What would God think?

[Mark of Zorro]

I hate spiders. This old house used to have them all over the outside, but after a few years squishing them and taking their webs down, don't see too many. But still, some webs here and there.

The other day, I saw a dragonfly stuck in a web. Now, I like dragonflies. I figured he must not have been up there long or I would have seen him before. He was not moving though. My wife figured he must be dead, but I know how insects just stop trying after a while. I got a ladder and a broom, got on the ladder and carefully got him down. He moved.

Then began the process of getting the webbing off him; no easy task while making sure you don't tear his limbs off or bust his wings up. But using my knife, a tiny pair of scissors and some tweezers, I began to clean him off. It was really hard to get his wings separated for some tiny strands linking them. Also one leg was attached to one wing with a strand between them it was hard to get that off. Took me 25 to 30 minutes, then he flew off.

So here is the question: assuming there is a God, what would he think of this? Would he think it positive that I saved this one dragonfly, taking time and care, perhaps because I showed such gentleness to my wife and son? Would he consider it at least good exercise of my motor skills? Would he think me a fool for spending my time such? Would he be annoyed that I denied a spider a meal, or that I just threw a tiny monkey wrench into the natural selection machine? Or would he be neutral, considering all of the above, and/or just considering it all insignificant in the grand scheme of things? Or just view it as the way I choose to exercise my free will, neither positive nor negative?

I think the typical first reaction of most people would be "Oooh, you did such tiny but good deed!" and God would be proud. I know I would and did think this way off the cuff. But I think its basically just the way I, and most of us, are programmed. Scratch the surface though, and things look different. Your thoughts?

 

[Tamayo]

So here is the question: assuming there is a God, what would he think of this?

I think that being clear on which God we're talking about here is probably the most important and difficult task for this question. Unless we have that answer (and probably even if we do have it), I'm not sure how an opinion on the topic could be anything but subjective.

or that I just threw a tiny monkey wrench into the natural selection machine?

This is probably an odd detail to get caught up on, but sometimes I wonder whether human development should be considered natural. After all, natural selection doesn't necessarily have to be a good thing for everyone. For example, it isn't too favorable for the brightest, prettiest flowers when it comes to Humans and their taste for color. Anyway, sometimes I feel that -- although I understand and agree that we Humans have a great responsibility that accompanies our intellect and influence over the world -- we worry too much about changing "nature" since we're just as much a part of it as the plants and animals we have power over.

Or just view it as the way I choose to exercise my free will, neither positive nor negative?

... Your thoughts?

It's funny that you should mention this, actually. I've been working on a few "thinking projects", for lack of a better term (not sure if you could call it philosophy), where I try to sum up my thoughts and sort out what I believe about reality. I have about 5 different ongoing essays I'm working on which I add to whenever I think of a new element or when I experience something relevant.

In one of these topics, I've come to believe that intent is the only thing that matters in this world. (Saw this in a commercial once) Imagine, for example, if your child wants to help out and do you a favor by washing your car. Turns out, the windows were open the whole time and the inside is totally drenched and full of suds. Can you be angry at them, or appreciate their intent? The same goes a child who says that they hate you. Maybe a child doesn't have the broadest vocabulary with which to inflict a lot of emotional pain on someone, but the feelings they convey with their words can hurt a lot.

The same goes, I think, for the argument of "If [insert religious belief here] is true, then what about these people who live diehard for [insert different religion]?" At least in a world where a god wanted to be fair to people, I don't think that those whose intents were genuinely good will be judged in black and white based solely on the substance of their actions. For this reason, in my own beliefs, I feel that there really isn't nearly the sort of black and white aspect to right and wrong as a lot of people think.

So, in short, I think it's intent over substance. I think that you had a great intent in mind, regardless of those who may disagree with you tampering with "nature" or those who agree with you.

 

[BrianLewis]

From a Christian standpoint, I would assume that it is a reflection of how you are capable of showing compassion for other human beings. It is said that we have domain over animals. However, this domain should not include causing extinction, only utilizing them for our benefit, either as sustenance or companionship. If one were to regard an insect or an animal with compassion, and then treat a human with less than that degree of compassion, your likely to be viewed as someone that views the world upside down.

You can draw a parallel with the commandment to "honor thy father and mother." Whether or not your parents are good or bad people, it shows respect towards the ultimate father of us all, and a willingness to honor Him.

If you are talking about other religions, I suppose there are all sorts of "karma points" you could get for helping animals, with no relevance towards humanity. I would be interested in seeing any profound philosophical perspective coming from other religions. So far I have not seen any practical arguments, or ones that make any common sense, as of yet.

That said, I have plenty of experience being around people that have the utmost regard for insect life, yet treat their fellow human beings like they are garbage. I can't understand anyone that would place animals so highly over humans.

On a side note, I find it humorous that conservationists go on and on about lessening our impact on indigenous species. However, they never hesitate to help keep a species from going extinct that would naturally do so without our interference. If they believe in evolution, would it not be their obligation not to interfere in either a positive or negative manner? It seems to me that they are simply on an ego trip, with their crusade to save (fill in the blank). If one were to believe in evolution, wouldn't their aide interfere with the next species to fill that position naturally?

 

[Mark of Zorro]

This is probably an odd detail to get caught up on, but sometimes I wonder whether human development should be considered natural.

Well, in this case it would be human interference. What I did had nothing to do with the future survival of dragonflies, and that is what natural selection is aimed at. What I did, at worst, was reintroduce a dragon fly dumb enough to get caught in a web. As a result, I may have slowed a potential process of dragonflies becoming smart enough not to do that. What I did was more like random selection, done out of pity.