How can we trust thoughts if they are the product of a consciousness evolved through mutation? Because thoughts are a product of our brains, which are pattern recognition machines that evolved. A nervous system that can conceive of predictive models and act in its own interest based on those models. If a primitive human had a thought that it's ok to grab hot coals out of a fire, that is poor pattern recognition. The organisms with good pattern recognition and reasoning would be selected by the environment. Gods are the predictive models that we came up with when we were relatively ignorant of the way the world is. Belief in gods were very helpful in aligning collective goals of tribes, and reinforcing family and community bonds. In this way, belief in gods were helpful in terms of survivability.
What is guiding selection? The environment. The environment at any given time is what selects beneficial mutations to be passed on and spread through a population. What's fascinating here is that each mutation that is selected changes the environment. When a bee inherits a tendency to be attracted to colorful flowers, the flowers at some point have a mutation that makes them more colorful and attractive to bees, which aid in pollination. If those bees were not present in the environment, a flower could have had a random mutation to be more colorful, but in that case it would not aid in survivability or reproduction, so there is nothing in the environment that selects it. Whatever mutation happens to work best in a given environment is selected. White fur is selected in a snowy environment. A predator's ability to run fast is selected when its prey runs fast. I understand that this concept can be difficult to understand when you've spent your life seeing intention behind everything, and I may not be using the best examples in my attempts to explain it. When I finally understood it, though, it was a very powerful moment for me. I think we may have actually reached the core paradigm difference between those that see biological evolution through natural selection as a fact, and those that see a guiding force or intention, i.e. intelligent design, as a fact. I don't see intention as a necessary explanation for the way we see the world today. I see it as an idea that appeals to our primitive nature. Similar to how, I'm sure, the early users of fire assumed some supernatural being intended for them to have it, when in reality its' a perfectly natural chemical reaction that was probably stumbled upon by accident by primitive humans.
You do ask an interesting and profound question, though. From where did our intention/consciousness arise? This is one of the wonders of the universe. Carl Sagan said, we are the way for the universe to know itself. It illustrates the idea that we were spawned OUT OF the universe, rather than being brought INTO it. I'm not an atheist that says with conviction that nothing happens after we die. Nobody can say that with anymore certainty that a christian saying with certainty that they will join God in heaven after they die. The point is, I don't know. It's unknowable, which to me is fascinating. We are so infinitely lucky to be here. So many things could have happened differently since the big bang that would not have allowed you or me to exist and have this discussion. My parents could have decided to date other people. My great ancestors could have just as easily caught some horrible illness and perished before reproducing. Some direct descendant of us both could have been eaten by a predator. I'm filled with wonder when I try to contemplate how lucky I am to exist, against the backdrop of such improbability. But, that's just the way it happened
It's been a pleasure, I look forward to a response if you are interested. I'll start a separate thread about the bible. I'd be interested to know your thoughts on that.