cancer linked to a genetic mutation common in Jews. But the book is a lot more about who the Jews really are than it is about medical genetics. Describe your thought process going into this project.
ENTINE: Well, I had written a book that came out in 2000, Taboo, Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We’re Afraid to Talk About it, which took up sibling issues to Abraham’s Children. Really the nexus of identity genes and it’s a very complex subject obviously that stirs all kinds of emotions. I think of the first stage of human biodiversity research that ended with the unveiling of a crude genome map as the Koombaya stage, where we all discovered that we have a shared genetic blueprint for humanity. But we actually are now understanding how different we are and I explored that in Taboo. And then when my family tragedy happened with my sister getting breast cancer and that touched off memories of 30 years before when in a 2 year period my Grandmother, my aunt, and my mother died from Breast or ovarian cancer it became very personal to me and something I needed to explore. And I was always curious about my own Jewish identity.
GATHER: Yes, it seemed very personal in places.
ENTINE: Yeah, it’s funny because I would describe myself as a practicing atheist Jew. Which might be weird to other people, I mean I really don’t believe in God, I’m quite secular in my beliefs and don’t remember believing in God from the first time I could think about it. And for a long period of time I was ambivalent about my Jewish religion although I’ve always considered myself Jewish, I thought I was culturated to the religion. But over time and partly through the revelations about my sisters diagnosis posed the whole question of ancestry, I mean Judaism is really a tribal religion, it’s not just a faith based religion. Jesus really modernized religion in that he opened it up to everyone. You became a follower of Christ because you were willing to believe in a personal relationship with God. Judaism is partly about that, but it’s also about a people and about a connection to a land. God said I will give you a nation. Even if you don’t believe that, those are the defining precepts of the religion. And those things suddenly seemed a lot richer, they weren’t just words on paper, they were something that was very personal to me and I wanted to understand this who is a Jew question, it’s both kind of silly and fascinating at the same time. But it does touch off different nuances to this thread that makes up a tribal religion that is very rich and that became something I felt compelled to do.
GATHER: I really liked the way you seemed to be able to line up the Biblical accounting of Jewish history along side the archeological evidence and the genetic data without editorializing about the obvious contradictions. You simply state the contradiction and leave it to the reader to make his own conclusion. I find it to be an extremely refreshing departure from most books I’ve experienced on social and scientific issues. Was it a conscious effort?
ENTINE: Oh yeah, very much so, I mean look, I have a lot of respect for people who are strong believers and I majored in religion and philosophy in college, an Episcopalian founded college, Trinity college in Hartford Connecticut. I have friends that range from Orthodox Jews to Evangelical Christians. Breaking people up into categories and not respecting their beliefs is not something that rings true for me and would make me very uncomfortable. I was hoping that this book would not be seen as a polemic, but rather be seen as a discussion. I’ve gotten some attacks from people who say it’s an argument. They say “”Jon Entine’s argument is...” And I actually corresponded with one person who admitted they had not read the book, but had based their opinion on an article about the book. I found that disappointing because I was very careful how I chose my words.
GATHER: That your book Abraham’s Children is a controversial book goes without saying. And I read that getting it published was a bit problematic. Talk about what that was like. And tell us; how are you faring in the storm that must be brewing over your head right now?
ENTINE: We had to change publishers because the first one wanted to publish the book before I thought it was ready. But there were no politics involved. To your point, will it create a political storm, I hope it doesn’t. I didn’t see this book as controversial. I saw the one chapter on Jewish IQ as somewhat controversial, but I didn’t write that as a polemic either. I reported a study by three Christian scientists who discuss a very testable hypothesis that there is a genetic component to the fact that Jews test higher on IQ tests. Other than that, I think the book is meant to be reflective of how DNA might make us rethink our Biblical connections.
GATHER: This whole question of just what the term “race” means seems very complicated. Coming away from this project, tell us how your perceptions of that term have changed.
