Volente, For the last time, I mean it too, where did anyone say that it is impossible for a higher power to exist? I never said it, in fact I said the exact opposite. It sure can be possible. Problem is, possible does not equal fact. But what you must understand about atheism is that so far, all the asserted gods fail to exist. Are you agnostic about Ra, the Egyptian sun god? Or Zeus? Or Baal? Or do you conclude that these gods do not exist? That's what atheism is all about. Some theist asserts a specific God but is unable to substantiate that god and worse makes all sorts of contradictory statements about that god in relation to itself and/or relation to other competing gods. What would you suggest a rational person conclude? Maybe that specific god exists? OR do you conclude that based on the lack of evidence, description, supposed interaction with the material world, logical inconsistencies, that that particular god does not exist? As far as your thoughts on a higher power, you haven't done any leg work towards its description, it's interaction with the material world, it's rules of engagement, its form, etc. So we're mum on it. An atheist can conclude nothing other than that right now it is just what you believe. You may be touching upon an actual higher power or you may be touching on what would end up being a key part of the Unifying theory. Who knows. But you also asserted a spiritual world. So an atheist will ask you to define it. If you can't define it, ask yourself what exactly are you believing in? Lastly, I really wish you would learn the difference between an assertion and a conclusion. You'd be a happier person for it. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." - NAACP commercials circa 1980's
Ok, the cycle gets out of whack -- We'll stipulate that. Now that it's out of whack, when you pray/ask for it to be unwhacked *by definition*, you are praying/asking for a supernatural act. I'm interested to see how you can argue otherwise. JB
V00: >So did life really evolve out of mud ? I don't know. >Does science have any evidence of this? Let's suppose they don't. Would that make your assertion stronger? How? Would a million more people coming up with a million cockamamy schemes regarding origin (all of which are accompanied with no proof) make your assertion stronger? Also, please don't confuse atheism (disbelief in god) with an assertion regarding the origin of the species. An atheist can be so and make no assertion whatsoever regarding origin. JB
Me: >Dude, it's been established by V00 and it's perfectly simple. >Until the child has searched *everywhere* in every known >(and unknown) universe, he/she must not state that he/she >believes Santa does not exist. >Anything else is illogical. V00" >You want to assert something does not exist with proof ? Hypothetical: Your kid asks "Does Santa exist?" A: Do you answer "No honey, he doesn't. He's a composite fictional character created long ago"? B: Do you answer "I don't know honey ... I haven't been able to check everywhere."? It's a serious question V00. JB
Fossil evidence in the form of stromatolites, bacteria, and algae goes back around 3 billion years. Soft-bodied animals, around 600 million years ago. The earliest found vertebrates were jawless fish, and they date back to around 500 million years ago.