See God        (face to face)

     Perhaps there is no better example of the range of human imagination, than the debate between those who espouse creation myths and those who uphold scientific theory. In their arguments one can see the breadth of our thinking, from that minority who feel they must believe that our kind coexisted with dinosaurs, so as to not challenge the writings of men who knew almost nothing about anything; to those who have discovered the trail and evidence of mutation, adaptation, and survival through the eras. It reminds us that at this moment, every stage of human development that has occurred thus far, can still be found on the planet. From dozens of primitive rainforest tribes that have never been in contact with the outside world, to astronauts performing scientific experiments on the International Space Station orbiting earth, we all continue together. Perhaps our next step will be to reconcile the continuing evolution in the animation of matter with the presence of a phenomenon that can only be called God.

     As is so often the case in earnest arguments with a multitude of participants, both are right and both are wrong. There is creation, but it is not thoughtful. God doesn’t think, imagine, or design. God doesn’t have, or have a need for, a brain. Life is an outcome of God’s existence, not an example of biological craftsmanship. There are variations that outperform and outlast other configurations within each species, but this does not negate creation. The unseen problem that is inherent in both positions is the idea that this matter must be resolved at the beginning of all things.

     Creation occurs in the continuous renewal and the endless stream of variations manifesting in every new version of this moment. In other words, creation only exists within this unending present moment, it is not part of a no-longer-existing past. Evolution reflects a quality of the life force that is radiating from the phenomenon we would all immediately call God, and evolution is apparent in both our form and our thinking.

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