God’s Simple Message

A theory

Modern humans go back 300,000 years, but researchers believe humans existed in Africa for a million years before various species spun off into modern species such as ours, Sapiens.

Recent articles in major newspapers pointed out evidence of a human species called Homo naledi that lived in Africa between 241,000 and 335,000 years ago.

Our human cousins from prehistoric times lived arduous lives running from predators. Their instincts drove them to survive. Evolution left them with a small brain compared to ours.

Per a New York Times article, “Homo naledi, were short, with long arms, curved fingers and a brain about one-third the size of a modern human. They lived around the time the first humans were roaming Africa.” Regardless, evidence points to Homo naledi burying their dead.

In addition, the Naledis carved symbols resembling a hashtag on their cave wall. Seriously.

Experts previously credited Homo sapiens for being the first to bury their dead and practice occurred around 92,000 years ago, which is why the evidence of Naledi’s burial is a big deal.

Current humans didn’t think 300,000-year-old humans evolved enough to care.

I wonder. Did the smaller-brained Naledi believe in an afterlife?

Egyptians believed in the afterlife, but only in 3000 BC or so.

The Vedas, scripture written by the Hindus, mention the afterlife but only 1500 years BC. Socrates spoke of the immortal soul in 500 BC. After that, we have Abrahamic religions and many others.

What did the Naledi hashtags mean? Egyptians buried their dead with material to help them on their journey to immortality. Could the symbols the Naledi carved in Africa mean something like:

We will see you when we join you to the other side.

Or perhaps the hashtag meant:

Follow this family and leave up to fifty notches in the wall to show you liked us.

I’m intrigued by the actions of the Naledi. Is it possible the spirit of God called to them and said:

Every life counts. Treat it with dignity and respect.

We have scripture from thousands of years ago, and we, in the monotheistic religions, believe God spoke to Abraham first and made a covenant with him. People continue to be committed to the thread Abraham started.

But what if God messaged us continually throughout the ages in different ways?

What if Naledi heard messages as prophets did?

Perhaps God started a perpetual beacon at the big bang and continues to send them. If so, many have misinterpreted it, and the results have been disastrous.

How many religious zealots caused the destruction of lives? How many atheists tried suppressing religion by torturing and murdering people?

Goodness reigns amongst most people. We see this when tragedy strikes, and they band together to assist one another. I see volunteers delivering food, visiting the sick, and comforting the downtrodden. What if the creator wants us to care for one another and the religious stuff is simply dogma linked to interpretations people practiced at various times in history?

I say God, the creator, spoke to every life since life began from the primordial ooze billions of years ago. The message is “Care for one another.” Life forms process the message based on the phase of their evolution, historical time, culture, and other factors.

How else can we explain the differences between so many religions, including the religion of atheism? Christians alone produced thousands of denominations.

Charles Darwin would differ. He would say creation resulted in brains wired for survival of the fittest. I would say, Charles, with due respect, God did the wiring.

I like my creation theory and I like my template for interpreting it.

What are your thoughts on my theory?