Quote from jem:
no - I think we have sufficient evidence of the creation of the Santa story by norwegians (or some countries) and the Coca Cola company. There may have been a gift giver but we know the story is embellished.
problem with that is everyone messes with stuff so...
no - I think we have sufficient evidence for the creation of the christian religion being based upon much earlier Babylonian myths and a whole lot of brand imaging done by the Copts, which was then vigorously embellished (especially by the catholics)
Quote from jem:
we have no ability to state whether the universe was created or not. It could very well have been created by a superior being.
in that case religions should perhaps stop telling / pretending / lying to people that they know it was.
....but which means anyway a superior being could very well have been created by another superior being. Not very elegant... turtles all the way down
Quote from jem:
( As and aside you know I have cited top physicists who say the universe appears designed.
They would not make that argument if we knew there was no creator of the universe.)
designed?? ...(self) organized so as to give configuration...
or Goddidit? Which did they say, or were they actually in reality saying something else.
Quote from jem:
Based on our current scientific understanding - it is an article of faith to say the universe was created by a superior being or God.
the very same would be said at the time of Odin. He was a superior being whose Son came to Earth and caused lightening and thunder. Odin was a God of the gaps based on your form of "current scientific understanding"
Odin got squeezed out by better science understandings...
Quote from jem:
It is also a faith based statement to say you know the universe was not created by a superior being or God.
No, that would be arrogance not faith. To say you know a magical invisible concept which has no more reality than a Giant Goblin existing in the dreams of a fair maidens' fairy tale didn't create the Universe, would be sheer arrogance. No faith required.