I think it takes more faith to believe that this was all an accident than to believe it was designed. I mean really when you start looking at the "odds" of something sparking an explosion, which leads to the birth of billions of stars, each with planets of their own. And the thought of a planet forming that is able to support life.

Then take into account the fact that the circumstances on this rock orbiting this star not only sustain life, but that life has now evolved to form more complex life forms that can think for themselves, and create complex machines, and on and on.

It boggles my mind how this does not take more faith than the belief that we were created for a purpose by a creator. I can understand the problem of not knowing which creator is the right creator, but to completely do away with "a creator" is beyond reason in my mind.

We would never assume that a car just evolved over billions of years of steal and rubber coming together, we would never assume that a pc is the result of silicone forming itself into some sort of complex machine. How can we assume that this universe as complex and ordered as it is could simply come into being by chance. I mean we have laws of physics, gravity, mathematics... where did that structure come from? How did we get so much order in a random universe?

I think the scientist from Jurassic Park said it best "God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs..." To me these words ring true every day as people everywhere search to disavow God, by putting science above God, and substituting their own ideas for Gods.

Would you bet your life on it not being a myth?
Perhaps ou would ~ but how can you be sure that you are right?

Why is it so hard to believe that the earth & its life evolved according to the way things were at the time?

It isn't really chance in the manner you seem to mean. Life & the earth itself could only evolve in a manner that fitted with however the world was at the time. Therefore it has to fit perfectly ~ there is no other option; anything less than a perfect fit couldn't exist. Hence 'survival of the most fitting'.

The life force might be considered a higher power, but it is too abstract for personal relationships.


Re 'myth':

"Definitions of Myth
"Before defining the term "mythology" one needs to define the meaning of the word "myth". The word itself comes from the Greek "mythos" which originally meant "speech" or "discourse" but which later came to mean "fable" or "legend". In this document the word "myth" will be defined as a story of forgotten or vague origin, basically religious or supernatural in nature, which seeks to explain or rationalize one or more aspects of the world or a society." [Bernard Doyle]

Encyclopedia Mythica
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/mythology.html

See also:
http://faculty.gvsu.edu/websterm/MythFAQs.htm

Faith?? I don't see it.

It is mind boggling, though.

Life, the universe & everything are amazing!

I'm not saying that God didn't do it, because it could, in a universe with so many mysteries, be possible, I suppose, but to me, to imagine an almighty powerful, vengeful, superman, sitting on a heavenly cloud, and playing with the planets and the people as if this were a giant pack of Lego is beyond logic.

That is what the ancient Greeks believed ~ superbeings sitting on clouds or on Mount Olympus 'playing' with us.

No-one believes that now, do they? Would you consider this believable? Yet this is pretty much the same as the Bible stories.

I suppose, if that is what so many cultures have believed over time, and since we have evidence, if not proof, of an afterlife, etc, then there may indeed be beings on another plane - including God or gods - but that is considered 'supernatural', and is dismissed by many Christians, so I'm confused by this.

I cannot say what is correct because I don't know - agnostic - but I really cannot see how anyone can be fully convinced by the idea of a supernatural, but imperfect, being in the sky, manipulating us and our universe.

i agree. the need to attach faith to everything just shows an inability to concveive alternative visions of what the universe is all about.

I don't concieve of 'God' as a superman or indeed any kind of being as we percieve a being at all.

I think of God as being the organising force behind Nature. It's a bit of an abstract concept to put into words.

OK, off to Rome.....back in 2 weeks!

not far off what i think. enjoy rome. and enjoy the traffic!

I could go along with that.

Have a good time in Rome ~ I'd love to go there, in spite of the traffic.

I can agree to that. God creates the universe, organizes, and set rules to how things function within His universe. That's all Biblical and true, from my perspective. But He's soo much more. He is supernatural, since having created the laws of nature, He is above nature.

He is perfect and orderly, and He does want a relationship with His creation. You cannot be subject to the laws of nature when it was you who created those laws for your creation. That in itself makes Him above those laws.

Why should God be 'he'?

Because the Romans were very Anti-Woman. Women are witches to them so they degraded everything woman-like.