| Our Human Struggle, In Broad Evolutionary Perspective | | | | beyond any other species upon our earth. We are still, |
| | | | | our own generation, in the 21st century, in the very |
| In broad evolutionary terms, our | | | | midst of crossing the Threshold, one side is totally |
| human Struggle might be conceived, simply, it has been | | | | instinctive animal, only in crossing over to the other side |
| to overcome and transcend animal instinct, our | | | | is intelligent being. |
| endeavor has been to become, by an incremental | | | | As long as we retain belief |
| progress, intelligent beings. Put literally, our Human | | | | systems as our cosmology, the foundation of our |
| Struggle has been our endeavor to overcome and | | | | human civilization, it is the assertion of this presentation, |
| transcend, to, by an incremental progress, adopt more | | | | we shall remain on the instinctive animal side of the |
| sophisticated motives than what our natural instincts | | | | mysterious and wondrous Threshold, only crossing |
| are. | | | | over to the other side is intelligent being. |
| Does not solid objective evidence | | | | Is this not the nature of our |
| indicate our own human ancestors showed no sign of | | | | religious beliefs? They do not originate in objective |
| intelligence beyond what the other animal species of | | | | observations. They do not persuade by objective |
| earth do? Do we not discover, in solid and objective | | | | proofs. They do not validate themselves upon |
| evidence, when our human ancestors first walked | | | | demonstrable logical progressions. They do not invite |
| upright, when we fashioned our first tools, before | | | | collaborative intelligent comprehension. Rather, |
| which we did not? Is not the unmistakable implication, | | | | conscious thought is essentially denied any role in the |
| our own human ancestors were totally animal | | | | establishment of the belief and its acceptance. In fact, it |
| instinctive? Are we not now, even our own generation, | | | | is claimed, it is warned with a straight faced |
| in the very midst of this emergence? Is not our own | | | | seriousness, our own human thoughts, intelligent or |
| generation engaged in this Struggle, endeavoring to | | | | otherwise, can only serve to mislead and delude us. |
| complete this emergence, the overcoming and | | | | We are persuaded not to question, not to think, but |
| transcendence of animal instinct, the adoption of more | | | | obediently submit. Oddly, are not our religious beliefs an |
| sophisticated, more intelligent being? | | | | argument against intelligent logic? In a very literal sense, |
| Is it maybe the supreme irony of | | | | our religious beliefs dissuade individual intelligent thought |
| our gradual acquisition of intelligence, indeed, this | | | | process. They insist upon a submission to authority, |
| acquisition still ongoing, that it has not been until the last | | | | that authority representing itself to be of divine origin. |
| few generations we have only now begun to realize | | | | Our religious beliefs are "thinking" done without the |
| what the literal and objective nature of our own | | | | conscious. When this curious oddity is viewed in the |
| Human Struggle actually is? Quite literally, we only now | | | | real and actual objective context it originated, only then |
| acquire a sufficient level of intelligence to begin to | | | | does this form of "thinking" make sense. Beyond this |
| coherently comprehend the true nature of our | | | | context, outside of it, it makes no sense at all. At this |
| objective reality, the mechanisms and processes by | | | | stage of our evolution, we are still emerging from total |
| which this reality actually unfolds. Literally lacking | | | | animal instinct, we are only now, literally, acquiring |
| intelligent objectivity, not yet having begun systematic | | | | intelligent thought processes. Our religious beliefs are a |
| direct observations by their waking senses of | | | | form of thought process in which intelligence is |
| objective realities, our rather recent ancestors had yet | | | | knocking on the door, seeking entrance, but it has not |
| to assemble a lucid and coherent cosmology, anything | | | | yet been permitted to enter through that door, which is |
| like a rational conceptualization of our own human | | | | the Threshold, one side is instinctive animal, only |
| beings. Rather than forming concepts upon direct | | | | crossing over to the other side is intelligent being. In a |
| observations of objective realities by their waking | | | | very real and literal sense, the source of our religious |
| senses and interpreting their observations employing | | | | beliefs and how we submit to them are more closely |
| demonstrable logical progressions, our ancestors | | | | related to impulsive reflexive animal instinct than |
| attributed to altered states of consciousness divine | | | | conscious and intelligent thought process. Is this not the |
| origin. Rather than reasoning in the conscious, our | | | | profound even transcendent difference between |
