Bulldog Ben Uncategorized

On Darwin, Evolution and Adaptability

For Sunday, Feb 9, 2025

The UU Congregation of Lakeland, Florida, of which I am a part, put together a service this week to commemorate two Unitarian friends from the Nineteenth Century whose birthdays fell in February. Specifically, they were Fannie Barrier Williams and Charles Darwin. Darwin’s 216th birthday falls on Feb 12 this year.

I was eager to take part in that service as I’ve had a keen interest in the subject of Darwin and Evolution in general since high school. A part of that for me was that Darwin and his horrible, heretical and very, very bad “theory” were mightily condemned from every corner of the fundamentalist universe when I was a young Fundie boy growing up in Central Florida.

Although I took a lot of that in during my formative years, I wasn’t fully convinced and took seriously the things I learned in science classes, both in High School and later in college.

In my college years, the process of questioning some of the things I had been exposed to as a younger fellow began to pick up speed. The way that worked out for me, in a practical way, is that I stopped trying to harmonize the things I believed to be true about theology and faith on the one hand with the things I believed to be true about science and how we “got here” on the other.

Finding the UU Church and way of living in the early ‘90s was such a good thing for me in so many ways and was a natural step as I had parted ways approximately 12 years before with the folks in my Fundie/Evangelical churches who believed that the bible was true and authoritative for a true believer in every area of life, including science.

Now I should make it clear that I have no science cred, but I’m a serious lover of science, whether it’s about space, exploring the cosmos, what’s happening to our climate or how on Earth—literally—how on Earth did we get here? We, meaning humans, but all of those other species, too? All of that is huge for me, though it’s not my field, but I think we’d all agree that there’s nothing more important than all of that “stuff”.

There are two things about Darwin and evolution writ large that are important enough to me that I want to highlight them. There are two thoughts that tend to come up often with other non-scientists like me who also appreciate how important that stuff is but don’t have a thorough grounding in the subject. One might think of these as myths or misunderstandings regarding evolution or just specifics that aren’t very widely grasped or understood by everyday lay folk like me. Meaning non-scientists.

There is a myth that Darwin postulated that humans descended from monkeys or apes. And that’s not so. Evolution posits that humans and apes evolved from a common ancestor, most likely sometime in the Miocene Epoch, between 5 and 23 million years ago.

My way of putting that into lay person’s terms would be to say that evolutionary science isn’t trying to tell us that our Mothers were Gorillas but that we humans and Gorillas are cousins, that we evolved, independently and in different specific ways, from a common primate ancestor. The thought of being the thirty-millionth cousin to Gertie Gorilla does not bother me in the least.

Another aspect of evolution which is not always well understood is how we lay folk often conflate the ideas or concepts of survival of the fittest with survival of the strongest. That universal aphorism or buzz phrase “only the strong survive” is always lingering there in the background.

By the way, “Survival of the fittest” was actually a phrase first used by Herbert Spencer. Spencer, a Nineteenth-Century economist, was trying to equate Darwin’s natural selection theory to economic theory. Darwin liked Spencer’s use of that specific phrase and used it later, including in his landmark tome On the Origin of Species, starting with the 5th edition.

In my view, adaptability is key! So much depends on the organism or the critter’s fitness or suitability to its environment. An example of being “fit” to adapt and survive and therefore be able to successfully pass on your genetic material–without necessarily being the strongest or “King of the Hill”–can be found in this excerpt from writer Thomas DeMichele on the site fact/myth.com:

DeMichele writes: “All but one species of mole rats lives and feeds underground to avoid predators; given this, mole rats are typically small. To be the fittest mole rat you have to either be small enough to fit in the hole or have another solution to vulnerability on the surface of the ground.

The Big-headed Mole Rat tunnels like other mole rats, but actually eats and lives above ground. How does it not get eaten? It partners with a tiny bird (the moorland chat) that warns the mole rat when the big-headed mole rat’s main predator, Ethiopian wolves, are near. In return, the big-headed mole rat digs up grubs for the bird.

