You're right, Steele, the lack of evidence, apart from someone's honest belief, is pretty conclusive ....

Cheers,

Joe

Religious institutions, as such are not
the only arbiters of religious experience.
They do not own the Truth, for the Truth cannot
be owned. Nor should they think they hold some
franchise on our spiritual life. They are
consultants and frameworks, but they are not God
Himself. We should not confuse the path with the
destination.

Spirituality is an inner fire, a mystical sustenance
that feed our souls.

Few citizens of modern societies however would utterly deny
the possibility of some higher power in the universe,
some supernatural, transcendental realm that lies
beyond the boundaries of ordinary experience.

To Individual.

What you've asked is a good prayer to ask for. But there is no point to make a show for it like you have. Say it in private when it is just between you and God. You do not need a witness for that. In the same way if a person prays in front of everyone to show how righteous they look it will result in nothing from that prayer, so it's the same when you pray to show publicly that there is no answer. Do it between you and God, or don't do it at all. You need no witnesses nor do you need to tell me or anyone else that you did pray.

To SteeleRedux.

A witness has more input to say, then an assertion from someone who sees nothing and refuses to look. This is the case in all things whether it's a witness in a crime, or a witness at a festival and a concert. If you say there is no evidence and refuse to look, then that is indeed a worthless assertion. On that note I've said something different. I've found God, and if I can find Him you can too.

Jesus says something once that's really profound about finding God. Once His disciples asked why Jesus wasn't making His ministry more public for everyone to see. Jesus's reply is that His message is not for the world because the world is not looking for Him.

In order to find God, you have to actually look for Him.

Regarding evolution. DNA has helped on predictions, such as trying to look for markers to predict your heritage, or to predict your health currently and in the future. That's as far as it goes. It doesn't help with the theories of species changes that are involved in evolutionary theory. It especially doesn't help with combining evolution with abiogenesis. In both cases DNA does not go far enough to bridge non living material to evolve into living organisms. Nor does it prove that different species hold a common ancestor because of similarities. All those similarities could be from being in the same environment with the same elements and atoms present. (Both species being on earth).

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To measure this point, consider why mankind shares 50% of our DNA with bananas. Is this because bananas and humans share an ancestor so long ago the earth isn't old enough for that amount of evolutionary change? Or do they share 50% of their DNA with us because we are part of the same environment and bananas make 50% of the same proteins as mankind does? Think about this and which is more rational. If the theory of similar ancestors doesn't fit with bananas, then it doesn't guarantee the same for us and any other species that we are closer to. (Though that conclusion is worth considering with some species it definitely isn't irrefutable. And especially doesn't point to evolutionary theories on the beginning of life on earth to single cell organisms).

SteeleRedux. You asked if I am a young earth creationist, or just acknowledge the intelligent design. For that, I say what difference does it make if I see the world as younger or much older. What I think on that matter makes no difference. I'm not a scholar nor a scientist to comment on either, nor am I a witness on when or how the world came to be. My opinion won't change how old the world is, nor will it add insight to convince you that my opinion is correct. However my observations that the earth and the universe as a whole are a design instead of random chance is my grounding point.

Nonetheless, here is my opinion on the matter of the age of the earth. God could have made the earth in less time then recorded in the bible if that was His intent, or He could have made the earth with each day described being a much longer period. Both are possible for Him, therefore it's not something I get bogged down with.