bzrd here: The notion of parallel universes is born of the materialist establishment as a means of increasing their probabilistic resources in light of the theological implications of the Anthropic Principle. For the uninitiated, the Antropic Principle states that the physical constants in the universe could only be as they are, in order for the universe and/or life to exist. Since it is mind-beggaringly improbable for all of the laws of nature to happen to be as they are in a spontaneously derived universe, "there simply must be many other universes". Further, if they did exist, their existance could only be proposed through deductive reasoning; a process that is vehemently disallowed when employed by Creationists. Why do I get the idea that this is not the answer Mr. Sutherland is looking for? ///// One branch of philosophy suggests the idea of "possible worlds." While not exactly "parallel universes" it's simply the idea that there are an infinite number of ways the universe COULD have turned out. Essentially, it's perfectly probable that the universe might not have had an earth, the graviational acceleration on earth wasn't 9.8m/s/s, an earth where the dinosaurs didn't go extinct etc. etc. Of course, as you've said, life might not have necessarily have been created in all cases.