Do you still remember your childhood curiosities and questions you were afraid to ask or received unsatisfactory answers – the ‘whys and hows’ about Nature? The pages of the book Time Out: A Second Look at Nature have your answers. Now, we are facing more daunting challenges– the devastating consequences of man’s greed which led him to attempt to redesign nature – a perfect creation of God. The solution? The overwhelming number of well-meaning people on earth can ignore ‘conformity’ and embark on the “Great Backward Journey” back to nature to realize the Paradise Earth that is still within our reach!
Introduction
The brain and the senses: the special gifts of the Creator are explored in this post. Don’t you wonder why the Creator bestowed on all living things some form of brain and senses? But only in human beings are those two gifts pronounced. How can we be sure of that? Because humans have used theirs to improve themselves and, to some extent, take care of other living things.
You can see why some people think that only humans have senses. To show that it is not only humans who have brains, please remember that other living things do everything humans do to live and perpetuate their existence here on earth.
For example, every adult living thing breathes, eats, moves to look for food, has a way to defend or safeguard itself, etc.
Many times and instinctively, some people query why their loving pets, like dogs and birds, don’t have intelligence like humans? Just imagine the consequences of such a thing happening! Such an animal will not be what they were created to be.
Since this is not a Biology class, it will suffice to define the brain as the center and director of all activities in every living thing’s body. It is more accurately described as the CPU of the animal’s body.
But the senses can’t interpret the data they collect but are the ears and eyes of the brain. In other words, both have to work together for mutual benefits, and none can operate independently of the other. Why?
A sense like feeling, sight, and hearing; collect information but can’t interpret the data on their own. So, it must send it to the brain to tell what the information is. Note: the brain can’t gather information but needs the senses to do that for it. The two must work hand-in-hand.
The nose, for example, is not the sense of smell but rather the aid. All the aids to the senses and brain are physical or visible. But senses are invisible.
Why Are the Brain and Senses Invisible?
Only the Creator, God, can tell why He made the brain and senses: the special gifts of the Creator, invisible. The question is analogous to asking why the Creator made Himself invisible? “So He willed it” is the only answer.
Invisible things like feeling, happiness, etc., are some of the mysteries of life, telling us that the Creator has secrets he kept only to Himself. But, knowledge of such mysterious things has nothing to do with our happiness, duties, and existence here on earth. Then we should not worry about them.
Generally, something is visible if it can be seen by the necked eyes or with some aid or instrument. Scientists say that the nearest star to our sun is about four light-years away. Would it be accurate to say such a star is invisible? No! Why? Because with a high-power telescope, it can be seen.
But consider the following: Because you narrated the content of my email tells me you saw and read the email. The eyes did not know what they saw till the brain interpreted it as an email. The eye is visible, but sight is invisible.
Another analogy here is fresh air or a breeze. When fresh air is blowing, you can’t see it. But you know it is blowing when your body starts cooling down, or you experience a gentle pressure only air can produce, or you see leaves moving. The breeze is invisible, but the effect – leaves moving – is visible.
Why Do All Living Things Possess Some Form Of Intelligence?
As stated earlier, Time is the most critical invisible creation of the Almighty because, without Time, nothing exists. The Brain and Senses: the special gifts of the Creator come next because living things can’t negotiate the complexities of life on earth without them, meaning that life will end without them. How?
You wouldn’t know what to do in any situation. How can you recognize or know what to do in the face of danger, hunger, etc.? You would not know how to take care of yourself or those placed in your care. It would be impossible to know what a relationship is or how to maintain and foster one.
In my opinion, possessing these two gifts makes the all-important difference because, without them, we would not even know who created us, what He expects of us, or what our duties here on earth are. The two gifts link the Creator, God, and all created things.
But considering the attitudes and behaviors of humans, one may be tempted to question why the Almighty Creator did not bestow the intelligence to a few who, in turn, would be dictating to or telling the rest of humanity how to live their lives?
But, remember, the Creator is perfect, all-knowing, the beginning and end. He has His reason to bestow on living things, particularly humans, the brain, and the senses. Let’s dig dipper why God did not create a few with the brain and the insights and the implications.
Why Not a Few But All Created Things God Gave Some Form of Intelligence?
From the points enumerated above about the brain and senses: the special gifts of the Creator, it is apparent that He wants every human being to know him, why He created them, and their duties. There is nothing to show that His intention was different from these.
When a child (human or animal) is born, it can barely do anything for itself. Human babies are the most helpless in that stage of life and would die if left to take care of themselves. Of course, the Creator is all-knowing – the parents, caretaker, or some adult is always there to take care of the young one.
Are there any doubts that the Creator could create young ones without parents or caretakers? The caretaker will provide emotional and physical support and teach (teach?), and direct the child. Your answer for why ‘to direct’ and not ‘to teach’ is given here: Place the mother’s or any nipple on the lips of a newborn, and the child will suck the milk. How?
The baby did not attend the college of babies to learn how to suck milk or swallow it? The child will stop requiring the mother’s milk in the, say, next two years. Even at this time, the mother’s mammary glands will stop on their own, producing milk.