| human ancestors thought with their unconscious, | | | | reaching a conclusion by belief and reaching a |
| literally. And this, then, is the great Debate we are | | | | conclusion by direct observation resulting in an intelligent |
| engaged, whether that "thought" by the unconscious, in | | | | comprehension? |
| altered states of consciousness is Revelation, | | | | Has not this been presented the |
| transcendent Divine Truth, or whether that discovered | | | | origin of our religious beliefs? In ancient times, as the |
| by our waking senses, through systematic direct | | | | tales recall, there were but a few specific individuals |
| observations of objective realities, though not at all | | | | who were extraordinarily righteous. The rest of we, |
| Divine Truth, is nonetheless that which is truly | | | | the human species are corrupted. Only these specific |
| transcendent revelation. | | | | few refused to succumb to our general human |
| Is this, then, not "the" Issue? What | | | | corruption. The divine, acknowledging the righteousness |
| is the actual and real nature of our objective reality? | | | | of these specific few, chose to contact and |
| By what actual and real mechanisms and processes | | | | communicate with these specific few, and no other |
| does it unfold? What conceptualization should enlighten | | | | human being. Every other human being's corruption |
| and inform, thereby, guide our Human Struggle? | | | | made them unworthy of divine contact and |
| Was it not but a few short | | | | communication. Within this scenario, it is represented |
| centuries ago, we, the human species first conceived | | | | the divine designated these few to serve as its |
| of and adopted the scientific method? Was this not | | | | exclusive franchise proxies, to convey to the rest of |
| the most momentous leap in our entire evolution? Was | | | | the human species "the" Truth, "the" Truth was |
| this, in fact, precisely the point where intelligence, for | | | | knowable by no other means than the |
| the first time, became a stronger influence in our | | | | pronouncements of these few, designated by the |
| human beings than instinct? Before this momentous | | | | divine to serve as its exclusive franchise proxies. |
| leap, might it be said animal instinct exerted more | | | | When these few declared these contacts and |
| influence over our human beings than did intelligence? | | | | communications with the divine, this was the origin of |
| Before conceiving of and adopting the scientific | | | | our religious beliefs. History recalls there was some |
| method to guide our intelligent discovery, was not our | | | | disputation as to the validity, the objective reality of |
| progress comparatively slow? Since the adoption of | | | | these claims by these few. In fact, tyranny was not |
| the scientific method, its form and standard guiding us, | | | | merely skeptical, originally, but acted to violently |
| have we not made the astounding technological | | | | suppress the claims and general belief in their validity. |
| progress we have, it now gaining an exponential | | | | However, when tyranny's efforts to dissuade belief in |
| pace? Are we not living what our own recent | | | | these divine contacts and communications failed, |
| ancestors could only imagine in their wildest dreams? | | | | reading the hand writing on the wall, tyranny claimed to |
| Does not our awareness, on a daily basis, become | | | | as well embrace the beliefs. Tyranny then acted to |
| more sophisticated? | | | | shape the beliefs, that they would serve tyranny. |
| When our human ancestors | | | | Indeed, this historical social context as profoundly |
| assembled their cosmology, how did they? By what | | | | shaped our religious beliefs as the evolutionary context |
| "knowledge" did they? Can we understand that | | | | explains their actual origin. |
| cosmology, can we at all understand our own human | | | | From the broader evolutionary |
| beings, with lucidity and coherence, without this broader | | | | perspective, the actual historical social context, the |
| evolutionary perspective which is the apparent | | | | admonition "repent" makes literal and objective sense. |
| objective reality? Literally, we only now acquire | | | | The mystical conceptualization of our human |
| intelligence, from total animal instinct. Our own | | | | imperfection, characterized as our human corruption, |
| generation is in the very midst of this acquisition. | | | | however, fails to grasp the actual objective reality. |
| When our ancient ancestors | | | | More appropriately, more lucidly and coherently, a more |
| assembled and embraced the cosmology, which are | | | | accurate admonition, one more correct as to the real |
| our traditional religions, which more influenced their | | | | and actual objective reality, would have been "evolve". |
| conceptualization – instinct or intelligence? Can we | | | | The characterization of our Human Struggle, that |
| remove the asking of this question from irrational | | | | unseen mystical forces battle for control over our |