ENTINE: Well, you know “race” is the hot potato. I ran the gauntlet with Taboo and it was amazingly well received. I think my view of race became more nuanced. I recognized how we carry what anthropologists call a folkloric view of race. And when you write about genetics, you realize your talking about populations, not race. It’s like when you look at a color spectrum. Close up you see how the colors blend from one to another. But from far away the colors look distinct, almost like there are lines between them.
GATHER: Well, I learned a lot about Jewish history, and the things genetics is revealing about who we all are is amazing. Wrap up for us; where does this book leave us in our understanding of this issue, and tell us what you hope to accomplish by the effort.
ENTINE: As I mentioned earlier in the interview, we’ve been through this Koombaya phase of genetic research and public discourse about it, the “we are all the same, there are no races” phase. And now we’re in the difficult part where we are discovering human differences and confronting what that means. We’re confronting even brain differences. And the reason we’re doing this is not because we are interested in intelligence, we’re doing it to better understand the nature of disease and looking to cures. We can’t avoid talking about human differences now and what I was hoping to accomplish with Abraham’s Children was to frame a popular discourse. Come up with a language, a lexicon that would allow us to discuss our differences and our rich shared values in a religious sense. And if we can discuss this in a civil and constructive way, we can all reap the benefits of human biodiversity research, the genetic revolution that is unfolding before us.
Click here to check out Abraham's Children
********************
Devin Barber, Politics Correspondent
Devin’s column, “Left Of The Right” published weekly to Gather Essentials: Politics is a Blue Collar Democrats take on current political news.
Devin was raised by proud Roosevelt Democrats. Being the son of parents counted among the throng of Americans displaced by the Great Depression has given Devin a deep rooted passion for causes dealing with the poor and the working class.
You can find all of Devin’s columns at http://gather.com/leftoftheright
You can keep up with Devin’s postings and his Gather activity by joining his Gather network. Just click here: http://kiwina58.gather.com and then select the orange “Connect” button on the left-hand side of the page.
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Comments: 26
You asked some good questions and got some good answers. I'm looking forward to reading this book.
Only the truth will free us ...
I like that "the book is meant to be reflective of how DNA might make us rethink our Biblical connections." It's a brave foray Entine has entered into, but Abraham's Children is sure to be an interesting read!
Not so easlly testable with the IQ question. For example, most but not all minorities usually score lower on IQ tests than do middle class white kids, regardless of religion or ethniciity. The Asian kids usually score quite high on the IQ tests and on tests generally, which raises a similar IQ question to the one you raise.
But IQ tests and standardized testing have been equated with socio-economic factors, which puts most minorities at a severe disadvantage and puts most whites at an advantage.
Also, do not discount the fact that 100 years ago, virtually all our ancestors were 'working class' or 'farmers.' It was not until the GI bill post WWII that many men and women were able to go to college for the first time and thus raise their familiy's income for generations to come. This was my father's fortune and that of many I know.
The reall thing about intelligence is that there are so many types of intelligence, most of which never get tested on IQ or standardized tests - so the whole 'who is smarter' question is pretty mute.
My husband is also a psychologist who has both administered tests and who has studied testing models and the socio economic factors relating to this.
Regarding the so-called breast cancer gene found in many people of certain types of Jewish heritage, I do not regard this correlation as the word of God, either.
There are so many factors relating to carcinogens, cancer and who gets it and who does not that we should not rush to draw hard and fast conclusions.
Hormones, use of the Birth Control pill for a long period of time, drinking wine with Sulfites, a psychological predisposition to auto immune weakness, may all play a part in who gets cancer and who does not.
We simply do not know.
There was a highly controversial book in the 1970s by a sociologist who claimed that blacks are genetically disposed to having a lower IQ. Such racist bunk.
I work in a field now where most people have not been to college. Nearly to a person, these fine people have been working in their field for many years and I cannot tell the difference between my co-workers and many people I know who finished a four year program.
Education is the key. Good testing is the result of preparation and luck on the part of those who test well.
"I would describe myself as a practicing atheist Jew" . . .
" I'm quite secular in my beliefs"
Um . . . that is double-talk sure as something made little green apples. Secular means NOT relating to religion. It does NOT mean either adhering to ANY religion, god or no. And it does NOT mean atheism, which as used here, quite obviously relates to religion.