To be fair, the mole rat also has some pretty big teeth that can hurt the wolf, so its size and strength aren’t totally irrelevant. Still the point is clear. While most moles survive by being small; the big ones survive primarily through intelligence and teamwork. Being strong is at best a secondary helper trait in the case of the big-headed mole rat.”

So as far as how we—and all those other critters–got here, it’s more about fitness, suitability and being adaptable as opposed to merely having extraordinary or overpowering strength. In evolution, strength counts, it’s not irrelevant. But adaptability and cooperation—as we see here with the Big-Headed Mole Rat and his avian BFF, the Moorland Chat—can put one in a good position to live, thrive and survive.

Is it a big deal to take a few minutes today to think about such things? To think about some of the things we know because Darwin and other scientists and students of Nature got the ball rolling in the mid 19th Century?

Yes, it’s a very big deal. For quite a few years now, we have been entering a time of rapid change in our society and—as you no doubt know—in every corner of the Earth.

A lot of these changes are huge and are very, very stressing. It goes far beyond window dressing or mere preferences and extends to things that can be life-changing and—quite literally–matters of life and death for some. Life and death for some species, some fellow travelers on our Planet. And, the health and vitality and the very survival of some marginalized communities in the human family could very well be at stake.

I am in no way pretending to lay before you a thorough outline of where we are as we see these changes coming. Much less to offer comprehensive solutions or strategies of where we go from here.

But I do know that the traits and characteristics and strategies that got our species this far will be key going forward. Strength is not irrelevant. It’s a good trait, what’s called an evolutionarily-positive trait. There will be times when we’ll have to foster our strength, build or strength, gather our strength. And share our strength. There are many days where I have no strength left; I know I have plenty of company when I say that. And it will be so key in those times to draw strength from one another.

And, make no mistake, there will be times we’ll need that mutual strength because we’ll have to stand and fight! We must stand firm on our UU Principles, including the worth and dignity of every human person and the right of people to use the democratic process in matters that affect them. 

But let’s also remember that sharing, communication, cooperation and adapting suit us well and will also be essential as we move through the upheaval and rapid changes that are coming at us today at this point in the evolution of humanity and human society.

Strength, fitness, solidarity, cooperation and adaptability need to be tools in your bag as we move forward together through these turbulent, troubling times.

The quotation above from Mr. DeMichele can be found here:  Survival of the Fittest, Only the Strong Survive – Fact or Myth?

© 2025 Benjamin Lawrence Basile

stfranman Bible/Sacred Literature, Holy Days and Holidays

Ben’s Christmas Wish for Everyone

This has been a challenging year for me in a lot of ways, yet I find myself feeling even more than the usual holiday spirit right now as I sit at the keyboard, waiting for Santa to come down my chimney. Wait! I don’t have a chimney! Oh well, I still believe! Well, the part about Santa, who can say? The rest of it, I’m still pretty big on all the good stuff that we think about when the holidays roll around each year. No doubt a lot of you feel the same.

The Christmas story does hold a lot of meaning for me. I’m not quite sure if I still believe all of it, all the nuances and consequences and so on; not quite like one “believes it” when the assembled faithful say the Apostles Creed together at Midnight Mass. Some will be doing exactly that in just a few hours, perhaps some of you.

Yet it doesn’t seem at all “funny” to me that God comes to us whenever it suits his/her purpose. Not entirely sure if “he” did in that particular, historical way. Being raised in a Christian family and having gone part-way through seminary a few years ago, I do lean in that direction. But I’ve come to see some things in a different light now that I’ve spent a little better than a half-century on this planet. This planet where almost a billion people believe that God became incarnate, was born of a young woman who had never “known” her betrothed. And that his coming among us in that way was the beginning of a Divine plan to make it possible for all of his creatures to enjoy unending fellowship with him and with one another! In this life and in the next! Now that’s a story! One we humans have been telling one another for a very long time, and I’m quite sure we’ll be telling it for a long time to come.