| emotion? Can we ask this question with sane and | | | | human souls, at best is an abstract poetry. The |
| sober intelligent objectivity? Can we ask this question | | | | apparent real and actual objective reality is not that |
| without presumption, clear headedly? | | | | we are fallen, but that our Human Struggle has been to |
| Prior to conceiving and adopting | | | | arise out of total animal instinct, to overcome and |
| the scientific method, to provide standard and form to | | | | transcend the imperfect motives of impulsive and |
| guide our intelligent discovery, certain specific of our | | | | reflexive animal instinct, to become intelligent beings. |
| ancient ancestors entered into altered states of | | | | "The" Battle between Good and |
| consciousness. In these altered states of | | | | Evil, when expressed in purely mystical poetries, wholly |
| consciousness, these certain specific individuals | | | | fails to grasp the apparent objective realities. At the |
| reported experiencing visions, voices, and visitations, | | | | core of our Human Struggle is the argument between |
| they interpreted to be divine contacts and | | | | they who rationalize, even glorify their animal instincts, |
| communications. In these contacts and | | | | and they who propose we adopt more intelligent |
| communications, they interpreted to be divine, they | | | | motives. The former do not seek to overcome and |
| claimed to receive revelations, "the" Truth. From these | | | | transcend their animal instincts, but what intelligence |
| contacts and communications, they interpreted to be | | | | they have thus far acquired, they use to serve their |
| divine, they assembled the cosmology which are our | | | | animal instincts. |
| traditional religious beliefs. There is a divine entity. This | | | | "The" Battle between Good and |
| entity created our objective reality. This entity | | | | Evil, when expressed as an abstract mystical poetry, |
| intervenes in the events of our objective reality, | | | | wholly lacks objective context, objective reality. Our |
| dependent upon our human behavior. These certain | | | | Human Struggle, when put into the context of |
| specific individuals, by their contacts and | | | | objective realities, can be understood and persuaded |
| communications received, informed the rest of we the | | | | upon logical proofs. In fact, can anything be at all |
| human species, the divine entity demands to be | | | | persuasively argued except by direct and objective |
| believed in and can only be known through them, the | | | | observations? Can anything at all be persuaded |
| divine having chosen them and only them for contact | | | | without demonstrable logical progression, resulting in |
| and communication, that they might serve as the | | | | intelligent comprehension? |
| divine's exclusive franchise proxies, to relay to the rest | | | | From the broader evolutionary |
| of we, the human species, "the" Truth. These exclusive | | | | perspective, the Battle between Good and Evil is |
| franchise proxies relayed to us, the divine entity | | | | acknowledged. It is not only acknowledged, but given |
| demands to be ritually worshipped and sacrificed to. | | | | objective context. Not many generations ago, our own |
| Only the exclusive franchise proxies know how to | | | | human ancestors were totally animal instinctive. The |
| conduct the rituals and sacrifices properly. As much as | | | | mysterious and wondrous emergence of intelligence in |
| the divine is pleased by rituals and sacrifices | | | | our human beings only now enables us to engage in |
| conducted properly, it is displeased by rituals and | | | | thought processes beyond the impulsive reflexes of |
| sacrifices conducted improperly. The exclusive | | | | animal instinct. We only now gain the capability to judge |
| franchise proxies informed us, when the divine is | | | | the quality of our motives, to anticipate the outcomes |
| pleased, it intervenes in the events of our objective | | | | our motives must inevitably result. Intelligent |
| reality to our favorable advantage. When the divine | | | | contemplation also discovers that the impulsive |
| entity is displeased, it intervenes in events, purposefully, | | | | reflexive motives of our instincts are alterable. We are |
| to punish us for our disobedience. Further, the exclusive | | | | not permanently imprisoned within our instincts, but |
| franchise proxies relayed to us the divine's commands | | | | through conscious choice and effort, we can |
| the divine expected to be obeyed, or, it was warned, | | | | overcome and transcend them, we can adopt more |
| the divine would intervene in events to punish us. This | | | | productive and constructive motives. This discernment |
| cosmology or explanation for our universe presents | | | | and judgment was impossible before the emergence |
| our Human Struggle is to acknowledge and believe in | | | | of intelligence. This discernment and judgment is only |
