quote:nash,
what if we had a box of watch parts. What if, when we shake them, some of them combine to form useful things?
Then, what if we continue to shake them, those useful things combine with other parts to take advantage of environmental opportunities, such as using the agitation to randomly evolve? Over time it's likely.
And, what if we shake them often enough that they are capable of reproducing themselves? Over billions of years, it's not impossible at all.
I know, I'm being silly. the watchmaker analogy is silly, too. I can go to the watch shop and meet the watchmaker. I can see him work.
I can't see god work. No one can. Because god is a poor explanation for life.
Like you said, you have to go to the watch shop to meet the watchmaker. You have to be willing to find him to see who made your watch. Until you do, you'll never see who made your watch. The same thing with God. He's not going to come to you to prove Himself, you have to look for Him. Until you're able to do that, you'll never find proof. Those of us who believe do see God at work and we have pretty clear evidence of His existance.