Check out "Lies, Damned Lies, Statistics and Probability
of Abiogenesis calculations."
http://earth.ics.uci.edu/faqs/abioprob.html
much better than having to resort to magic-wand theories of 'divine creation' which entails that you
give a satisfactory, fact-backed, explanation of 'divinity'. |
I think that page presents some very valid points about calculations on the probabilities of life, whether they come from creationists or evolutionists. The truth is that we really don't know enough about all the variables to pin down a number with any degree of accuracy. I don't find, however, that this page gives us any answers that support evolution, nor that it makes evolution, as a source of life's origin, any less a "magic wand" than the alternative theory of Divine creation.
You can see my reasoning on this at a newly created page, inspired by your letter, at:
http://evolutionoftruth.com/evo/evocause.htm
If you haven't seen it, I'd also recommend that you take a look at the huge gap between amino acids and even the most basic of single cells at:
http://evolutionoftruth.com/evo/evogenes.htm
Do you really have any scientific, logical basis that adequately explains the origin of the first cell? Aren't your beliefs based on faith as well?
I freely admit my site isn't full of scientific data. My purpose is just to challenge people enough that they might seek answers on their own, on both sides of the issue, with an open mind and an open heart. Too often we accept what we have been told without applying the study and critical reasoning that we should, whether it is in issues of science, theology or any other area of life.
As a mere human, I don't pretend to be able to explain God or Divinity to you. Although I was an agnostic until I was almost 40, my own life experiences have led me to believe that God is an eternal being, spiritual in nature and the creator of the universe and of life. I now see God as a person, with reason, intellect, creativity, love and many other qualities found in humans, but also pure, holy and beyond our comprehension. I'm a rationalist and skeptic by nature and fully understand why you would think that God is unnecessary to your belief system. All I can tell you is that once you have an experience that touches you in a way that goes beyond what you can attribute to natural causes, you begin to seek to know the force that changed you and to see the world and life in a very different way. That has been a very exciting pursuit, one in which I recommend everyone to engage. Most people find that God, whom they once considered to be a vague or irrelevant concept, can touch their lives in a very personal way. C.S. Lewis was one such person. He was a atheist professor at Oxford who set out to debunk Christianity. He became one of the century's greatest Christian writers in the process.
I don't expect you to believe me. I wouldn't have believed in God myself based on the experiences of others. But until you've really pursued your own spirituality and relationship with God, it's really quite illogical, and unscientific, to conclude that there is nothing to be found. You might be surprised, as was I, by what you find. There are lots of great places to begin this study. If you're interested, you might consider some of the books I have listed on my site.
Even though we disagree, you've contributed something to my knowledge and to my site. That, to me, is part of the process of learning which allows our understanding of the truth to evolve. Thanks for taking the time to write.
Best regards,
Gary
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