Of origins and flying spaghetti monsters

The eternal question of where we came from, and the evolution-creation debate has often stirred up many a soul. I learnt at a fairly early age never to discuss religion, or the [de]merits of evolution. It's a sure way to get into a fight. [And I haven't been in a fight since std 5]

Anyway, in an effort to make the argument for creation more 'scientific', the concept of Intelligent Design [ID] has been brought to the fore. Basically, the theory posits that the complexity of certain natural systems precludes evolution, random processes or chance as an explanation for their origin. ID itself has attracted an interesting and humourous parody in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. This is possibly due to the close links between intelligent design as a concept and God/creationism. Most people who push ID are christians and Americans at least aren't about to let church-state separation be blurred even futher. I learnt C.R.E [Christian Religious Education] for the longest time, and have turned out pretty much ok. I'm not some fundamentalist type, trying to laud my beliefs over everyone. [Incidentally, nobody in our high school year did CRE. Not a one. Not even the Chapel prefect. Everyone dropped it at the end of Form 2, which was the earliest one could]

Pastafarianism is indeed gaining a following but I'm one who believes that our minds can't grasp everything or explain everything. Perhaps Hal may do a better job at this. I'd sure love to have conversations with him.