Myself, I am only going so far as to blindly presume that there is/are higher power(s), not knowing anything about what they exactly are. Differing from Frank, perhaps, I just assume that a higher *something* out there is practically a logical certainty, and that should be reserved some space in our theories of "everything".

Crossbowman:" We've already declared the Deity omnipotent, so She isn't limited to the design constraints we have to live with."

No, myself, AFAICS, omnipotent could just be relative to us insects, just more potent.

Crossbowman:" She can just Will into existence whatever pleases her - and yet She's pursued this wasteful and deceptive design."

Well, that may be the way it's taught in Friday/Sabbath/Sunday even Wiccan school, but I'm not buying it.

Crossbowman:" Is the Deity an idiot? Or is the Deity intentionally trying to trick us as to our own origins?"

Cyanide answered you rather well, Greek god analogy, I thought, parallel post.

Crossbowman:"Unless you postulate that the deity USED evolution to achieve Her Ends (the extra genes being a necessary part of that method), in which case you have travelled back to the pool-table view of deity: being omnipotent and omniscient, the deity started all with a single thrust of the pool cue and has since allowed all to flow - without need of further intervention - along the lines which She predicted and intended. And, from the point of view of us pool balls bouncing about on the table itself, a Deity who just sits back and watches is functionally identical to no deity at all. "

I have been driving towards such a wind it up and forget it scenario lately, yes.