I would agree with this except for the fact that there are still 60% of the citizens in the United States who don't accept evolution(which is an educational disgrace), and most them would accept evolution if they were exposed to the evidence. There are still too many organizations in the US that are confusing the subject (ex. Answers in Genesis, Institute for Creation Research, Discovery Institute, etc.). Most ask questions/subjects that have been answered by scientists for decades/some even a century ago (ex. Where are the transitional forms? There are no benneficial mutations. If we decended from apes, how come there are still apes? The Second Law of Thermodynamics contridicts evolution, Irreducible Complexity, etc.) Almost all these have been answered by the scientific community, and yet most people who are against evolution are outside the scientific community *cough* BEN STEIN *cough* and are happy to display a breathtaking ignorance on this subject. That is why evolution is still a hot subject; not because it is a issue in the science curriculum, but it is so misunderstood in the general public. Not only in the US, but in the Middle East as well.

The thing I can't understand with this view point is that you (and others) have a hard time accepting that evolution is true due to its complexity, specialisation and fossil record gaps yet you are willing to accept that a Being for which there is absolutely no empirical evidence and would surely have to be even more complex than that which he created is does exist.

I don't mean to insult your view, I'm just asking a genuine question on what I personally see as very contridicting beliefs.

If you're not a theist and could never be one, then there's no way you can understand. Belief in a higher power doesn't come from empirical evidence, it comes from anecdotal evidence. When I pray, I feel different, I enter an altered state of consciousness, and I feel like there's another universe out there that is so complex I can only wish that I could understand it. It's even easier for me to believe in that since, despite all of our scientific progress, we still understand virtually nothing.

You can't apply logic to faith, and you can't expect others to follow your logic when you might not have experienced some things in life the way that they have. I know how I feel about it, and I can't expect any atheist to understand me either, I can only explain as best I can.

I should note, that although I do believe in a higher power, I don't necessarily believe it's a single being called "God", or that Christ is our savior, or that beings called Gods or Goddesses even exist. However, I still find it acceptable to pray to whichever God I choose, since it's the only tangible way I can direct my beliefs. I practice Christianity, but I know there's a very real probability that Christianity is completely and utterly wrong.

evolution has nothing to do with the existance of God. It just explains the diversity of life. You can still believe in a supernatural force(aka. God) and evolution. Why is this always the case that it has to be either the world was supernaturally created by a higher power or it is by "chance" without a God and with evolution by natural selection. I don't understand why you can't believe a high power can use natural selection to drive his/her/it's will to creating the diversity in life that exists today?

I appreciate the response, again I didn't mean to insult what you believe, it is just simply something I personally find to be somewhat of a contradictory view.

Obviously I have very different view points to what you believe but you put forward your view well so I don't think there is any need to further debate that in here.

If that is directed at what I posted I'll try to clafiy what I was getting at. I didn't mean to suggest that you have to accept one or the other just that some people's views seem to contradict themselves.

For example the claim that 'there are gaps in the fossil record' and so evolution is unlikely seems an odd claim to make if that same person believs a God/supernatural Being exists when there is no empirical evidence at all. i.e. you apply a criticism to one thing but not another.

Also, largely aimed at Intelligent Design, the claim that 'evolution is too complex and specialised' and so life must have been created or even guided doesn't seem to be a problem for that person when it surely raises the issue that the creator or guider must also be complex and so in turn must have had a creator/guider Him/Its self.

You can believe that a higher power uses natural selection to create specialization if you want, but I don't. I'm not trying to say I'm right and anyone else is wrong, I'm just giving my opinion and why I have those beliefs. I believe in a higher power and the possibility that Intelligent Design is responsible, and I am apprehensive about believing in evolution because of all the gaps there are.

So yeah, I'm open to virtually any possibility, but I choose to believe in a single reality. The only thing I am set on is that there's a higher power/spiritual world/supernatural force/alternate dimension of some sort, all my other beliefs are flimsy and subject to change depending on future research or personal experiences. I'm not the type of theist to say "THIS IS THE ONLY LOGICAL CONCLUSION AND THAT'S THAT!" I'm the type of theist that shrugs, accepts that there's a shitload of knowledge that we're yet oblivious to, and therefore refuses to try and persuade others that my way is the only way (as far as evolution goes). I'm pretty sure everyone can agree that there's a lot that humankind does not yet understand.

I understand your thoughts on believing an Intelligent Designer. That factor of a supernatural force creating everything isn't completely irrational. The way he/she/it created the universe is still unknow, but diversity of life is proven by evolution by natural selection. I am really curious to know what you mean by the gaps in evolution? Please comment back on what are some problems you see in evolution, and I will do my best to answer some of those questions

Here are some Vestigial Organs/Structures

1. Whales having Pelvis and Legs
2. Humans/Apes having "tails"
3. The Appendix
4. Flightless Birds/wings
5. Salamanders with useless eyes
6. Snake's Legs

I'll say this....I believe in evolution to an extent. I've decided that I can both accept the Big Bang Theory and Creationism. I believe in God, and that we were created, which is where the creationism comes in. However, I also believe that the Big Bang happened as well, as an act of God. I don't believe that *poof* we came out of thin air...but the Big Bang was HOW God created the Earth. My belief goes on down the line with how plants, animals, and in turn...humans were created. So yea, have we evolved...sure...but as an act of God willing it to be so. Just my opinion!