I'm not giving the snake credit for having a rattle, though if it uses its rattle really well, I might give it credit for that. In the same manner, I would't give the engineer credit for having a brain, but if she uses it really well, I might give her credit for that.
First: It seems to me that the problem you are having with this is all of determinism, not just genes. Second: What is the difference between you and your genes anyway? You are the expression om your genes, it's not like they are a different entity inside you who decides on stuff.
Also: I'm not finding any references to god in this article, except the explicit statements on how this is not about creationism or an evolutionary fairy. What am I missing?
I agree with you about transcendence (at least in that definition): When I think enough about certain science and aspects of nature I get this standing-at-the-edge-of-the-cliff feeling, this vertigo about how strange and big and wonderful and terrifying a place we are really inhabiting... Art seldom does this to me though, except perhaps music. But I digress.
[Edit: Spelling]