the placebo effect

[_LCD2YOU]

Well for me, I cannot wrap my mind around the notion that we are here due to a big bang, and that the beauty of the universe is just an accident.

And with 75% we can't see and the whole thing flying apart (ever heard of the "Big Rip"?) it makes no sense.

It has intelligent design written all over its face, as far as I can see, and when atheists try to explain to me why it isn't, I find them engaging in the same kind of cognitive processes exhibited by the apologists.

What designed and then created the designer? Is there more than one designer? Can the designers die? Can they be born? Are they intelligent, insane or do they do things so often, like a the addage of 1.000.000.000 monkeys at a typewriter will eventually produce Shakespeare's works.

As far as an "elegant and just so universe" that was "just made for us" is concerned, I am reminded of the addage, "This hole is just perfect for me" said the water, "it fits me exactly as I was made!"

I guess they just have faith that the big bang (or whatever theory they fancy) ocurred.

No faith and the "Big Bang" is going away. Ever heard of the "Brane Theory"?

See, I don't "believe" or "have faith" theories. Ff they don't hold up to scrutiny, they are replaced but many can be used to for simple calculations. Newton's equations work quite well though his thoery no longer is truly valid, it is a close approximation.

Sorry dartagnan, you aren't much different than the LDS when it comes to your personal religion.

[_marg]

Well for me, I cannot wrap my mind around the notion that we are here due to a big bang, and that the beauty of the universe is just an accident.

It has intelligent design written all over its face, as far as I can see, and when atheists try to explain to me why it isn't, I find them engaging in the same kind of cognitive processes exhibited by the apologists.

I guess they just have faith that the big bang (or whatever theory they fancy) ocurred.

You may be closer to an atheist position than you appreciate. I'll use myself, an atheist as an example. While it may appear that there is intelligent design to the universe, I don't leap to a conclusion that there is a designer. A designer would also need to be designed, so what designed it? Instead, I operate as if no designer exists, which is not saying that no designer exists, it simply is a position in which I do not assume/leap to the assumption that one does, because there is no evidence which has convinced me. All atheists do not share same beliefs, the only criteria consistent to all atheists is a lack of a supernatural/god belief. All atheists do not subscribe to the Big Bang theory, whether people do or not, does not hinge on being an atheist. And I do think an element of faith is required to subscribe to the Big Bang theory, and particularly for myself because I don't understand the science offered to back it. I respect the scientific method and rely upon scientist's theories but at the same time appreciate science is not absolute, and some is highly speculative while other is much less speculative. A deist who believes in a non-interfering sort of God ( which I believe is the position you have presented for yourself in this thread, I might be wrong), is not far for practical operational purposes from an atheist position. The main difference is that a deist has made a leap to a God belief, while an atheist hasn't.