The mind is incredibly powerful and can conjure up images even without the help of hallucinogenic substances. The question is, what is real and what is the product of the mind.

Do I believe that in the vastness of the universe, there are beings sufficiently advanced that they would appear as gods to us? Absolutely.

Do I believe in a single creator god? No.

Where did such an entity come from? If such an entity is all powerful, why would it take “days” to create the Earth?

If such an entity is all powerful, and created mankind in his image, why are we so biologically flawed? Why do we have no longer necessary vestigial structures such as the appendix? If such an entity is all powerful and is purportedly responsible for the creation of children, how do we get triploid and tetraploid zygotes/offspring?

Further, if such an entity damns people to hell who don’t confess the belief that the entity in their savior, what about those triploid/tetraploid “people” who will either die in utero or shortly thereafter?

There is also the issue of the purported commands to slaughter all enemies, livestock, etc. in god’s name. Doesn’t that sound familiar these days?

We also have the issue of the bible being a product of humankind, with all of the fallibilities that come with it. One that I found was easy to spot is the statement about not eating rabbits because they, among other things, chew their cud. Rabbits can’t, but look like they do because they are always making chewing motions. One would think that the creator of rabbits would know this.

May have been better to have lost the child in that way than to have carried it to term and then discovered problems.

As far as why did death come to somebody so innocent, death comes for all of us. From the moment the “winning” spermatozoa punches through the other layers of the egg, death comes for that zygote. While the Time and place may be unknown, that zygote will, eventually, die. Guilt, innocence, etc. have nothing to do with it.

You will never get an answer as to why, at least not in a metaphysical sense. People come up with a lot to stories to make themselves feel better, but there is no why.

In the grand scheme of things, does it matter whether she wanted them destroyed or not? Would it be different if the material was say from an inventor who had come up with life saving technology but wanted it destroyed on death?

Ergh at IHOP. Greasy spoon.

Will let you in on a secret: sometimes the guys/gals who make it look like the have money don’t.

Back when I lived in Florida, observed several different types of wealthy or pseudo-wealthy people. There were the ones who drove the newest fastest cars around, etc: and those who you really couldn’t tell they had money unless you knew them. Guess what, the ones in the first camp didn’t always have the money to back up the show.

Knew a man really well down there who honestly looked like a bum; always wore a white cotton undershirt and what appeared to be swimming trunks. Probably bought everything at Wal-mart from the sale isle. However, he had rediculous amounts of money, as in not asking about item cost levels. If you had not seen him get out of his car, a Mercedes CL 600, you’d probably have no idea that he had money.

Conversely, have met folks who spend way more than they make, and it often time catches up with them. They do it to impress, to feel better about themselves short term, etc.

Simply stated, the outward display of money may mean nothing.

There is also no reason to be intimidated by money. The presence or absence of money doesn’t make the person a jerk. For all practical purposes, there is always going to be somebody richer than you are and somebody poorer than you are. And, at the end of the day, both Bill Gates and a pauper meet the same end.