"I've always considered myself Jewish, I thought I was culturated to the religion. But over time and partly through the revelations about my sisters diagnosis posed the whole question of ancestry . . . "
Um . . . red alert, that word BUT, is clearly out of place, and should read AND. Is the man claiming that some other mysterious power led him to consider himself Jewish? . . . well, lets inch further here;
", I mean Judaism is really a tribal religion, it's not just a faith based religion"
Oh, I see. This gentleman is elevating tribalism above all those silly newcomers to the whole "religion" game. Ditching that "personal relationship to God" stuff just enhances the hell out of a religion. ; )
"but it's also about a people and about a connection to a land. God said I will give you a nation. Even if you don't believe that, those are the defining precepts of the religion."
No, if you don't believe in that, it doesn't define anything. This is a clever switcheroo; he wants the authority of Abraham's God, but wants to chuck the God. Then what we have is called Zionism.
"And those things suddenly seemed a lot richer, they weren't just words on paper, they were something that was very personal to me"
Yeah, I can sense that.
"To your point, will it create a political storm, I hope it doesn't."
Oh, yes, that makes sense; He "saw the one chapter on Jewish IQ as somewhat controversial", but he just had to put it in, cause three guys somewhere "discuss a very testable hypothesis". No chance the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and notoriety which will virtually guarantee he will get a whole lot more for his next few 'Awe shucks, I can't seem to stay away from controversy generating speculation' books, entered into the calculation.
But hey, why would he fib? After all, it makes folks feel kinda bad to do that sort of thing, we all know that. Of course he would not endure such a horrible fate for a mere fortune.
I was actually interested in this book, till I read this man's words.
This book is going on my reading list.
I think you've misinterpreted Entine's answers. But I've never experienced a time when you were not clinically oppositional to what ever issue was being discussed. It's apparently you're mantra.
I had one question I would have asked the author to expand on though...
First the author says:
> " I really don't believe in God, I'm quite secular in my beliefs and don't remember believing in God from the first time I could think about it"
and then he contradicts himself by telling us that:
> "I majored in religion and philosophy in college, an Episcopalian founded college, Trinity college in Hartford Connecticut."
I was interested in what brought about his change from being an atheist and then going into majoring in religion in college and I would have liked to hear about his thought process regarding this change.
I commented just the other day on a thread about this very book, expressing interest and appreciation for the insights into history which genetic sampling may provide. However, all that glitters is not gold.
I try to read carefully. I see a wealth of contradictions and convoluted rationales in what this author said here, and have noted some. You are perfectly free to discuss folk's observations, as are we all.
FCC should pull them off the air! Oops, should have done that a year or two ago when they started airing those documentaries.
Run! Run fast and report them! It isn't too late to get them off the airways for their lies!
Everything produced on a given subject is not equal.
"Run! Run fast and report them! It isn't too late to get them off the airways for their lies!"
I was thinking more in terms of cautioning folks that this is a commercial.
Our genetics, being distributed throughout our body, are the interface between the body and the spirit, a "transceiver" if you will, a two way communication system, the software program that INforms us and guides us ...
Many are different to one degree or another, all a part of natural diversity that gives strengths and weaknesses in certain areas ... the greatest exhibition of that being in the difference between man and woman ... those differences should ALLWAYS be appreciated, never denied or condemned.
The intention of man on earth is to be as we are, ego separates, to inquire and learn, to seek ultimate truth(s) ... when we find it we will find we are NOT separate egos !
Ten unsolicited points from the world's worst connection. Merry whatever you celebrate!
I just wanted to stop by since I am finally going through what is now listed as under 4,400 pieces of gather new mail that is sitting in my inbox on here.
With that mentioned I just came across either a mailing from you yourself, or someone else brought this piece to my attention. You or they felt that your creation should be shared with the gather community, which I am very glad that it was passed on to me to view. So I wanted to say Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to publish it here on gather for us to all view. :o)
As well before I leave you I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year... in 2009 :o)