Why Would Evolution Give Me a God Gene?

According to Richard Dawkins, author of The Blind Watchmaker, we humans are the product of blind, indifferent, non-caring evolution--survival of the fittest. There is compelling evidence to support this assertion.

After digging a plethora of pits and cleaning a lot of old skeletons with toothbrushes, scientists now believe the myriad of species that have existed on this planet had offspring with slight mutations. This fact would account for the diversity within each species. Then, as the theory of evolution goes, a non-random natural selection process wiped out those mutants that were not up to snuff and spared those that were most fit to survive in the given environment.

So, in this cold, hard, cruel world, if you have the goods to survive, you will live and pass on your qualified mutant genes to the next generation. Who knows, you might be the missing link. Your poor brothers and sisters, who drag their knuckles, will end up in a bone pile to later be cleaned by toothbrushes.

But what goods do we need to survive?

A. We need the ability to feed ourselves--check!
B. We need the ability to find water--check!
C. We need the ability to find or build shelter--check!
D. We need to be able to procreate (with or without Viagra)--YEAH, BABY!
E. We need MTV, TIVO, IPOD and the GOD gene--HUH?

Wait a minute! As long as our species satisfies requirements A through D, we should have no problem being fit enough to survive. So what's up with the GOD gene? Why would evolution give us that? Why do we have a need or desire for entertainment? Do we really need art or music or CNN commentary (yawn) to be fit enough to survive?

Well, we certainly do not need religion. Look at our nearest relatives the chimpanzees. They don't have religion or TIVO or IPODs. All a chimp needs is a banana or a limb to hang on to. The point is: they are fit enough to survive. They have been here on this planet as long as we have. (Note that evolution has not given them any extra whistles or bells.)

Insects have been here for around 300 million gazillion years. Where are their IPODs? Who do they worship? They don't have a GOD gene. In all the time they have been on earth, they never needed one to be fit enough to survive.

One could argue that the GOD gene is a random mutation, and even though it is unnecessary for mere survival, it does not make our species less fit to survive. Problem: no other creatures have it--not even insects with their vast numbers, time and potential to have a variety of mutations.

Dear reader, I think the murkiness of the Creation/Evolution debate should give way to crystal clarity at this point: our need or desire for things like religion, entertainment, art and music have NOTHING TO DO WITH EVOLUTION.

According to Richard Dawkins, evolution has no divine purpose, it has no soul! Therefore it can't be responsible for our needs and desires that transcend mere survival. If I am wrong, then the cockroaches on my countertop would be holding services:

"Let us bow our antennae in prayer. Dear RAID, do not forsake us. Do not flood us with your holy fumes for forty days and nights. Give us shelter from the storm in Noah's Roach Motel..."

To be fair, I think Dawkins' theory of blind, indifferent evolution adequately explains the existence of the vast majority of life. But let's face it, we humans received a bonanza bonus that no other creatures possess--a GOD gene.

I will now leave you to ponder who or what is responsible.

WP