The replicating thing was probably not exciting at all. Just a polymore chain of atoms, one that replicated itself (or even extended itself and broke though random process). Such polymore chains have already been identified. I put “life” in quotes because defining when this replicating molecule becomes “alive” is difficult and probably semantics. Are virus’s “alive”?

I’m much more interested in the birth of consciousness. And even as I say that I recognize the human consciousness is an advanced model of consciousness that can be found in the animal kingdom as a whole. Still, that doesn’t mean we aren’t special, or the ultimate purpose of God’s design.

If pure chemistry led to molecules, that led to chains, that led to replication, that let to replication/inheritance/mutation, the necessary components of evolution, that led to cells, that led to multicelluar creatures, that led to vertebrates, that led to mammals, that led to primates, that led to humans, why would I assume God didn’t direct the whole course? Goodness, do you know what I prayed for this past week? Safe travel (ie good friction between the tires of cars and the road), no rain at a wedding (a extremely complicated process between different pressure zones on earth ultimately stemming from differential heating from different zones produced by fusion of hydrogen plasma in the center of the sun ((countless generations ago)). If these took place, where’re they a miracle that defied science? If God controlled them, would I be able to identify the moment where natural laws must have been broken?