I have been following the thread even though I feel it outlived any meaningful interchange quite a while ago and I have decided (no doubt I am being pompous and self righteous) to get some stuff off my chest.
Pete from Seven Stars Link, I refuse to accept your appalling refusal to show minimum courtesy to other posters by not even attempting to post at a basic level of literacy, it is simply bad manners.
Having re-read as many of your posts as I could bear I have been unable to identify any cogent argument; obfuscation, intentional misinterpretation and an apparent inability to understand what other posters are saying are the clear hallmarks of your approach. I am a practising Christian and may know something of your motivation and I suspect that if you were to undergo real self examination you would find that your underlying motive is fear. There can be no rational explanation for your beliefs but if you were to accept that you would no doubt lose friends and your place in your religious community. I believe that you are an example of a fundamentalist version of Pascal's wager. Christianity does not require that you have to eschew rigorous enquiry, honesty and intellectual humility.

I have been impressed by the erudition of some posters but Steve Shaw, you appear to believe that opinion is the same as knowledge. You have demonstrated a lack of knowledge of the scientific method and many of your rants have undermined the considered and informed input of other posters. Abuse does not constitute argument. I was also interested in your statement that Darwin wrote in elegant, easy English. He wrote in the mid-Victorian period for a specific audience i.e. members of the Royal Society, and 'Origin' is frequently challenging. Have you actually read it? I have to admit that I find it difficult and have preferred to read commentaries rather than the original. But there again, I recognise that I have much to learn, how about you?

OK, rant over, please feel free to give me the verbal kicking you no doubt feel that I richly deserve.