Amino acids can occur a-biotically (no life involved) in very specific situations. Proteins are just chains of amino acids. Small chains of amino acids can form naturally as a result of chemical reactions.
Prions are essentially just complicated proteins but they are considered an organism or 'life form'. It's a small step from Prions to viruses, and archaebacteria and Dick Cheney.
This is a classic example of humans viewing the world through a filter of anthropogenic labels: Life and Non-Life. The reality is that there is a continuum between completely inanimate matter through chemicals that show some characteristics of living organisms (but aren't in the
opinion of most scientists), though to organisms that seem almost like inanimate matter (George Bush's brain

), through to sentient life forms.
There's a lot of ridiculous improbabilities to be swallowed when following this chain of logic but, conceptually, it's possible. And since evolutionary theory cannot be falsified by any particular observation, and life exists now and had to come from somewhere, it must have happened this way despite the odds against it.
If you wish to read a good book (hard to find now) that looks at some of that detail there's one called 'Not Proven' (by Rolph Gruner) which is basically a discussion of the underlying assumptions/philosophies implicit in evolutionary theory and looks at the issue as to whether it is really as devoid of the need for faith as its proponents argue. Incidentally, this book does not advocate creationism, it only compares the philosophical underpinnings of creationism versus that required for evolution and, I think, presents fairly a convincing argument that there's little difference in those underpinnings.
An interesting argument but one I cannot agree with or be pesuaded by.... In no way is this any sort of evidence of the existance of a god.
Sorry Rabbie. I did not intend that to be an attempt to convince or sway you in any way. I did not intend for it to be viewed as evidence FOR the existence of God. (and I don't believe there's any such possible evidence or argument I could make that would do that). I was simply trying to expand the frame of the debate so that people can understand that it
is possible to believe in God (by faith) without sacrificing IQ or willingness to embrace scientific method. The central premise to this thread was that belief in God was, somehow, reserved for the ignorant and uneducated plebs of the world.
I truly hope the OP is wrong on that matter since I do believe in God AND have a Masters degree in Biology, and have picked up a few tricks about Access on this forum, so I like to think I'm reasonably educated and not entirely stupid. And I'd hate to think I'd have to start voting republican now
It could have come about by coincidence or by Divine intervention
Exactly. So it is a matter of choice (faith) to believe whichever way you feel is right.