For Jim Alexander

"Muke" the gorilla, a popular attraction at Salt Lake City's zoo since 1996, has been euthanized after a yearlong fight with cancer(2009).

Hogle Zoo officials say the quality of life for the 44-year-old gorilla had drastically diminished over the last week. She was euthanized Monday.

Surgeons a year ago removed cancerous tissue and excess body fluid from her reproductive organs but veterinarians said the cancer had spread to her lymphatic system and couldn't be stopped. Zoo officials had focused on keeping her as comfortable as possible.

Born in 1965, Muke was a Western Lowland gorilla. She had been paired with a male silverback gorilla, 33-year-old Tino. The two bonded but never mated.

'Apparently there have been two female gorilla's named "Muke" The gorilla above, who wouldn't put out for Tino would be close to the right age of your "Muke" being born in 1965 and you said Trefflich had her in 1966. The other "Muke", below is a well know rabble rousing guest columnist, as of 2009 living in Cincinnati.


In Defense of Atheists, By Muke the Gorilla at the Cincinatti Zoo.

New York Times Op Ed Feb 5, 2009.

You are probably wondering how a Gorilla could write an OP-Ed in the New York Times. Well there isn’t much to do here in the zoo after we finish off the pile of fruits and veggies they feed us, so I borrowed Steven Hawking’s old communication system, you know the one that writes from eye movements, and here we are.

My Photo Was Abused

Firstly, I want to update you on a misuse of my photo by Dr Jeffrey Dach who has written recent blog posts,Why Are Atheists Ignorant?" and An Atheist Talks to God. I never gave permission to Dr. Dach who used my photo in his posts, and I do not agree with his attempted satire which isn’t even funny. Here is a sampling of the comments posted under his post and you will get the idea:

I don't know if you're right or not, but your comedy sucks donkey balls. Seriously, this is objectively not funny.

Gosh, this is hateful.

Honestly, why the baiting? Do you imagine for one second that I, an athiest, couldn't produce a similar (although much funnier) rant on the absurdity of your beliefs?

But this post makes me feel that God must want atheists to be tortured. And that God is not tolerant. And that God is not kind and beneficent to all. It's surprising that you would promote Him in this way.

divisive, vitriolic, pathetically sarcastic attempt at humor.

In fairness, there were a few favorable comments:

This is the second time I freaked the dog out, laughing. Thanks!

As Gorillas, we have firsthand knowledge of hate and discrimination, We are forced to live in zoos and deprived of civil rights, so I can identify with atheists who suffer from discrimination, especially when bigots like Dr. Jeffrey Dach write things like , Why Are Atheists Ignorant"? or An Atheist Talks to God.

One Thing That Bothers All Gorillas

One things that really bothers me is that people come by my cage and stare at me. I realize that being a Gorilla, I look different, and so I can understand this. Still, it makes me uncomfortable. Once they get over the way I look, a lot of people become curious and ask questions.

Am I an Atheist or Religious Gorilla?

A common question is, am I an atheist or religious Gorilla? Well, I used to practice the Gorilla religion. However, in order for me to practice the Gorilla religion, I must live in the wild with my extended Gorilla family of Bakari, Jomo, M’Linzi, and Chewie. Here in the confines of the zoo, I cannot practice my religion. So in that regard I am not religious. However, I do not regard myself as an atheist either. I have read the interview with the most vocal and public atheist I know, Richard Dawkins in Salon, and I disagree with everything he says.

Number one, the Gorilla religion says that we Gorillas were created to live in the jungle and be happy. We do not agree with this ridiculous Dawkins idea that we Gorillas originated from a process called Natural Selection. That is nonsense, an idea whose sole purpose is to avoid any reference to God. Even us Gorillas know that God created us.

Number two, The Dawkins book, The God Delusion, is also completely wrong. God is not a delusion. We Gorillas know that God is everywhere. Many people come by my cage here at the zoo and ask me for an exact address for God, or a telephone number for God, so they can actually look at God or talk to God on the phone.

My answer is to ask them another question. I ask them to tell me where God IS NOT. God is in everything. Every rock, tree, creature, object, thought, person was created by God and is a manifestation of the creator. Even us Gorillas know all this.