I’ve been struggling for so many years now about exactly how much of the story still “works” for me and all of that. But what I’ve never doubted is that God, or the Divine, does come to us and among us all the time. And I’m finally in that phase of life where I’ve learned to look for it, to expect it and to embrace it. And I know that the other really big thing about Christmastime is to get a bit closer to my brothers and sisters who also bear the image of the Divine One in their souls and on their beaming faces. Some of them were raised on the same stories I was; this one about God being born of a virgin, and many others.

Some, of course, have heard and embraced and celebrated different stories. I’m not very inclined to quibble about the particulars at this point in my life. I’m quite sure that God would love to see us move a little closer together at this time of year, and to go on telling those stories; especially that one about God robed in human flesh, living and dying as one of us. And I’m quite sure that the heart of the Divine is pleased when we carry forward “his” mission to strip away that illusion that our sins, imperfections, and much less, our differences, should separate us from one another or from his Divine Heart.

Well, Christmas Eve has progressed, as it will, into Christmas morning as I’m wrapping up this little holiday message. And I’m sitting here, luminous and expectant, like a six year old waiting for Santa to appear. Like Simeon in the temple, waiting to bless the infant Jesus, knowing then that he has seen and embraced, quite literally, the Divine plan to end our sinful and deadly illusions of separateness. I’m expectant, waiting in earnest to see and to embrace the next manifestation of the Divine. In you, in her, in us. Perhaps–and wouldn’t this be a great story–perhaps in and across many countries and cultures, in four billion human hearts at once!

A wish, a dream, a fervent hope… Perhaps that’s all it is. But a hope to hold close to one’s heart on Christmas morning. God bless each of you today and throughout the year to come. May you be blessed to see the image of the Divine, of the Christ-child in yourself–and in one another.

Ben Lawrence Basile
Christmas morning, 2007

© 2007 Benjamin Lawrence Basile

Ben is not the owner of this photo and believes it to be covered under Fair Use

stfranman Holy Days and Holidays

Today, I’m Grateful For…

Now that Thanksgiving Day is here, I am indeed grateful for so much in my life. I trust that’s the case for you, as well. I’ve been blessed in a thousand ways and I don’t take that for granted.

I hope the day is wonderful for you in many ways. It’s good to reflect on our Blessings and the things that have gone well at any time throughout the year.

May God Bless you today and always.


Ben Lawrence Basile

stfranman Compassionate Living

Kindness is All

It’s a simple idea. It’s one you see on tee shirts and Church road signs and things of that sort.

“Kindness is All”

It’s easy to dismiss such notions once the truths they contain have morphed into buzz-phrases.

And yet, we can’t jettison such an idea entirely; it still bears an unmistakable ring of truth.

Kindness matters.

It truly does.

We are living at a time when so many have discarded our shared, time-honored values of kindness and compassion and learn instead to act with indifference and selfishness. 

Don’t succumb.

Even the broader culture in which we are living–where kindness seems to be in short supply, indeed–is sending an invitation to celebrate and practice kindness today.

I’ll chime in, too.

Be kind.

Be kind when it’s easy.

Be kind when the voices urging selfishness, indifference and cruelty roar their loudest.

Kindness is All.

Ben Lawrence Basile

© 2019 The Fellowship of St Francis, Inc.

This was originally posted in November, 2019.

stfranman Ecology/Environment, Holy Days and Holidays, Humane Treatment of Animals

On The Feast of St Francis, 2024

Some considerations to keep in mind today as we think about the great love we have for our pets and our animal friends more broadly:

It’s a matter of great importance to treat the Earth, our common home, with reverence and compassion. And to extend this compassion to all of Earth’s inhabitants, not just to humans, those of us walking around on two legs with opposable thumbs and somewhat more-capable brains.

I truly love this celebration each year. I have always had a deep love for critters and wildlife of all kinds and have also celebrated and venerated St Francis for many years who has been called the Patron Saint of Animals.

In fact, Saint Francis of Assisi has been the go-to guy when a celebration such as ours this morning comes around. And I think it’s appropriate to mention him on an occasion like today. His feast day is actually observed in the Catholic Church on October 4th and other liturgical churches as well.

