"It seems to me that the god that is commonly worshipped in civilized countries is not at all divine, though he bears a divine name, but is the overwhelming authority and respectability of mankind combined."
—
Henry David Thoreau, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers
Though highly spiritual, mountain monkeys ascribe to no organized faith, citing irreconcilable differences. One source that wished to remain anonymous pointed to a “crushing of natural curiosity” inherent in modern religion. The quoted primate said to limit the search for god to a single book or a single hall of devotion was akin to tasting only the yellowest bananas. “External appearance and heresay are never good indicators,” she said. “Such is the rhesus community’s quarrel with exclusionary dogma and yellow bananas alike.” Copies of Thoreau’s “Walking” and “Wild Fruits” are reportedly staple texts on a habitat shelf.
