[WolvenLordSoulReaper]

Originally Posted by Gawain

Scientists do have a bit more to back up their claims - experiments in a controlled environment that turn out the same no matter who does them, for one. Religion is based a lot more on blind faith.

I think Ed doesn't believe in God because Ed believes strongly in the power of the individual, and the individual's power to shape his own destiny. He wants to believe in a world where there is no higher power controlling everyone's lives. It stems from the same place as his hatred of the government. There is probably an element of that anger you mentioned, but it's not that he became angry at God, he just decided god doesn't exist.

True, but factor this in. No matter what the scientific endeavor being attempted is, the scientist has already pretty much predetermined the end results by forcing Nature's hand with his own. It's like an relative of mine; he sets up a martial arts 'demonstration', (even though he's never actually had any martial arts training), and then as I stood through it, being directed by him (I have some moderate martial arts training) in how to do the 'exercise', he would then go and tell people how I couldn't defend myself against him because he 'nailed' me during the demonstration. He just forgot to tell them that I was reacting as I was instructed... n.othing more.

Also, though, note that in any experiment the scientist is undertaking; there is no set of circumstances where the scientists does not act on or otherwise influence the experiment, the experiment itself simply can NOT act on its own accord... leaving the scientist in the role of God, as the scientist has to be the maintaining drive behind the experiment, or else the experiment fails.

Whatever Ed replaces God with, inevitably he's still replacing God.