Are you aware of what happens when this child who could not separate from the parents, requiring everything from them, including advice, reaches maturity? The ‘adult child’ instinctively knows he wants to be on their own!
Why did all the previous inclinations/needs stop on their own? The brain and the senses have matured! This sudden change due to the maturity of intelligence shows that every person must make their own decisions.
Does this not explain what might be the reason why all creatures are given the brain and senses. There is a twist, though. From simple observations, using what God provided – the brain and the senses – one can see that the Creator put all things in communities. Hence, there is a community of palm trees, lions, white people, Asians, Nigerians, etc.
What May Be the Reason For Communities?
It is interesting to understand why powerful animals like lions, tigers, elephants, white sharks, etc., are not seen scattered all over the earth. No! They must live in their assigned areas – in their communities.
A phenomenon that must be considered here is that nobody, no community, is endowed with all knowledge and all needs. One person can’t be a carpenter, a lawyer, a mother, a father, a teacher, etc., all at the same time. You understand where I’m going with this.
Does it not make sense that the Creator intends that all living things should go to their neighbors to get what they don’t have, including advice? Yet all your decisions you must own.
What about our relationship with God? Should it be dictated or ‘thought’ by another person? How can another person teach you about your Creator? Firstly, God is a spirit, invisible. God does not talk.
The person, a human being who will teach about the Creator, got his information from where? This question in no way tries to contradict or question those who claim they can see, talk to, advise, or even command the Creator of all things, the Alpha and Omega, to do their wills.
Don’t forget that the Creator has his reasons to bestow on all animals, brains, and the senses, though proportional to the species’ needs.
When talking to or having a conversation with somebody, there will be an exchange of ideas. How can a human being exchange ideas with God? But why is the need to talk to or communicate with the Creator typical among humans? Is there anything humans do other animals, like dogs, goats, chickens, and even plants, don’t do?
But nobody has seen any animal or plant communicating with or needing to communicate with the Creator, God? Why should the need exist in the first place? God created all things. He knows and supplies all the needs of all living things. Does that not explain why the Alpha and Omega made Himself invisible, leaving no room for any living thing to talk to or communicate with Him?
But as described in the Time Out book, he left all He created visible and, above all, bestowed on all He created, the brains and the senses: His special gifts proportional to their needs. Does it not make sense to conclude that he did all those so that humans can use their intelligence to read His creations to understand Him, the much He allows?
How else can anybody explain or understand why God made Himself invisible but His designs visible and gave humans, in particular, the brains, senses, consciences, etc.?
A chapter in the book Time Out: A Second Look At Nature explains that one ethnic community, the Igbos, defines a man by his achievements, not that of the father or the mother. Since God made Himself invisible, humans have no choice but to know Him and His wishes by studying what He created and intentionally left visible.
For example, by examining what He created, like the number of stars, earth-like objects, galaxies, and the distances among these objects, we understand that He is the most powerful, that He is, among others, not bound by Time and Distance, and that He is the Alpha and Omega. He created or brought into existence all things.
Do you see the need for humans to talk to, consult or see the Creator? Would it make sense for any adult human being endowed with intelligence to need another person to tell him that all things depend on the Creator? And that without Him, nothing exists or his duties on earth?
Conclusion
Considering what humans, including other animals, can do with their brains and senses: the special gifts of the Creator and what would happen to our world without these gifts, it is easy to understand that intelligence is a unique gift of the Creator and the greatest need in our lives. Also, we learn from knowing these facts that the Creator is all-knowing.
A question I like to ask is, “Should humans see themselves as superior to other living things because of the advantages possession of the senses and brain offer them”? My answer will depend on what is being considered. For example, humans are on top of the food chain.
No animal is allowed to hunt humans. Although wild beasts like lions, sharks, crocodiles, etc., when hungry, will eat any flesh. Their diet is not human flesh. You might say that humans are superior in that sense.
Not only that: every other living thing is made to serve humans. Plants, vegetables, and animals provide food, medicines, shelter, and a host of different needs for humans. Many of these living things will even sacrifice their lives doing so. But there is no situation where a person will offer his life in the service of other living things.
But in terms of duties here on earth, the brains and senses provide humans the ability to be our planet’s caretakers.
While they can protect themselves, increase their number and maintain a permanent existence on earth like other living things, the brain and senses offer them the ability to rule the world. But a vegetable can’t protect itself or rule the planet, but it has the vital function of providing food, medicine, and even oxygen. Without these provisions from vegetables, humans will die.
Then, who is superior? You can see that humans and the rest of God’s creations are yoked together – the existence of one guarantees the existence of the other. So, considering duties and functions, all living things are equal and tied together by the Creator so that without one, the other will not exist.
Having said all these, I think humans must consider if the gift of the brain and the senses is for humans to maintain a relationship with the Creator or be able to carry out their functions like any other living thing? The former makes more sense because the Creator made himself invisible while leaving all He created visible. Human beings are earthly and can’t change into spirits to be able to communicate with the Creator.
Since all people are endowed with intelligence, it is clear we have the freedom to believe in whatever we choose and make our own choices. The beliefs would not change anything. Some people still think that the earth is flat; they can talk, advise, command, or even change the Creator’s will. What harm do such beliefs do, or the change such opinions can bring? None!