| this entity, to overcome and transcend the influences | | | | possible by intelligence. Only intelligence can inform and |
| that would dissuade us from this belief and | | | | guide this discernment and judgment. This is "the" |
| acknowledgement. This cosmology claims there will be | | | | Revelation. It is not received by divine contact and |
| a Day Of Judgment when the divine entity shall | | | | communication. It is not approached through belief. It is |
| intervene once and for all. All those who have obeyed | | | | not embraced by belief, but through direct observation |
| the exclusive franchise proxies, who have believed, | | | | of objective realities understood through intelligent |
| ritually worshipped and sacrificed, as the exclusive | | | | comprehension. |
| franchise proxies have directed, will be rewarded with | | | | Motives of a specific quality |
| eternal Paradise. All who have refused to believe and | | | | motivate behaviors of a specific quality and result in |
| obey will be punished with eternal Hell. This cosmology | | | | outcomes of a specific quality. Only upon the |
| is a matter of faith because there are no objective | | | | acquisition of intelligence could this objective fact be |
| realities to suggest much less validate what it asserts, | | | | realized, this judgment arrived. Simple logical intelligence, |
| except the exclusive franchise proxies' declarations. | | | | beyond animal instinct deduces, by actively and |
| Refusal to find this sufficient proof is condemned as a | | | | consciously altering the specific quality of our motives, |
| rebellion against Good, Evil's endeavor to deceive and | | | | by overcoming and transcending our natural instincts, |
| mislead us. | | | | that in our instincts counterproductive, even tragically |
| Throughout our known human | | | | destructive, we can accomplish far better outcomes. |
| history, this cosmology has served as our human | | | | Upon this intelligent comprehension, it is urged, let us |
| civilization's foundation. This has been our human | | | | embrace Good and do no more Evil. Let us make it |
| explanation for the mechanisms and processes of our | | | | our human goal to accomplish our social order shall be |
| objective reality, how they unfold, and what the future | | | | the Kingdom of Heaven, our earth Paradise. Let us |
| holds. | | | | pursue this goal with the same systematic creative |
| It is only within the last few | | | | inventive intelligence we have advanced our material |
| centuries we the human species have begun to make | | | | technologies. |
| systematic observations of the objective realities | | | | This definition of Good is |
| which are the mechanisms and processes by which | | | | proposed. Good describes motives motivating |
| our objective reality actually unfolds. Though the | | | | behaviors and resulting in outcomes to our mutual and |
| ancient cosmology, which are our traditional religious | | | | equal material and emotional advantage. Evil describes |
| beliefs, claimed divine and transcendent knowledge, it | | | | motives motivating behaviors and resulting in outcomes |
| did not inform us of genes, or cells, atoms, or | | | | to an individual's selfish and self centered advantage, |
| molecules. In fact, it seemed, though divinely | | | | counterproductive and destructive to others'. Let us |
| transcendent, to be ignorant of such basic objective | | | | directly and objectively judge the outcomes our |
| realities as the shape of our own planet, the | | | | motives result. Let us endeavor to discern, with logical |
| configuration of our own solar system. It totally | | | | objectivity, with intelligent integrity, which outcomes are |
| misunderstood what comets are, what climate is | | | | truly Good, which are Evil. Let us no longer, like |
| about. It had no inkling as to the actual geologic history | | | | instinctive animals do, rationalize and justify what is only |
| of our own planet. In fact, does not that presented as | | | | in our own selfish and self centered best interests. Let |
| divine and transcendent knowledge, at almost every | | | | us actively and consciously, by an incremental |
| turn, contradict what we now discover, through the | | | | progress, overcome and transcend our natural selfish |
| application of the intelligence we only now acquire? | | | | and self centered animal instincts. Let us proceed, then, |
| Is this, then, not "the" Issue of all | | | | informed and guided by intelligence, inspired by the |
| issues, "the" Debate of all debates? Might not the core | | | | dignity and nobility only possible by intelligence |
| of this Issue be stated simply, what is truly valid | | | | overcoming and transcending animal instinct, to |
| knowledge, what is actually transcendent revelation? Is | | | | construct our human future that we shall accomplish |
| the actual and real truth approached through altered | | | | far better outcomes than those we have tragically |
| states of consciousness, visions, voices, and visitations, | | | | suffered hitherto. Is not this fully within our human |
