I once had this debate with a good friend of mine on college for a couple hours. Where he was on the creationist side and I on evolution. We pretty much understood each other, but disagreed anyway.

I've changed a lot since then, and can get on board, at least at a spiritual level, of an intelligent creator. As a means of better living in the world. But my main question is, was the purpose of His creating the universe to create man?

Was every stage of it's development on the path to creating us? From the formation of stars and planets, the improbability of Earth's perfect oasis, the slow and methodical formation of the land and sea, the life that shaped it into what it is today. Is that process over these billions of years the backdrop of human life as a conscious goal?