The harmony that exists between man’s body and his rational soul is so
perfect that the careful observer will magnify in astonishment the extreme
wisdom of the divine Creator, Who made all the bodily members compatible with
and capable of fulfilling the demands of the soul…What purpose would man’s
brilliant intellectual thoughts have if they could not be externalized through the
body? What would be the purpose of man’s intellect, mind, spiritual powers,
feelings, emotions, and the entire ensemble of spiritual qualities that
distinguishes him from all the irrational animals, if man was just another
animal?...
Man advances toward perfection daily. Man not only looks after himself,
he is concerned for the well being of all of humanity in general, and he improves
both himself as well as animals. Where do we see a trace of such preoccupation
and improvement amongst the animals? Are not their accomplishments always
the same? What comparison can be made between the shelter of monkeys that
have remained unchanged for eons and the diverse range of buildings erected by
man? What is there in common between man and monkeys, even if they have
similar external characteristics? What if monkeys can build huts, if swallows can
make nests, if bees construct hives, and other animals have dens.
What relationship is there between the chimpanzee that shatters nutshells
with a stone and man who has devised an array of instruments to do the same?
What is so remarkable if a monkey’s hand was designed in such a precise way
(as was deemed necessary for its perpetuation), just as the elephant was given a
dexterous trunk, and other animals analogous body parts according to their
needs? What is so remarkable if God’s providence bestowed animals with
adroitness, in order for them to preserve, sustain, and perpetuate themselves?
Who can confirm that a monkey would have ever felt the need or thought of using
a stone to help it consume its food if its hand was not constructed the way it is.
Never will an animal benefit from the skillfulness and adroitness of another
animal. A monkey can watch a beaver build a dam for centuries; however, it will
never mimic the beaver’s accomplishment. Nor will a dog, or a bird, or any other
animal (whether it be a simple organism or a highly-developed animal) mimic the
skills of another animal….
Which intellectual accomplishment of any animal documents their ability to
contemplate, judge, and reason? Which animal ever turned an idea into
knowledge? When did an animal ever have an opinion on a certain matter?
When did any animal think about the origin of its existence, the end of its life, or
concerning life and death? None of the admirers of monkeys and the theory that
man evolved from apes can substantiate that any such thing has ever taken
place with any animal throughout the centuries. Therefore, to support the opinion
that animals and man have similar spirits that differ only in degree [of
development] is completely incorrect and illogical.
—by St. Nektarios—