| or by the direct observations of our waking senses of | | | | capability to accomplish? |
| objective realities, intelligent discovery? Does our | | | | This presentation now invites the |
| engagement in this Debate of this Issue describe the | | | | sane and sober, the lucid and coherent, they with |
| very Threshold, one side is animal instinct, only crossing | | | | intelligent integrity, to ponder this Issue of all issues. |
| over to the other is intelligent being? | | | | What is the real and actual nature of our objective |
| Can we now address this Issue | | | | reality? How should Good and Evil be defined? By |
| and enter into this Debate of all debates without | | | | what strategy shall our human Salvation actually be |
| irrational presumption, without hysterical histrionics, with | | | | accomplished? Is not our engaging this Issue, "the" |
| sane and sober intelligent objectivity? | | | | Debate of all debates? |
| These centuries of our known | | | | This presentation does not deny |
| human history, we have indoctrinated our children from | | | | the sublime poetry that is the core of our religious |
| birth to believe the cosmology conceived by our | | | | beliefs, but seeks to comprehend this poetry, its true |
| ancient ancestors is "the" Truth. We do this because | | | | origins and meaning, with objective and logical |
| the same was done to us, from birth. It was and | | | | intelligence. This presentation does not engage in a |
| remains by this means our religions are conveyed | | | | childish rebellion against authority, but asks what valid |
| from one generation to the next. With great drama, | | | | authority is. This presentation does not dispute much |
| each generation has warned the next, not believing this | | | | less refute the goal "let us embrace Good and do no |
| supposed "Truth" is "the" Temptation to Evil. Thus | | | | more Evil. Let us determinedly and passionately seek |
| legitimate doubts as to the validity of this cosmology | | | | our Salvation. Let us make of our human social order |
| have been violently suppressed. Debate has been | | | | the Kingdom of Heaven, our earth Paradise." On the |
| violently forbidden. This is the fateful place we of this | | | | contrary, through demonstrable logical progressions, |
| generation find ourselves in this, the 21st century. | | | | this presentation argues it was not a silly irrationality |
| Can we ask this question sanely | | | | that conceived this hope and dream. This hope and |
| and soberly, calmly and objectively? Is the cosmology | | | | dream is fully achievable in real and actual objective |
| our ancient ancestors conceived valid? Is it correct as | | | | reality. |
| to the real and actual objective reality? Or is it utterly | | | | What perception, what |
| inaccurate as the real and actual mechanism? Is the | | | | conceptualization is accurate as to the real and actual |
| strategy imposed by this cosmology, not merely | | | | objective reality? By what means shall Good actually |
| proposed, but violently imposed, so irrationally flawed, | | | | be embraced, Evil done no more? By what strategy |
| so utterly ineffective, our persisting in it threatens the | | | | shall our Salvation, in reality, actually be accomplished? |
| very survival of our human species? | | | | This presentation, as boldly as it |
| Can we ask this question, without | | | | confronts our religious beliefs and their true origins, it |
| irrational presumption, without indoctrinated bias, beyond | | | | does with awe and respect. But it does within the real |
| programmed and conditioned impulsive reflex, sanely | | | | and actual evolutionary, historical, and social context. |
| and soberly, calmly and objectively? What shall actually | | | | Can we now examine our religious beliefs, each our |
| be our Salvation? Which cosmology actually finds its | | | | own, without presumptive bias, beyond the tyrannical |
| origin in self deception and delusion? | | | | restraints of impulsive reflexive instinct? Do not all our |
| Shall our Salvation be by belief in | | | | human hopes and dreams, does not our very human |
| a divine entity, ritual worship and sacrifice, by obeying | | | | fate hang in the balance, whether we shall decide this |
| exclusive franchise proxies? Shall there be a divine | | | | Issue of all issues and engage in this Debate of all |
| intervention that totally alters our universe and human | | | | debates with the integrity of intelligent beings, or we |
| beings? Can we be too direct, too literal in asking this? | | | | shall continue to squabble with no more dignity and |
| Is, rather, the actual objective | | | | nobility, no more intelligent sophistication than jungle |
| reality, our Salvation shall be by overcoming and | | | | apes manifest? |
| transcending animal instinct, by adopting more | | | | It has been several billion years of |
| sophisticated motives than what our animal instincts | | | | evolution to arrive at this very point, our own |
| are? Is it anything but deceptive self delusion to believe | | | | generation, in the 21st century. We are come to this |
