A lot of people who believe that the Big Bang never occurred seem to believe that matter and energy had to come from somewhere, but that God can be eternal. I don't exactly understand how this works.
Can someone explain this to me?
Doesn't the belief that matter and energy were created violate the first law of thermodynamics (conservation of matter/energy)? If not, why not?
2007-10-11 04:13:01 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
"Special Pleading"?? Is that when the plea is not accelerating relative to the pleader?
(I'm a nerd and had to make the joke.)
2007-10-11 04:19:59 · update #1
It's called "special pleading".
It's a common logical fallacy -- one that people SHOULD have been educated out of in high school...
2007-10-11 04:16:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
The Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy states that energy can neither be created or destroyed. It also states that energy can change its form, as well as the fact that, "The total quantity of matter and energy available in the universe is a fixed amount and never any more or less."
Thinking on the Big Bang theory, we must try to understand that the idea of a singularity existing does not deter from any of the set universal laws, as it assumes that the contents of the entire universe were (at one time) compressed into a point in space smaller than the nucleus of an atom. In this point, strong atomic, weak atomic, electromagnetic, and gravitational energies (the 4 known energies) were as one - hence the term "singularity."
It is hypothesised that (for some reason) gravity separated from the others, breaking the bond between them, and causing them to expand outward. As it expanded, it also began to cool, allowing the creation of the variety of elements listed on our periodic table. The theory is that all atoms originated from hydrogen and helium (which are listed as the topmost two elements on the periodic table of elements).
If one were to read a collection of Einstein's thoughts on the religious implications of this, it would be discovered that his theory was that God was the collection of the sums of all the laws of the universe - as constant as energy.
I find that to be very interesting for that (if it's true) provides a very solid (and scientifically grounded) explanation for the question at hand.
Addendum: I do apologize for speaking so vaguely about this topic. It is an interesting topic. However, the best answers can only be obtained through personal research, and I can only hope to offer an alternate direction for your own inquiries and counterdata for any future scientific methodology.
2007-10-11 05:16:51 · answer #2 · answered by forgottenmorals 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I love mixing Science and Religion. ;)
Scientific Theory:
The laws of physics did not exist before the big bang. The entire universe, including all matter/energy, was contained in an infintessimally small singularity. The Big Bang was the creation of this universe, including space, time, matter and energy. For more information on this, check out M-Theory (Google or just go to Wikipedia directly). It's pretty deep, but if have a mid-level understanding of Physics its understandable. So, when the big bang happened, the laws of Physics as we know them today were created.
Religion: (most of them anyway).
There is a supreme being who created the universe. Did He do it with a big-bang? I'll leave that to the philosophers. My faith tells me that He did and there is NOTHING in science the conclusively proves that He didn't.
2007-10-11 04:22:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe in both God and the big bang. Even without God in the equation, though, i STILL believe that matter/energy and even space/time itself HAD to come come from somewhere/something. Like, a WHITE hole.
And God can be and IS eternal because he is not in the realm of time.
2007-10-11 05:43:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everyone that uses the word God is making the assumption that the Hebrew God created the universe and in fact, this is not true. The cause of the universe is unknown.
2007-10-11 04:40:45 · answer #5 · answered by MoPleasure4U 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The most difficult thing for the imagination to grasp is eternity.
You can't deny that it doesn't exist.
Live, matter and energy are all eternal.
But matter and energy has and always will be manipulated by life.
But life will always need matter and energy to sustain.
2007-10-11 04:21:27 · answer #6 · answered by Handy man 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No laws of physics came into being until God created the universe (from nothing) and brought them and everything else into existence.
2007-10-11 04:46:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
well the spirit is matter, and the spirit is eternal. therefore matter is eternal. all things are. this life is just a blink of an eye. we existed before and we will exist after. in one form and another.
instead of using the word "created", people should use the word organized instead.
2007-10-11 04:24:04 · answer #8 · answered by plastik punk -Bottom Contributor 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because creation and destruction are temporal. Not only matter and energy, space and time were also created from God. So at the level of God, there is no time and space. So how can he/she be created and destroyed?
2007-10-11 04:18:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think that your confused state is because although, God is eternal - He is also the Creator and above all things.
So, matter and energy are no match for God.
God Bless You
2007-10-11 04:23:49 · answer #10 · answered by B Baruk Today 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