Kneeling At The Altar Of Darwin

Well, not physically at least.

I have just finished reading 'The God Delusion' by Richard Dawkins. I'm now re-reading it - like anyone who enjoys a second helping of ice-cream after a sumptuous dinner - to make sure I don't leave any traces un-enjoyed.

I know at least one friend who owns the book, although I don't know if he has read it or not.

I thought it would be into 'bashing' the bible bashers, but actually it's not like that at all. It's more like a parent explaining the birds and the bees to an adolescent, and helping them to leave their childish beliefs and worries behind.

I've always been a fence sitter when it comes to God. Like any law of physics, it has always been the equality of the two forces, Atheism and Theism, which has kept me there, somewhere in between, swaying slightly in the breeze. But the Dawkins book, a bible for Atheists (although he would hate me to say it) has turned that Atheistic breeze into a wind of change, and the metaphysical topple has begun.

Like a huge cup of tea, if the contents are stirred enough, and the right amount of milk and sugar is added to sweeten, the force of the liquid will overcome the natural tendancy of the teacup to stay in it's saucer, and things will start to spill over.

I feel like that teacup. I've has my emotions stirred by Dawkins' spoon, I've left the saucer, and I'm spiralling towards a soft landing in the deep-pile carpet of Darwinism with a strange sense of familiarity.

Familiarity? Well, yes. Familiarity because all those feelings of 'just living somewhere behind my eyeballs' is something I thought just happened to me, and it turns out its a recognised state. Just like Dualism. I've now been shown the signpost to Sensetown, and I'm stepping out on that road, knowing I'm not alone any more; the whole of the human race is with me.

Perhaps thats what it feels like when someone who is spiritually lost finds God, and a church. I can now identify with them. But it's not God I've found, it's me, and the church of humanity.

Evolution is beautiful. It's cathedral is the planet we live on. It is everywhere and yet no-where. It is infinitely complex, majestic, satisfying and true. All powerful, all seeing, all hearing, even handed, never brutal, and we are it's most gifted products - it's children.

Perhaps that's what Jesus really tried to tell us - he just gave it another name.

Sergei