The human brain has billions of interconnected thoughts. Thinking one thought can set off a chain reaction of thoughts. My chain was started by photographing a deer. I went from deer to cars to evolution to God.

At Fort Snelling State Park, I startled a deer. At first the deer held its ground, trying to make a decision. At 50 feet, he decided to move into the woods.

This made me wonder about how unprepared deer are to deal with cars, especially at night. Cars with bright blinding lights didn't exist while deer were evolving. So deer lack "car-sense."

Cars didn't exist during human evolution. Do humans lack "car-sense?" We're adaptable creatures, with flexible brains. We invented cars and are pretty good at using them. But is it possible there is some aspect of cars we are not good at? Are there consequences of technology that evolution did not prepare us for? For example, our wonderful multi-tasking brains take us away from paying attention to driving.

The next thought in the evolution-chain came later in the day while reading about aid to Haiti after the 2010 devastating earthquake (where thousands were killed). My thoughts on human evolution and "car-sense" were replaced by evolution and "God-sense." Some Haitians who received aid, such as a new house, thanked God for intervening and helping them. My thought was "non-sense." Please God, if you are going to intervene, do it before all those deaths. 

People's thoughts about God are varied and controversial. Thoughts range from knowing exactly what God thinks to knowing definitely that God doesn't exist. I've got my opinions and questions. I believe in human evolution and wonder where, in those millions of years, "God-sense" entered the picture. It's fascinating to study the relationship between religious diversity, evolution and brain science.

Deer evolved with a "car-sense" blind spot. No doubt we humans evolved with blind spots for living in a modern world. I suspect that one of them is believing we know what God is like.

Here's the photo of the deer that started this chain of thoughts.