Francis was a much-beloved figure in his time. His love for his fellows, animals and for the Earth which supports all of us, was noted by his contemporaries and by the leadership of the Church in the 13th Century. These are some of the reasons that he has been considered for centuries to be a special patron for animals and the environment. Francis is also—along with St Catherine of Sienna—the Patron Saint of Italy.

Many may not know that as a young man, Francis—whose birth name was actually Giovanni—was a combat veteran, a lancer in the army of Assisi in their war against the competing city of Perugia.

He was captured at the outset of that war and held for ransom by Perugian partisans. It was during this time in captivity–which lasted almost a full year–that young Francis fell grievously ill and began receiving visions which would, in a very few years,  lead him to embrace a life of poverty, simplicity and–most of all–a life of service to the Divine One, to all humanity and all of God’s creatures.

There’s a well-known, well-loved story about a sermon Francis was said to have preached to some very attentive birds one day as he and some fellow travelers—Monks Francis knew well and worked and worshipped with–as they were making their way through the Spoleto Valley in Italy. Francis, it is said, noticed that a huge flock of birds had gathered in nearby trees surrounding them. Francis felt that the birds were watching him as if they were anticipating something. Feeling Divine inspiration, he decided to preach a sermon about God’s love for them.

It was an encouraging message about the Divine One’s love and all-sufficient care. And then, the story goes, the birds began to chirp and sing before they winged away, to each of Earth’s four directions, to rejoice in and share this loving and pious man’s message.

So, now we are preparing to bestow our finest and heart-felt blessing on Mittens and Rover. And so many other friends who may walk—or hop–or crawl–on four legs! I am not at all slighting our friends who flit about on two wings. We—as did Francis in his day—adore and care for them and give them our highest and most-heartfelt blessing today!

A quick aside: I’ll never forget when Goofball the First, my beloved parakeet, escaped when we had the kitchen door open just a moment too long! I cried for days…

St Francis loved well and cared for lepers and outcasts in his corner of the World and for all god’s creatures, great and small. And that great love for the Earth and all of Her critters and creatures is something we all share and are gathered to celebrate here today!

A Reading here from author Andriy from the site Psychology.tips

The Importance of Love with Animals

I’ve journeyed through the fascinating world of animal-human relationships, and I’m at the end now. It’s vital for us to understand how deep our bonds with animals can go. Our connections with them are not just about companionship; they’re about mutual respect, coexistence, and shared emotions.

Love towards animals has shown multiple benefits for us humans. Studies indicate that being around animals can lower stress levels and boost our mood. They don’t judge or hold grudges; their love is unconditional.

But it’s not a one-way street. Animals too, benefit from our affection. A home filled with love can provide shelter dogs or cats a second chance at life while providing an enriching environment for pets.

…let me emphasize this – loving animals teaches us empathy and compassion, shaping us into better individuals overall. As we take care of them, we learn responsibility and kindness – traits that extend beyond our interactions with animals.

So let’s cherish these wonderful creatures who give so much yet ask for so little in return. Let’s continue to appreciate them every day because the importance of love with animals cannot be overstated.

In a world where there’s often too much hate going around, let’s choose to spread more love – especially towards those who wag their tails or purr in response!

In his love;

Ben Lawrence Basile

© 2024 Benjamin Lawrence Basile

stfranman Church Life, Religious Extremism, Spirituality/Religion

The Church and the Tragedy of Trump

It’s an unfortunate and baffling fact that lots of Church goers in the US believe with all their heart that Donald trump is a Christian.

But the observable fact is that trump’s embrace of Christianity is about political expediency and is 100% phony. His actions could make an observer conclude that he—or someone on his staff who’s advising him—did a serious study of the life and teachings of Jesus and then proceeded to do—intentionally—the exact opposite at every opportunity.

He’s the best example I can think of of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The majority of Christians who have not jettisoned Jesus to join The Cult of Trump, can easily see right through his act.

