Not an atheist, have a question.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

But ALL organisms require chemistry to survive.

I had a sales rep who left me with a great idea loosely stated, "The answer to any question is: It depends."

ALL organisms require chemistry? Well, only loosely and only if you restrict yourself to the usual carbon based replicators that surround us.

My paraphrase of Schroedinger's definition of life is:
any self replicating pattern which can focus a stream of energy on itself in order to maintain or lower its own entropy.

Electronic based (e.g. computer viruses) only need chemistry insofar as they need impure silicon on which to reside.
Larger than mammal systems such as corporations, religions or societies only require chemistry because that is what makes up their subunits.
Hooloovoos (hyperintelligent shades of the color blue) only require properly shaped crystals for residence while interacting with other beings.

So, it depends on what definitions you use for 'require', 'chemistry', and 'organism.'...and probably 'survive.'

Fair enough. For 'require' let us substitute Attila The Hun's left nut. For 'chemistry', we'll use the definition 'slightly soggy doughnut'. For 'organism', we can easily define that as 'highly ornate but moderately tarnished brass door-knocker'. Lastly, let's agree to use the definition 'card table with a wonky leg'.

Clearly, then, what I should have said was, 'All highly ornate but slightly tarnished brass door-knockers Attila The Hun's left nut slightly soggy doughnut card table with a wonky leg.'

Thank you SO much for reminding me how easy it is to make up definitions for words. Life is so much simpler when we depart from boring old definitions that everyone agrees on.

You rock. Seriously.

Boru