Prior to dinner tonight I was talking about the incomparably stunning nature documentary Planet Earth, which, recently, has been showing some really disturbing scenes of violence between animals. I suffered really conflicting emotions condemning a red fox attacking a nest of fluffy young geese before sympathising as she hurried home to feed her own offspring. Then this week’s offering really upset me.

When it was time for my father to give thanks, he began, in what I assume was an attempt at relevance, with the words “We thank you that you are a God of peace…”. I fail to see how the notion of a God of peace can be reconciled against a group of monkeys cannibalising the young of their rivals to no purpose. Some Christians would suggest that “the sinfulness of man” is the cause, as they are wont to cite in explanation of other natural violence, but my not unexercised reasoning abilities falter at the justification by a merciful “God of peace” for a baby monkey to be punished for the crimes of man.

Non-human animals do not have souls, they tell me, which is why we may kill and eat them at our pleasure. I cannot help but consider them blessed by this deficit, for they are not required to believe in the righteousness of a vengeful and violent deity for reprieve from eternal damnation.

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Planet Earth is a truly incredible show. It’s on BBC1 on Sundays at the moment and will be airing on the Discovery Channel in the US next Spring. Despite the recent unpleasant sequences, it’s absolutely unquestionably worth a watch and I implore you to catch it if you can.