[arahant]

These debates are pretty academic, anyway. There is no end to the creativity of theists. In 5000 years, if we understand every last biological detail of every creature on earth, can predict with certainty every new species, and can create a perfect phylogenetic tree for the complete history of life, back to the first molecule, there will still be some group of people who says 'yeah maybe, but god set it up that way'. The history of religion for two millenia now has been a gradual retreat from facts in the face of increasing knowledge about the world, and it will continue this way for awhile until 10 generations after we've explained everything.

And when religion is wiped out, someone will dig up this forum post, proclaim this a prophecy, and start a new religion based on my life's work. Which is funny, because my life's work involves making tiny little caskets for dead beetles that i find in the park.