Rev wrote:

"If we evolved from them, there would be no apes today, right?"

Wrong. The African and Asian apes (gibbon and orangutan) separated as much as ten million years ago, perhaps more, and we would have no trouble calling this creature an ape. Gorillas separated from the ancestor that gave rise to us and chimpanzees possibly seven million years ago. We would certainly regard this common ancestor as an ape. I'm sure that if you could see the animal we and chimpanzees separated from you would have to call it an ape. In other words we are apes. To alter your statement a little, "We evoved along with (chimpanzees) from an ape species of some kind."

You also wrote:

"I assume that you already have an idea of what the answeris; you just haven't found the words to articulate it, yet."


I now realise what the problem was. Humans go through this stage in adolescence where they need to belong to a group. The need developed because it has been evolutionarily an advantage. Unfortunately religions are organised to take in teenagers at this stage of their lives whereas atheists have not yet been organised enough to do so. Perhaps there are such organisations today?