Biologically speaking, we are evolved, complex animals. We evolved from early apes, later from pre-human animals – hominims, who inhabited large parts of the World many million years ago, and survived using various strategies appropriate to their environments. Interbreeding occurred later between early Homo sapiens, and other humans – Neanderthals, and Denisovans, as revealed in our DNA. We are successful mongrels. During the long period of pre-human and human development we evolved a wide range of behaviours which enabled us to survive and develop as a species, and which we still retain beneath the veneer of civilisation. They persist despite the rules and habits imposed by all the various beliefs, religions, sects, and societies. Our basic behaviours took many millennia to evolve and will not be rapidly replaced. One example of a long entrenched behaviour was described previously – the tendency to seek and value membership of a tribe, perhaps an extended family. We do not thrive in isolation.

These basic human behavioural tendencies are common to all races, all societies, as we are all the same species. In the same way that a dog can recognise another dog, no matter the breed or size, and behave in a canine way towards it, we know who are human, no matter the colour of skin or individual dress or custom. We have allowed religion, politics, nationalism, beliefs and history to divide us. It is time to put aside our acquired differences and accept that as one species we should care about all the other humans in the World.

Horses don’t fight horses, sheep don’t kill other sheep. What is the benefit for our species if we fight and kill each other? Wars and other forms of persecution are not promoted by individual human animals, but by groups of humans who have been persuaded through religion and other beliefs to hate each other.