Posted by Jason on: 04.10.2008 /
I receive a daily quote along with a word of the day in my email from wordsmith.org. These little snippets of wisdom give me a few moment of quiet reflection so I look forward to them with an almost religious fervour. ;)
Here is today’s:
Nothing is more humbling than to look with a strong magnifying glass at an insect so tiny that the naked eye sees only the barest speck and to discover that nevertheless it is sculpted and articulated and striped with the same care and imagination as a zebra. Apparently it does not occur to nature whether or not a creature is within our range of vision, and the suspicion arises that even the zebra was not designed for our benefit.
- Rudolf Arnheim, psychologist and author (1904-2007)
It reminded me of the furore over Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The idea of an designer implies that the creation has a purpose. Religion makes the claim that the creation is directly for the benefit of God’s faithful. I know that it’s not just me who thinks that this is incredibly arrogant and conceited. If we are the product of some kind of divine creator then so is a zebra and so is the humblest of insects. Why should humans as a species receive such special favour above any other animal?
Comment by: Ir (Helen)
1Nice quote.
Although, I see a loophole in the argument: what if the insect was designed by someone who knew we’d have magnifying glasses and microscopes one day? :)
If the earth and everything in it belongs to God then humans don’t have the right to ruin it by wantonly plundering it, since ultimately it’s not theirs. If someone lends you their car for a while they’d expect you to take care of it and give it back in good shape except for reasonable wear and tear.
Believing in God therefore, I think, should lead to humility and an attitude “we’re responsible to look after this carefully” not “we can do whatever we like with this because God made it for us!”
Comment by: Stephan
2According to the Bible (which I happen to believe while understanding it holds no particular authority for you) we are the only beings created “in God’s image”. This gives us special favour (or favor for those of us on this side of the Atlantic (I always thought it was funny that there are so many words we spell differently even though we speak the same language. (When Americans want to seem smart they often spell things the European way. Do Europeans have anything like that?))).
Comment by: Mike O
3I don’t think any reasonable Christian really thinks that the earth is ours to plunder as we wish. As you said in your first quote - we’re responsible to look after it, but at the same time, according to Genesis, the Earth is ours to use. God did put man on earth as greater than the other animals. And by extension, it is here for our use. But no reasonable Christian would think that we can just have a wanton disregard for God’s creation. We don’t own it - God does. But he’s put us here to care for it.
And from your quote, Jason,
This is exactly the kind of thing that itnerests me with this whole Christian-atheist dialogue thing we do. I can look at bug through a magnifying glass and see evidence of God. An atheist apparently sees evidence of “not God.” That’s interesting to me.
Comment by: Jason
4I believe that we are not greater or even that much different from other animals. I see us as human animals not as humans and animals. That isn’t a (non)religious idea, of course.
Not evidence of “not God”, just not evidence of God. I find the universe quite splendid enough without the cumbersome addition of divinity.