Atheists, if the earth and all that's on it weren't created, where did we come from?

Question

God is the only reasonable explanation for me, but I was wondering what others thought. I appreciate sincere answers. Thanks!

Answer 1

Existence itself is problematic whether or not you believe in a creating God. One thing we are certain of is that there exists something.
I studied philosophy in University. One of my professors wrote his whole thesis on this subject (based on the works of St-Thomas Aquinas): Why is there something instead of nothing. His conclusion? It is a prejudice of the mind to imagine that existence is problematic. Nothingness is just as arbitrary as nothingness.

Answer 2

Of course, our theories on the formation of the Earth isn't perfect, but it's pretty well nailed down, in general outline, how the planets formed and the Sun formed. If you want an answer to that specifically, then you should ask it in the Science & Math section on Astronomy. If it's about evolution, then ask Biology.

Anyway, even if we didn't know anything about evolution or astronomy or geology, I don't think God has ever been a good explanation for the world around us. That's because, if you use God to explain complexity (of your biology, of chemistry, physics, the world) then you're worse off because you've explained complexity by saying that something *more* complex (God) created it. God has to be more complex than the universe because the universe is not intelligent, intelligence is not simple, and something that *couldn't* create universes would be called less complex. So then the reason that prompted you to ask how the universe was made now has an even greater urgency with asking how God could have been made.

Not scientifically nor empirically, but I think on a philosophical basis alone we can say that the universe *must* have arose with complexity coming out of simplicity, not simplicity trickling down from complexity. I think there is a psychological bias in us to think in the wrong complexity --> simplicity mode because we never see swords make blacksmiths or cakes make chefs.

Answer 3

Evolution does not negate that God created the earth, etc. It only suggests the "how" which is not in the Bible. And to know...or at least think we know...how everything was created, does not negate God's existence.

Years ago, people believed that God caused the rains to fall. And when science showed how it was done, people objected and some started to disbelieve. This image of God is called in theological circles, the God of the Gaps. That thinking is, what we can't explain must be done by God. As science progresses, more and more will be explained and the God of the Gaps will be diminished. But God's power covers more than what we don't know. It also is behind what we do know as well.

Answer 4

"God is the only reasonable explanation for me"

Define gods and we will continue. It needs a working definition, or else "god" is kind of like a band-aid over a large wound: It seems reasonable at first, but it's an open explanation for everything that doesn't really do anything to help or to explain anything. It's like asking "why ----?" and answering "because."

The earth came from dust and matter collecting through gravitational forces, as did the other trillions of planets in our universe. Cognizant species came through a trial and error process known as evolution, and did not require a creator.

It's much more refreshing to understand things, than to use "god" as a patch for anything we don't yet know. Cheers!

Answer 5

Nobody knows for sure whether the matter and in the universe has existed forever or came into existence at some point, but we do know that the simplest element, hydrogen, has sufficient gravitation attraction to accumulate and that when sufficent mass is reached, nuclear fusion begins, forming more complex elements from helium up to iron and that certain stars the go supernova and produce the elements heavier than iron.

We know that our earth formed from that material and has undergone many changes since then. And we know that life on earth evolved from simpler life forms over billions of years.

Answer 6

I don't know. Lots of people have been working very hard to find out, but they don't know yet. We figure we have a pretty good idea of how it happened, but there are new theories (string theory, plane theory) emerging. It's a huge field and an extremely complicated subject involving all branches of physics.

We may never know. We may know a week from now.

Research "origin of Universe" and "abiogenesis". That will get you off to a good start.

God explains nothing. God is imaginary.

Answer 7

If God was such a reasonable explanation, then where did God come from? Who created God? Then who created the creator who created God? The who created the creator who created the creator who created God.....

Your explanation is just as faulty.

Answer 8

About 6000 years ago god created this flat disk and set the sun to revolve around it... and put 2 people there... incest, murder, blah blah...

Great big flood thingy.....and a lot of begetting happened..... and BOOM here you are.

Everything you see around you is faked by god, because he really really loves a good joke. He interferes with every experiment and forges the results so you wouldn't find out the truth. He alters what you see, to suit his ideas. There is no gravity, there is no light...it's just god trying to be funny.

That's about it, sounds pretty reasonable to me too.

Answer 9

I'm going to go with one of your fellow christian's answers, but replace the word god with the word humans, and earth.

No one created the earth or humans, earth and humans just always was.

Answer 10

Universe
1. Big Bang
2. Cyclical universe (universe continually expands and collapses throughout time).
3. eternal universe (always was here)
4. Zeus

Life
1. abiogenesis
2. meteors carrying life (which would also require 1)
3. life was always here
4. Xenu