Yesterday on a sunny spring afternoon I was sitting outside on our patio when I noticed a lowly earthworm slowly inching his way across. For some bizarre reason a bunch of questions surfaced. I wondered, how old is this creature? What must his life be like? Is he happy? How much time does he have left before he dies? Why is he taking this risk since I could stomp on him and it would all be over or a robin could swoop down and pick him off?

Perhaps silly questions but answers immediately popped up in my mind. Well, worms probably do not have long lives, and he (or she) is probably thinking about one of two things—sex or food. And then another question: What do we humans have in common with a lowly worm? And the answer to that is –a lot more than you might think. What we humans have in common with all animal (and plant) life on the planet Earth is that we all have a beginning and an end. We all are  born and we all die. And yes, we think a lot about food and sex. Plus, we are all programmed. The fate of all living creatures is determined in part by our DNA. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the molecule containing the genetic instructions for the development, function, and reproduction of all known living organisms. And the first task of every living creature and plant is survival. The second is to reproduce.

Yet most of us humans think that we are not just another animal, that we are special. Certainly, that is the Biblical message of creation. We are made “in the image of God.” Most religions place the human species as being qualitatively different, not merely quantitatively different. I would argue the opposite. We have constructed the idea of God in our image, not the other way around. And yes, of course, we are different from the lowly worm and other animal species, but we humans are different in degree, not in kind. We are different because our brains are the largest of any species on the planet compared to the size of our bodies. This has happened over millions of years as our species has evolved due to the principle of survival of the fittest. That Charles Darwin figured this out is certainly one of the greatest discoveries in history. And this discovery could be considered breaking news. Our planet is two billion years old. The Origen of the Species was published in 1859, less than 200 years ago.

So, when you get down to it, as hard as it is to admit, we really are not all that different from the lowly worm. All animals are motivated fundamentally by survival and reproduction, and all animals are programmed by their DNA. And if you have ever been close to a pet dog or even a cat, or another animal you love, you probably feel like I do that these wonderful creatures must have a soul.

But what does this all mean? How can you accept that we may have more in common with other species than we might have acknowledged? And how does this jibe with religious beliefs and practices of us humans? If you accept that we are just another animal, does this make you an atheist? And where does God fit into the picture?

If you have been following my blog you will observe that these are not new questions. In fact you could argue that I probably am obsessed with this question. But you also must admit, I have tried my best to understand. I earned a Master of Divinity from a top notch seminary and at one point was in line to be an ordained an Episcopal priest. And perhaps most baffling of all, I have stuck with the Episcopal church all these years and still (with Embry) attend services regularly. I have paid my dues. Hey, I am now in my 85th year, hobbling along on the last lap as best as I can using my hiking stick or a rollator. The questions of life’s meaning and purpose are real and existential. That I do not have all the answers is not that unusual for folks my age—or for most people of any age.

But let’s be clear: I am not an atheist. To be an atheist requires as much “faith” as to be a believer. “Faith” that there is no inherent meaning to our existence and that genuine spirituality is a mirage–is a big jump. The indisputable fact is that we humans do not have all the answers and that we never will. Above our pay grade, as they say in Washington. All we can do is hobble along, trying to live the best lives we can and to take seriously the best teachings of religion –to love your neighbor is at the top of my list—and to pay attention to the wisdom of holy people. And as to what happens next, the Apostle Paul got it right when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “”For now, we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

Visit me on Substack!
Subscribe to my Substack!