http://www.nakedpastor.com/2012/01/30/3-pillars-of-the-faith-topple/
Read some interesting things here such as this comment:
I always found the fine tuned universe fascinating and overwhelming proof of a designer. But this is just as much the case with looking at my own hand typing in front of me. It is a miracle of design with all its bones, muscles, nerves...
I was blessed to receive…
3 days ago
“I disagree. I can only speak from my own experience, but I have never come across any phenomenon or process that has no naturalistic explanation.”
Well there is little doubt that you are a strong S on the Myers-Briggs. grin
Let me give you a little of what I consider to be very convincing evidence for the existence of God. (Online sources of the following information can be provided)
Big Bang;
The Big Bang theory states that the universe arose from a singularity of virtually no size, which gave rise to the dimensions of space and time, in addition to all matter and energy. At the beginning of the Big Bang, the four fundamental forces began to separate from each other. Early in its history (10-36 to 10-32 seconds), the universe underwent a period of short, but dramatic, hyper-inflationary expansion. The cause of this inflation is unknown, but was required for life to be possible in the universe.
(I know…sounds like a god of the gasp…but this is not my evidence…merely the groundwork for it.)
Many factors in the initial moments (milliseconds to mere minutes) were required to be extremely precise to allow for the present reality as we know it. Following are a few;
Excess Quarks;
Quarks and antiquarks combined to annihilate each other. Originally, it was expected that the ratio of quarks and antiquarks to be exactly equal to one, since neither would be expected to have been produced in preference to the other. If the ratio were exactly equal to one, the universe would have consisted solely of energy – not very conducive to the existence of life. However, recent research showed that the charge parity violation could have resulted naturally given the three known masses of quark families. However, this just pushes fine tuning a level down to ask why quarks display the masses they have. Those masses must be fine tuned in order to achieve a universe that contains any matter at all. (Still possible naturally though extremely remote probability)
Size of the universe;
Obviously the universe is incredibly enormous. It turns out that the universe could not have been much smaller than it is in order for nuclear fusion to have occurred during the first 3 minutes after the Big Bang. Without this brief period of nucleosynthesis, the early universe would have consisted entirely of hydrogen. Likewise, the universe could not have been much larger than it is, or life would not have been possible. If the universe were just one part in 10 to the 59th power larger, the universe would have collapsed before life was possible. Since there are only 10 to the 80th power baryons in the universe, this means that an addition of just 10 to the 21st power baryons (about the mass of a grain of sand) would have made life impossible. The universe is exactly the size it must be for life to exist at all. (Again…still possible naturally but the probability has become so extremely unlikely as to stretch credibility)
Just right laws of physics; (This one gets technical…lol)
The laws of physics must have values very close to those observed or the universe does not work “well enough” to support life. What happens when we vary the constants? The strong nuclear force (which holds atoms together) has a value such that when the two hydrogen atoms fuse, 0.7% of the mass is converted into energy. If the value were 0.6% then a proton could not bond to a neutron, and the universe would consist only of hydrogen. If the value were 0.8%, then fusion would happen so readily that no hydrogen would have survived from the Big Bang. (Read this last one again) Other constants must be fine-tuned to an even more stringent degree. The cosmic microwave background varies by one part in 100,000. If this factor were slightly smaller, the universe would exist only as a collection of diffuse gas, since no stars or galaxies could ever form. If this factor were slightly larger, the universe would consist solely of large black holes. Likewise, the ratio of electrons to protons cannot vary by more than 1 part in 10 to the 37th power or else electromagnetic interactions would prevent chemical reactions. In addition, if the ratio of the electromagnetic force constant to the gravitational constant were greater by more than 1 part in 10 to the 40th power, then electromagnetism would dominate gravity, preventing the formation of stars and galaxies. If the expansion rate of universe were 1 part in 10 to the 55th power less than what it is, then the universe would have already collapsed. The most recently discovered physical law, the cosmological constant or dark energy, is the closest to zero of all the physical constants. In fact, a change of only 1 part in 10 to the 120th power would completely negate the effect.
(It is still possible to believe that all of these pieces of circumstantial evidence can to be in a random, natural process…but good luck getting a jury to buy it…grin)
So far we have looked at circumstantial evidence that I find very compelling. (and you deny exists) But here is where I believe the evidence becomes conclusive enough for me to accept it as “proof”.
Bounds of universal probability;
“Unlikely things happen all the time.” This is the mantra of the anti-design movement. However, there is an absolute physical limit for improbable events to happen in our universe. The universe contains only 10 to the 80th power baryons and has only been around for 13.7 billion years (a mere 10 to the 18th power sec). Since the smallest unit of time is Planck time (10 to the -45 power sec), the lowest probability event that can ever happen in the history of the universe is:
1/1080 x 1/1018 x 1/1045 =1/10143
So, although it would be possible that one or two constants might require unusual fine-tuning by chance, it would be virtually impossible that all of them would require such fine-tuning. Some physicists have indicated that any of a number of different physical laws would be compatible with our present universe. However, it is not just the current state of the universe that must be compatible with the physical laws. Even more stringent are the initial conditions of the universe, since even minor deviations would have completely disrupted the process. For example, adding a grain of sand to the weight of the universe now would have no effect. However, adding even this small amount of weight at the beginning of the universe would have resulted in its collapse early in its history. 13.7 billion years is simply not long enough for the math to work.
So there you have it. This is why I find the necessity of design is one of the more compelling arguments for the existence of God. Eventually all of the circumstantial pieces of evidence (each of which could possibly have a natural cause) cross into the world of statistical impossibility when taken together…unless intelligent design is accepted as a solution. I believe it literally is the only possible solution that fits the facts.
(For factual sources used in this post check out the citations at godandscience.org)
I.E. – We simply do not have enough time for it to have happened naturally. This by the way is the reason many scientists are postulating the multi-verse theories. Believing the the existence of and endless yet natural number of alternate universes existing together in order to try to make the math work strikes me as far more fanciful than believing in a designer.
(Frankly I found your comparison to fairy tales and leprechauns as very disingenuous)