I wrote this in response to a question of whether God created man or man created the world. However another poster asked to have this as it's own topic to see where it goes. My response compares of the world we live in, with the cold barrenness of outer space. The conclusion is the world must be created as well as protected. It ends with a question if you have any better hypothesis I'd like to hear it.
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Here are a few thoughts to consider. Look at our anatomy. How our body works. From a baby in the womb to the age of 105. You do this for humans and it's fascinating. Do the same for any other creature and their body throughout their life and it's just as inspiring. The way life is engineered is amazing. More then that look at ecosystems. How we've come to an understanding that animals and plants fit a harmony in their environment, where they all fit together. Specialization for hunting, for running, for hiding. For living around only that environment and not being suited well for different ecosystems. Life itself is engineered in a way that fits together.

The diversity and complexity of life is amazing, but for the last thought, look at the Earth and at outer space. Why life has become so abundant and diverse on earth while in a desert of life in space should shake anyone who's observant on the reality we live in. The question isn't just how did life begin on earth, and become so diverse. The question is also why is life still here, and not a desert lifeless rock like everywhere else we've been able to see in space. (So far the hunt for other life is still ongoing. Haven't found anything, and expecially haven't found abundant life like we have on earth.)

If you have a better explanation for life then that we were created and protected, this tiny speck called Earth, then I'd like to hear the hypothesis. So far everything I've heard falls short.

Man couldn't have created the world because the world had to come before man. Man would have needed somewhere to stand:).

Dear NNS,

The idea that many gods were man made was put forward
thousands of years ago. Jewish prophets said this
about all foreign gods whose images were worshipped by
the nations around them. Greek philosophers said this
about popular gods who were worshipped in many local
communities.

The former made this criticism in the name of ONE
universal God and the latter on the basis of an
impersonal conception of the divine.

There were continuing, at times merging echoes of these
views during the following centuries among several
Roman thinkers.

After that it was Christian writers, mainly building on a
Jewish foundation but partly influenced by Greek and
Roman ideas who further developed this critique.

Today, few citizens of modern societies would totally
deny the possibility of some higher power in the
universe, some supernatural, transcendental realm that
lies beyond the boundaries of ordinary experience,
and in this fundamental sense as I stated in another
discussion, religion is probably here to stay as is the
belief that God created man.

I found this discussion spectacularly informative...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noj4phMT9OE

Its basically on topic in that it explains the failings of Darwin's theory and therefore puts the issue of evolution very much back on the table.

Now disproving (or dicrediting) Darwinism isn't the same as proving or reinstating the deity, but its a step down that path.

If you're slightly interested in the topic I urge that you watch the discussion. I know its long but well worth the effort.

Of course, Darwinism is just a theory but has become an article of faith to modern Westerners, much like AGW. So the reaction to views such as those in the video has been outrage and attempts to have some of the professors sacked. In a better age, the reaction would have been to mount counter-arguments but that now seems to be a lost art among the so-called progressives.

Dear Not_Now.Soon,

Life did not begin on earth - biology did (at least we so think).
Outer space (so we think) is barren of biological forms, but this does not necessarily make it devoid of life.

Life occurs when consciousness is focused on spatial objects, but these objects need not be biological organisms. We could say that the spatial objects are enlivened by consciousness, yet consciousness itself is not located in space.

If there is indeed a God then what on earth did he create stupid people for ?