I've started this to prevent a derail on the thread on the recent mission to Mars in the 'Science' Board.
In that thread Alan noted that he couldn't see life emerging randomly and that "intelligently driven willpower" would be needed to account for any evidence that showed that life had once existed on Mars. I noted that if is was proposed that any such life could be ascribed to the actions of a 'God' using "intelligently driven willpower", why would an omniscient agent would go to the trouble of creating life on Mars in the full knowledge that it was doomed.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?