Atheism is based on a mathematical impossibility? WTF? Then there’s this statement, "The likelihood of the spontaneous formation of life from inanimate matter is one to a number with 40,000 noughts after it… and if the beginnings of life were not random, they must therefore have been the product of purposeful intelligence.,” is problematic -- to say the least.

You see, the probability arrived at from my equally infallible research found that life really did begin from the union of a combination of organic and inorganic materials, and with the mathematical probability of a number ending in 40,001 zeros (noughts? Is that even a word?), meaning my number is bigger than yours. So, yippee, I win!

Well, the thing is, David, neither of us wins. Why? We neglected to show the math! And to cite a mathematical conclusion without even bothering to refer to the math involved is an irresponsible oversight and is totally unacceptable.

So, either tell us how you arrived at such a humungous number, or take back all your grandiose pronouncements!

Furthermore, the assertion, “they must therefore have been the product of purposeful intelligence,” is known both as begging the question and as transductive logic (from this one to that one), a tactic recognized universally as pseudo-reasoning.

Plus, in your zeal to prove the existence of a god you appear to so dearly need, you invoke something only tangentially related to mathematical reasoning, and even less so to statistical analysis.

And you speak of “random” the way most lay people do, as referring to incidents that occur haphazardly, which is not at all how real mathematicians and/or statisticians view the term. Even the proverbial “crapshoot” all happens within well-defined limits and is, therefore, largely predictable. This universe you seem to view as being random without your god, is that way anyway.

And the universe, random though it may be, is also orderly, with all its seemingly diverse parts being connected to make a very meaningful whole. And not only is there a genuine order to randomness, even chaos has to play within certain rules of the universe (google chaos theory for a quick walk thru).

And if you really look closely, you’ll see mathematical consistency throughout nature, and art, and music, and everything that exists in the world, largely via fibonacci sequences, along with “golden proportions,” throughout all plant and animal life, including perfect geometry in all natural structures.

All the natural universe is simple and complex simultaneously, and perfect just as it is. So having to justify it all with a god is superfluous, and can only have meaning for those needing to justify their own existence.

Additionally, when you interject a god into the mix, what is already complex goes from that to being just complicated. And too much so. Because if you need a god to have created everything, how did that begin? Did your god also need to have been created? Is there a beginning to all this? Was there a Big God Bang? Well, my two cents says these extraneous additions serve only to muddy pristine waters.

As a youth, late teens/early 20s, I ached to believe in a god! Oh, how much simpler and more comfortable life could be if only I could bask in the warm glow of an all-powerful creator. A protector. The ultimate father!

But, alas, I could not. You see, I’m cursed with a brain and personality disorder that excludes the embracing of such wondrous beliefs. It’s a malady known as being given to critical thinking. This cursed ability to closely examine life, to deeply analyze my experiences, my surroundings, what I read, and what people would tell me the truth looks like, has always prevented me from sharing in the joy of a belief in some all-powerful, all-knowing deity. That damn critical thinking bug just keeps getting in the way, making life at times very uncomfortable.

But does it prevent the wonder felt from exploring the surrounding world? Does it preclude the joy of discovery? The fascination felt while witnessing gentle breezes? Rain? The marvel of a killer sunrise or sunset? The love and kinship felt while watching dogs and children scamper? Of watching dolphins frolic in the surf? Does my lack of faith in a supreme being prevent me from deeply loving my family?

Does my lack of a belief in a god affect the unshakable depth of my love for music and the various forms of art?

Does my disbelief in a god keep me from the joyful tears of seeing, hearing, or feeling beauty?

To all of the above questions, the clear and firm answer is a resounding and heartfelt no! And I have no need to supply a mathematical proof for any of this.

I am in total awe and wonder of my surrounding universe. And it needs no further explanation or justification than, here it is! And for those who preach, “It’s all right here in the Bible,” my response is, it’s all right here anyway.