I can't get my head round this

Isn't there a bit about "God created man in his own image" ? Then surely he must have included an ability to observe and reason?

What I believe is that God(s) are created by Man in his own image. And sometimes He chucks in a female deity for good measure.

I suppose they serve a purpose of you're bothered, but those of us who see no purpose for them don't miss them Free and easy and proud of our human achievements, which continue to increase the longer we exist.

We're a success story, us.

Not as successful as cockroaches! And we have such mighty intellects that we understand all there is to know about everything.

We do try to understand, and we can build on what has been done by others to add to what is understood. That is where we differ from the other primates, who pass on their knowledge about practical things - what not to eat, how to look after your baby - but not their thoughts.

That doesn't mean they don't think. Now if it were cats......

Oh the cats have it all sussed out.

That's allright, lily. I expect there are a few other species that are more successful in their niches than us. So what? That doesn't detract from human achievement and human understanding, nor even from human lack of understanding which, of course, is still huge. Again, so what? All the more reason to keep on trying in our various ways.

Our cat, Rory, spends all day pretending to think...

How do you know he's pretending, Soop?

Good question, anno

Viruses are pretty successful.

And bacteria.

And midges

Woodlice....

And isn't it nice to know that all life on Earth is related? Auntie virus, Great Uncle Bacterium, the Midges and Woodlice, the daffodils, oaks and sardines... all members of the extended Life family.

Well, I think so, anyway.

feetle

feetle, agreed. And all of it is ancient, rearranged startdust.

cross out a t

stardust

...and I think so too, feetle

Startdust is a pretty good word, Bags, whether you think that God created Adam out of clay or that the universe began with a speck of matter formed from sheer energy in the big bang.