Thanks to Gary T for additional info - that's the story I heard, rather than the more local stuff Paddymac mentioned. But Prometheus, thosp? Wasn't he the ultimate flamer - the guy who played with fire?

Much to my relief, the evolutionists seem to be winning in this thread, if only because Praise is below her usual form *BG* What truly amazes me from the posts here is the discovery that there are people in the educated world who deny evolutionary science. I really had no idea.

If I read right, John Hardly, you are saying that to teach evolutionary science is to persecute religion. Again I'm amazed. It doesn't leave much room for the "bit of both" theory!

I suspect flattop knows full well that you don't have to go to Sheffield to find the vile downside of religion. Just look at history (before it is banned for being counter-creation!). But a good point from Rich - looks like religion was invented for our peace of mind.

Here's a thought for creationists, if any can be bothered. Scientific opinion is reaching broad agreement that conditions for life as we know it (but not necessarily life itself) are replicated a millionfold across the universe. And there is a statistical probability of life itself existing, or having existed, on 5-15,000 planets in our own galaxy alone. Presumably there is no theological argument why this need not be so? And there are of course millions of galaxies. Now: one god (albeit three-in-one) for the whole lot? Or one per planet? One per galaxy? If it is one for the lot, is it plausible, or merely risible, that a god with so much scope to keep boredom at bay could be bothered to play a small-minded game with Planet Earth, in which extra points are awarded according to how much we flatter and worship him; and godly intervention may be sought in illnesses, exam results and even ballgames, according to numbers of candles lit, prayers offered etc? Maybe God needs to get a life, or to join the Mudcat?