Why do zebras have stripes? I knew the zoo I was visiting did not recognize the existence of a supreme being, and yet they asked the question, and even gave an answer, “To confuse lions and other predators.” It struck me as odd. How can zookeepers who have no place for God, ask questions about the purpose of zebra stripes? The question implies intelligent design. If zebras were not created by God, then their stripes have no purpose, they are just a happy coincidence.
While taking a safari tour through the zoo, I heard similar questions raised by our guide: Why do giraffes have long necks? Why do leopards have spots? Why do African elephants have large ears? At the end of the tour, I thanked her and said that I appreciated her statements regarding intelligent design.
“Huh?” she said.
Words have meaning, and sometimes they can betray us. If you wonder about the purpose of things, then you believe in God.