Darwin and COVID – Darwin didn’t say that the strongest survive.

I heard a restaurant owner on the news this morning talking about Darwin and COVID. He was talking about how Darwin didn't say that the strongest survive. Rather, Darwin said it was the most adaptable who survive. And this particular person wanted to be one of the adaptable ones who survive.

Darwin and Covid

There is, of course, a problem with that. Well, a few problems. The first one is that Darwin never actually said it was the most adaptable who survive! Here's some background on that.

“According to Darwin’s Origin of Species, it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.”

— Leon C. Megginson, Civilisation Past and Present, 1963

As you can see, the quote "sort of) is from Leon C. Megginson, while he was summarizing what Darwin said. But even there, it's not quite right! Here's a bit of background from It is not the strongest that survives.

Oops.

Lean. Mean. Take care of yourself. Let others worry about themselves.

Yeah - that's more in line with Darwin.

And seemingly more in line with the restaurant owner. He's concerned about himself. About his business. If others fail, it's because they didn't adapt. But that's not his problem.

It's also very much in line with the way many people tend to react when something like COVID happens.

Darwin and COVID - versus Christianity

So now we turn to a second problem with using Darwin and COVID to find a way to survive through the troubles.

Some non-Christians will adopt this adaptability approach. Honestly, while I don't agree with it, I also can't really judge it either. I'd like to. Truth is, sometimes I even do react to it. Eventually I realize that's not right. Not from a Christian point of view. We're supposed to remember things like the passage below from Paul.

Darwin and COVID - versus Christianity -- non-Christians who adopt the "Darwin" approach

Expel the Immoral Brother!

1Co 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3 Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

1Co 5:6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

1Co 5:9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.