| our Salvation can be by any means except our own | | | | mysterious and wondrous Threshold, one side is |
| creative invention, the dignity and nobility of our own | | | | instinctive animal, imprisoned in its impulsive reflexes, |
| human accomplishment? Is it not only intelligence that | | | | only in crossing over to the other side is the liberation, |
| enables this comprehension, but only intelligence that | | | | indeed, the Salvation of intelligent of being. |
| can serve as our guide? Is it only in this realization the | | | | This presentation challenges us to |
| Threshold is actually crossed, one side is instinctive | | | | confront this Issue of all issues, to engage in this |
| animal, only crossing over to the other side is intelligent | | | | Debate of all debates, in this to complete our crossing |
| being? Are we only deluding, are we only deceiving | | | | the Threshold. Some centuries ago, we dared to |
| ourselves, failing to arrive at this simple realization? | | | | dream a dream and hope a hope. We wandered in a |
| Is this not where we, the human | | | | wilderness, seeking our Promised Land. The voices we |
| species, find ourselves here and now, in the 21st | | | | were led brought us here. May the scales now fall |
| century? Through conceptualization, adoption, and | | | | from our eyes, sense coalesce from the irrational |
| employment of the scientific method, we have | | | | confusion, and we, at long last, find our way. There, on |
| accomplished an astounding technological progress the | | | | the other side, over across the Threshold is Our |
| unfolding of which now gains an exponential | | | | Promised Land. |
| momentum. Though our intelligent awareness of the | | | | What is valid knowledge? What is |
| physical objective universe grows more sophisticated, | | | | intelligent integrity? What is true Revelation? What is |
| on a daily basis, we still retain, as the foundation of our | | | | actual dignity and nobility? What is self deception? |
| human civilization, a cosmology based upon beliefs. | | | | What is delusion? |
| Rather than rethinking our cosmology and | | | | Can truly valid knowledge be |
| reformulating it upon our intelligent discoveries, we cling | | | | arrived at except through the lucid and direct |
| to our beliefs. Moreover, rather than coherently | | | | observations of our waking senses making intelligent |
| confronting our human imperfections, instead of | | | | discovery in coherent intelligent comprehension? Can |
| engaging in an effective strategy to overcome and | | | | actual revelation be arrived at except through this |
| transcend them, our religious beliefs themselves | | | | means, in this way? Does not simple humility require |
| dissuade this effort. Our religious beliefs themselves | | | | both this realization and admission? The observations |
| claim it is impossible to overcome these imperfections | | | | we have made thus far could be mistaken, our |
| by our own human efforts. Our religious beliefs claim | | | | interpretations incorrect. Is it not the essence of |
| our Salvation shall be by belief in a divine entity, ritual | | | | intelligent integrity, even its sine qua non, without this |
| worship and sacrifice, by obeying the divine entity, then | | | | humility there can be no integrity? |
| there will be a divine intervention. | | | | Are we, the human species, |
| This presentation does not | | | | lacking this humility? Are we unable to admit our tragic |
| question whether the intentions of the vast majority of | | | | self deceptions and delusions? Are we unwilling to |
| those who accept these beliefs are good. This | | | | cross over to the other side? And yet it is, that we do |
| presentation suggests what was missing from these | | | | not is not because we are incapable, but because we |
| belief systems, at their origin, was not good intention, | | | | choose to be deceived and deluded as to the real and |
| but objective and intelligent logic. That objective and | | | | actual objective reality. We prefer to pretend we |
| intelligent logic was missing at their origin and | | | | accomplish what the crudest objectivity realizes we |
| acceptance should not be surprising. In fact this is | | | | do not. |
| entirely comprehensible when we view our human | | | | Is this, sadly, our Human |
| history from an intelligent and logical perspective, | | | | Struggle in evolutionary perspective? We would rather |
| informed by the real and actual objective realities. | | | | pretend than actually accomplish. Have we come all |
| What we know now, through | | | | this way to have it end here, we squabbling like jungle |
| intelligent discovery, what our rather recent ancestors | | | | apes? Forgive me my inability to more poetically |
| could and did not, is that our own human ancestors | | | | lament this fateful moment. And should it not be |
| were totally animal instinctive. Our own human | | | | lamented, it is within our human capability, yet we |
| ancestors manifested no indication of intelligence | | | | refuse, and pretend righteousness instead? |