To atheists: This is not meant to start a fight, but how did the universe begin?

Question

I don't mean the big bang, because even that started with some small singularity. Something did not come out of nothing, so how is it there?

I don't mean the big bang, because even that started with some small singularity. Something did not come out of nothing, so how is it there?

To extend this a bit: That the universe has always existed, or is looping, is no answer. I used the big bang, or a start to the universe, as a conversation starter. The question remains unanswered, at least secularly. There has to be some independent existence, something that creates and was not created, something that was before. And to ask where God began evades the question. Both space and time came into existence with the creation of the universe. The creator of this universe is outside of the universe and therefore outside of time and space. I do not say this as if it were obvious or even completely understandable. But, it is logical. It is simply not possible to go back to a point where there was nothing. The universe cannot and could not bring itself into being.

Answer 1

I don't normally like to answer a question with a question but if you are convinced there that God created the universe, how do you explain where god came from? Who or what created god?

Answer 2

It was developed in a similar way a regular person creates a video game console and software to play it on, this existence is nothing more than a game played and created by eternal energy beings or otherwords spirits, just on a obviously more sophisticated and complex level. We are spirits having a human experience. The god/gods most people believe in are nothing more than highly technologically advanced alien races posing as gods in order to control and manipulate you. Believe it or not your choice. I included some very informative videos so that you may, if you're willing to open your mind enough to see a different point of view than what has been offered by the norm. How can one make an informative decision about something if they only examine or except one point of view?

Answer 3

If you go to the edge of the universe and then go ten feet further, what would you find? Nothing? Would you smack right into a big wall of nothing? Would you come out the other side of the universe like in the game pac-man? (There are actually some physicist who believe the last scenerio is a possiblity. History will prove them to be the fools they are). The universe is expanding, but what is it expanding INTO? The reason these questions confuse some people is because of some ambiguities in the term 'universe'. Does the word refer to the collection of matter that is ever expanding outward from the big bang, or does it refer to the space that this matter is expanding into? From this point forward, let it refer to the SPACE the collection of matter (galaxies, etc) is expanding into. Now, we know that the collection of MATTER does not go on infinitely, for we can see the edge, and further, we know it is expanding from a single point of origin that exploded some such and such billions of years ago. But what about space itself? Is that infinite? Is there an edge to space? If there is an edge, what is on the other side? Some would say that the answer to this is that there is nothing at the edge of space, but consider: in the physical universe it would be absolutely impossible for nothing and something to co-exist. Imagine this scenerio: the only thing that exists at all is a pencil. This pencil floats in a sea of nothingness. The problem with such a scenerio is that nothing has no dimensions or properties at all. It is nothing. No space. But a pencil occupies space, it has dimension, so how could it be contained by nothing? How could a pencil be inside of nothing? Therefore, the proof that nothing doesn't exist is evident by the fact that anything exists. By extension, this would also prove that space is infinite, for were space to have an edge we would find ourselves in the absurd situation where nothing contains something (the universe, space and matter). So, is there an edge to space? Is our universe in a bubble of space inside of infinite nothingness. Does 1 + 1 = 3?

Premise: the fact that anything exists at all is proof that something has always existed, and that at no point has nothing ever been the state of existence. From the previous argument we can see that nothing and something can not co-exist in the physical universe, and that therefore space is infinite. But we should also establish that it is a logical absurdity to believe that there was ever a state of nothingness and that something was somehow created from nothing. So, to restate: Something can never come from nothing, therefore, something has always existed; and, nothing has never existed. If nothing does not exist, then something is infinite.

Keeping arguments 4 and 5 in mind, lets examine the statement 'something has always existed' based on the premise that something can not come from nothing. We also know that since nothing and something can not co-exist that this something is infinite. Being infinite, this thing would also have to be singular (there could not be multiple infinite things). Presumably, this infinite, singular thing is the substance from which all other things are derived. The label this 'thing' that is the foundation of all other things has been given by primative cultures is 'god'. But here let me propose an alternative: is there anything else that fits the bill for this necesary foundation of all things? So far we know this thing must be infinite, and in being infinite must be singular. Since this thing exists of its own accord and is singular it would not be made up of other things, but would be elemental and unable to be broken down any further. Sounds exotic, this thing - this proto substance that is the very fabric of reality! What else but god could fit such a bill! Actually, there is one thing, and it is all about and within you. The best candidate for our proto substance is...drumroll, please......space! Consider: space is singular (there is only one space) and infinite (it goes on forever in all directions) and can not be broken down any further (it is not made of smaller parts). What better foundation for reality? Would it be more logical then to say the most complex being imaginable has always existed (god) or that the least complicated 'thing' in the universe (space) has always existed? If this is correct science will discover that all matter is energy interacting with itself, and that all energy is space interacting with itself. Essentially, that would mean that everything is composed of "patterns of space". String theory already plays with the idea of vibrating space as the substance of all matter, and other (as of yet unnamed) theories posit the existence of space "whirlpools" that form sub-atomic particles. It will only be a matter of time...

Two points: (a) If the existence of the universe can be explained scientifically there is no need to posit the existence of a creator and therefore no need to try to explain the absurdities of religion (moot point).

Answer 4

IF the universe did have a finite beginning, what makes you think God created it? Why didn't perhaps your Satan create it to make man suffer and this is the end of man's miserable lives?

Perhaps there is no meaning to life and man created meaning so that man didn't have to live out the rest of their miserable lives knowing that this was the definite end...

This is why I CHOOSE not to believe in God, Heaven, or Hell... I choose to live a good, moral, rich (heart and mind), kind and loving life because this is how I am and I wish to live. I don't live these to ascend to Heaven. I actually believe that if you live life to ascend to Heaven, you NEVER WILL... because you are not living life for the right reasons...

Answer 5

There is no good atheist response to this question.

The Big Bang is actually evidence for the existence of God... For a discussion of the Big Bang and its Theistic implications, see http://www.godsci.org/gs/new/bigbang.html

I used to be an atheist. Over a period of time however, I grew convinced of the existence of the Christian God, and ultimately committed my life to Christ (e.g., see http://www.godsci.org/gs/chri/testimony/seek.html ).

For scientific and intellectual evidence for the existence of God, see http://www.godsci.org/gs/godsci/evidence.htm

Cordially,
John

Answer 6

Why would you ask someone who believes in only what they see a question such as you did? Leave them alone. When all is said and done, they will now come to believe in God. It will be too late though.
Separate yourself from people with this mind set, least they cause you too to fall.><>

Answer 7

How is it that you think we could even know? I mean, outside of what some people believe a BOOK says...it's a vast infinite universe, we can't even get to the next planet in our own solar system (us, not robots), so we definitely can't get out there to actually find out.

Answer 8

Is there really any solid answer to this question? Athiest or not, really, is there any strong proven solid answer? Nope. Even the best answers are founded on some type of faith - faith in God, faith in science, etc.

Why not stop beating ourselves up over rediculous questions that we'll never be able to answer?

Answer 9

This is an easy one:

We don't know. It's as simple as that.

This is not to say that we will never know, but right now we lack the technology and knowledge base to answer this question.

Remember, though, that just because something is unknown does not mean that it is unknowable.

Answer 10

During bowling night when everybody got strikes the next universe over.