Thoughts on Human Origins

When considering the origins of human life on this planet, I must rely on the observations of others to draw my conclusions. I was not there when the world began, when humans appeared, or when religious texts were written. Furthermore, I have not conducted my own scientific research on the subject, nor have I studied in great detail the research that has been done. Yet, I have come to believe in what I know as "evolution." To understand why I hold this belief, I must consider my religious and intellectual background and my experience with various theories on the origins of human life.
Though I am vaguely aware of the myriad of origin tales recognized by the world's people, I am only truly familiar with two, both of them Western. So my choices, and my perspective, are rather limited. The first explanation I encountered for the origins of my species was that of Creation as described by the Book of Genesis in the Bible. I don't remember where or how I first heard this story - perhaps it was from a cartoon or a friend - but, living in a largely Christian culture, I know that I heard it so often and from so many sources that it eventually became something that I just knew, like the story of Cinderella or The Three Little Bears. …