It’s a tragedy that some of his most ardent, brain-washed followers fall for the act. Many of them claim to be Christians, yet embrace his hateful and transparently-unchristian statements and actions.

By the way, one of the consequences of this unfolding tragedy is that more and more Evangelical Christians who aren’t fooled by trump’s charade are exiting the Church and are becoming disaffected, solitary believers. The Church in America will be dealing with the consequences of this for a generation or more.

The certain result will be hundreds of denominations and the Church writ large greatly discredited and weakened. In fact, this process has been underway for years; It was merely accelerated by trump’s takeover of a vast segment of the Church in the US.

The unfortunate truth is that this mass-exodus and the resulting discrediting and weakening of the Church will never be reversed.

Ben Lawrence Basile

© 2024 Ben Lawrence Basile

stfranman Church Life, Living Life, Spirituality/Religion

What the hell did you expect me to do?

This short piece really caught my attention. Pastor and author Chris Kratzer sums up perfectly why the modern-day Evangelical movement seems so foreign and so fake to millions of us who were raised in it. Foreign, fake and extreme. Please give this a read. It’s so well worth the next 3 minutes of your day.

What the hell did you expect me to do?

You told me to love my neighbors, to model the life of Jesus. To be kind and considerate, and to stand up for the bullied.

You told me to love people, consider others as more important than myself. “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.” We sang it together, pressing the volume pedal and leaning our hearts into the chorus.

You told me to love my enemies, to even do good to those who wish for bad things. You told me to never “hate” anyone and to always find ways to encourage people.

You told me it’s better to give than receive, to be last instead of first. You told me that money doesn’t bring happiness and can even lead to evil, but taking care of the needs of others brings great joy and life to the soul.

You told me that Jesus looks at what I do for the least-of-these as the true depth of my faith. You told me to focus on my own sin instead of trying to police it in others. You told me to be accepting and forgiving.

I paid attention.

I took every lesson.

And I did what you told me.

But now, you call me a libtard. A queer-lover.

You call me “woke.” A backslider.

You call me a heretic. A child of the devil.

You call me a false prophet. A reprobate leading people to gates of hell.

You call me soft. A snowflake. A socialist.

What the hell did you expect me to do?

You passed out the “WWJD” bracelets.

I took it to heart.

I thought you were serious, apparently not.

We were once friends. But now, the lines have been drawn. You hate nearly all the people I love. You stand against nearly all the things I stand for. I’m trying to see a way forward, but it’s hard when I survey all the hurt, harm, and darkness that comes in the wake of your beliefs and presence.

What the hell did you expect me to do?

I believed it all the way.

I’m still believing it all the way.

Which leaves me wondering, what happened to you?

Grace is Brave. Be Brave

Pastor and Author Chris Kratzer
http://ChrisKratzer.com

stfranman Ecology/Environment

The Circle of Life

I’ll always remember the morning in spring when I woke up to see a half-dozen vultures congregated in the street a few feet in front of our yard. This was in the time of Covid, most likely in 2021.

I couldn’t quite see what the party was all about, but within a minute or two, the feast had moved into our front yard and I could see that the wake was dining on some medium-sized creature, a possum, I was thinking.

This went on for about an hour before the party broke up. It was a busy day and so what was a spectacle in the morning was pretty well forgotten by lunchtime.

I didn’t give it anymore thought until the next morning when I went out to throw the recycling into the bin and discovered about half a skeleton of the hapless menu item who had provided breakfast for that ravenous flock the day before. I’m no expert, but it seemed to confirm my thought that it was a possum. Because there wasn’t too much left besides an ivory skull, I’ll never know for sure but I know for certain that vultures are really efficient when it comes to their role in keeping the circle of life in motion. The remains of the creature they feasted on looked as though they had been lying, undiscovered, in the woods for months but I knew for a fact that Peter Possum’s heart had been beating 24 hours before I found him in my yard.

I reflected on that for a moment and have from time-to-time since and it shined a bright light on something we modern folk don’t think about much. Everything in our world has a life span. We humans certainly do. None of us knows how long we’ve got, and life can–and often does–come to a screeching halt. I suspect that my possum friend was creamed by a neighbor’s car before he was gnawed on by Vic Vulture & friends.

