[HMS Surprise]

Exactly. Not conservative at all. And for the skeptical scientists out there I have a simple question: Assuming there is no underlying, unseen, life force out there, what are the odds that the universe was born with the capacity to generate self-aware beings from the matter... that seemingly...came from nothing... in the first place? Sorry George, it’s not only probable that there is a God, it’s actually quite unlikely that there isn’t a God.

[dfwgator]

I think while technically an “atheist”, Trey Parker of South Park had a great observation..

“Basically... out of all the ridiculous religion stories which are greatly, wonderfully ridiculous — the silliest one I’ve ever heard is, ‘Yeah... there’s this big giant universe and it’s expanding, it’s all gonna collapse on itself and we’re all just here just ‘cause... just ‘cause’. That, to me, is the most ridiculous explanation ever.”

[MtnClimber]

I agree. Entropy does not allow for higher forms of life, or any forms at all.

[HMS Surprise]

Exactly. Not conservative at all. And for the skeptical scientists out there I have a simple question: Assuming there is no underlying, unseen, life force out there, what are the odds that the universe was born with the capacity to generate self-aware beings from the matter... that seemingly...came from nothing... in the first place? Sorry George, it’s not only probable that there is a God, it’s actually quite unlikely that there isn’t a God.

And might I add, just to humor the perplexed Mr. Will: Not only did all of the above happen, it also miraculously found a moral order floating in the ether that allows atheists to somehow claim to be conservative.

[Hugin]

Assuming there is no underlying, unseen, life force out there, what are the odds that the universe was born with the capacity to generate self-aware beings from the matter... that seemingly...came from nothing... in the first place?

Of course those skeptics will answer with the question where did God come from? Did God just spontaneously come into existence? Ultimately both questions are unanswerable.

Personally I believe in God, just not in any revealed religion. I also believe people have an innate ability to connect with God through some mechanism we don't really understand. It's also my opinion that we can no more understand God than an ant can understand us. So the experience is distorted by the culture and knowledge available to those who experience it. I'm sure I'll get all kinds of Biblical quotes and theological arguments telling me why I'm wrong, all of which mean little to a non believer.

[Natufian]

What are the odds it’s the God you believe in?

[aruanan]

Assuming there is no underlying, unseen, life force out there, what are the odds that the universe was born with the capacity to generate self-aware beings from the matter... that seemingly...came from nothing... in the first place?

Well, given your assumption and given the indisputable existence of self-aware beings, one would have to say that, whatever the odds, it happened, and once it happened, the odds that it is highly unlikely to occur become completely irrelevant, unless you're positing that it happen spontaneously a second time, in which case, I believe, the odds are whatever they were originally but squared; and for each additional instance, the odds are raised to the next power.