But that's the crux of it --> to have some outside "force" or "being" (say, from outer space) manipulating the outcomes of evolutionary processes is like you say, unlikely. However, the setup is clear, the evolutionary process has mechanisms to induce and propogate innovation, and the *signal* to store or forward such changes comes from within. Like I said, God is just as likely to be directing the action from below as he is from above, as he is the God of all small things as well. The impetus or command does not have to originate from "above" and can as easily originate from "within." And since this particular area of evolution is particularly sketchy, there is no proof for or against.

It's really amazing actually, that probably a few decades ago evolution was thought to occur by small point mutations, possibly induced by environmental (chemical, radiation, food) factors. Today we know "random" point mutations have little to no overall effect in the big picture. Cross-over and transmitted code have larger effects on the other hand.

I think darwinists in general have polarized into two camps, the gradualists (evolution is slow and steady...) and the rest of the folks who think it comes in spurts and spats. I personally think that gradual change can happen, but is actually the rarer of the two types. Evolution is a survialist technique, and if something awful happens, say, a meteor strike, that alters the environmental conditions enough, survival of the fittest is moot, because there is no way to cause several thousand generations to occur really...

Calvin