And in that moment, I think I had a clearer picture into how the Circle of Life works. Especially outside of that overly-sanitized and highly-idealized picture of life that lives somewhere in the recesses of this modern, suburban man’s brain. And for a moment, I had a sense that all was well in Mother Nature’s Realm.

“Bulldog Ben” Basile

© 2023 Ben Lawrence Basile

stfranman Religious Extremism, Spirituality/Religion

Could Christian Extremists Turn the US into a Theocracy?

Could they? Is such a thing even possible here? Well, if that’s not something you’ve been giving much thought to, permit me to tell you a few things going on now among some Christians holding some pretty extreme ideas. They often refer to themselves as Dominionists. 

There is a movement afoot in the US right now to compel everyone—believers, people following other faiths and non-believers alike—to “get on board”, to submit to their narrow ideas about how things ought to go. To them, it would be the fulfillment of an Apocalyptic vision that “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”. (Philippians 2: 10–11)

Of course, not all Christians in America share the idea that the Church could or should be on an intentional, well-planned campaign to make this happen—regardless of what it might take to accomplish the mission, so to speak, but it’s happening, nevertheless, and the movement is gathering strength.

Although it’s true that the majority of American Christians are not on-board, it’s also true that the real hard-core and extreme adherents to any religion are usually the ones holding the power stick and are therefore able to carry out such a plan. Support from everyone who subscribes to the faith is not necessary.

And if you’re worried about what could happen to anyone who might refuse to go along, or whether such a thing is even possible, let me point out that it’s happened many times in the history of Christianity and is a reality for millions of citizens and inhabitants of the six majority-Muslim Countries that are purposefully, authentically theocratic.

In a theocratic, authoritarian State, those in power can—and often do—force everyone, regardless of belief or unbelief, to submit to their authority, to their ideas about God’s will. They have the power to discredit, marginalize, excommunicate and—quite possibly—harm or kill those who don’t believe and/or don’t want to live in a theocracy.

The not-extreme believers would likely disapprove of the most extreme courses of action to any who won’t conform, but they would still be discredited, jobless, slandered, ostracized, and—in worst case scenarios—dead.

We are only three or four short steps from having an authoritarian government in power with extreme religious leaders empowered as close partners, able to put in place their extreme ideas in ways that will impact all Americans, whether they’re believers or not. 

Think Taliban or the mullahs and Imams of Afghanistan or Iran but with extreme Evangelical Christian leaders, whether clergy or lay, holding some office or not, calling the shots and compelling obedience.

Yes, what I’m describing is a worst-case scenario, and they may not be able to actually pull it off, but Evangelicals who are okay with authoritarian ideas and avowed Christian Dominionists are trying very hard right now to bring it about.

If this seems far-fetched to you, I suggest you read up on Christian Dominionist ideas and theology by following this link: 


Benjamin Basile

© 2023 Ben Lawrence Basile

stfranman Uncategorized

Remembering J. Christopher Basile

I am remembering my son J. Christopher Basile today. It was one year ago today that Chris was taken from us.

There is a place in Human Experience where three terrible things can sometimes come together. When people must deal with serious mental health issues and addiction while living with a very serious, often fatal, chronic disease, it can be very bleak indeed. Few survive having to drink that dreadful cocktail.

I’m remembering my son today and everyone who must deal with serious, multiple challenges in life. The painful truth is that the odds are stacked against them.

Chris had so many wonderful qualities. But, at the same time, a lot of things that pulled him in a dark direction. He was very human. He was my son. I loved him dearly in this life and will in the Life to Come.

Go forth, O Christian soul, from this world, in the name of God the Father, who created you; in the name of Jesus Christ, who suffered for you; in the name of the Holy Spirit, who walked beside you. May your rest be this day in Peace, and your abode in the Dwelling Place of God. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Commendation of the Soul



© 2023 Benjamin Lawrence Basile

Photo credit Ben Lawrence Basile