Tuesday, November 23, 2004

35,000 genes consisting of 3.2 billion chemical bases. That, by any standard, is an abundance of chemical activity occurring in the human body. Through all that activity, molecular biologist Dean Hamer, Chief of gene structure at the National Cancer Institute, claims to have isolated and uncovered the specific genetic root for human spirituality. In the October 25, 2004 issue of TIME magazine, the gene known as VMAT2 (vesicular monoamine transporter), according to Hamer, is that very genetic root, but also quickly points out that the gene he found is by no means the only one that affects spirituality. The gene VMAT2 just happens to also code for production of neurotransmitters that regulate our moods...

To say the least, it is a very interesting article and one that may have you gravitate toward wonder and amusement or toward disgust and disbelief. My personal thought on the subject matter? I simply believe that Mr. Hamer is just one of so many millions of humans who have tried and are attempting to make cosmic sense of an entity much greater than our physical realm. Another way of stating my personal thought on this subject matter? Perhaps in the form of a question:

• From what specific part of the human body does our compassion emanate?
• What organ of the human body is specifically assigned to the origin and purpose of hope?
• What specific genome is responsible for the center of empathy, grace, and virtue?

Every fiber and compound of all of Nature - sky, land, water and animal - is encoded with the beauty and grace and purpose of God. It is humans that haven't fully grasped or accepted this fact, this privilege and this responsibility of their very nature. Or perhaps we are too afraid to grasp and accept this fact. Maybe, in all of our empirical fear, if we can somehow further isolate the origin and genetic sequencing of our own spirituality, then we can somehow disown our responsibility to a larger Life than ourselves and our world.

Perhaps inspirational author Henry David Thoreau probably summed it up best when he asked, "With all your science, can you tell me how it is that light comes into the soul?" A very good question indeed. Search on, science, search on.