toldailytopic: How did the universe come into existence?

[Squishes]

Gee... what a marvelous answer. lain:

There are tons of things that "nobody knows" but we still have our best guesses and theories and we want to hear yours.

My guess? My guess is that the answer is going to be much weirder than anyone's guess. And no one has a theory; these are hypotheses at best. I realize my answer isn't as sexy as what most theists and atheists have put forward, but sometimes an honest answer is better than a marvelous answer.

All material things have a point of origin

Why would you say that?

 

[pqmomba8]

OK, time for a quick suspension of disbelief (for an Atheist, anyway) here - let's say there really is a supreme being who created the universe. Just imagine the (incomprehensible, mind boggling) wisdom, power, intelligence, etc. of such a being!!!!! Now, do y'all REALLY think that this being / spirit / force / whatever really gives a flying you know what about what we eat, who we sleep with, when we work and gazillion other archaic "though shall's" (obviously, created by men) you read in the "holy books"?

 

[Nathon Detroit]

My guess? My guess is that the answer is going to be much weirder than anyone's guess.

Great! Lets hear it. :thumb:

 

[Squishes]

OK, time for a quick suspension of disbelief (for an Atheist, anyway) here - let's say there really is a supreme being who created the universe. Just imagine the (incomprehensible, mind boggling) wisdom, power, intelligence, etc. of such a being!!!!! Now, do y'all REALLY think that this being / spirit / force / whatever really gives a flying you know what about what we eat, who we sleep with, when we work and gazillion other archaic "though shall's" (obviously, created by men) you read in the "holy books"?

That is a completely separate question.

 

[Squishes]

Great! Lets hear it. :thumb:

Hear what? My guess is: the answer [to where the universe came from] is going to be weird [not intuitive]. Most of our best theories to fundamental questions end up being odd.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

let's say there really is a supreme being who created the universe. Just imagine the (incomprehensible, mind boggling) wisdom, power, intelligence, etc. of such a being!!!!! Now, do y'all REALLY think that this being / spirit / force / whatever really gives a flying you know what about what we eat, who we sleep with, when we work and gazillion other archaic "though shall's" (obviously, created by men) you read in the "holy books"?

Gee... awfully combative and bitter today eh? Who would have thought this topic would have caused you to flame out in such a way? :think:

Yet, to answer your question... yes... I do believe that God cares about our well being.

The thing is... I have asked YOU about YOUR beliefs and you don't seem very eager to discuss your own beliefs. Go figure.

 

[Town Heretic]

Why would you say that?

Because Knight asked me. lain:

Else, because every observable thing in the history of man has and any other conclusion is, at best, speculative and counter intuitive.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

Hear what? My guess is: the answer [to where the universe came from] is going to be weird [not intuitive]. Most of our best theories to fundamental questions end up being odd.

Nevermind. :doh:

Notice how none of the atheists and non-believers want to discuss their own viewpoint? All they will do is dance around the issue and mock other people's beliefs. Yet, it's the Christians who will boldly, plainly, and calmly, state their beliefs.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

Why would the force have to be outside the natural realm?

How about you fool? Will you state your beliefs?

I still hold out hope that at least a small percentage of you non-believers have the ability to share your own worldview on this topic.

 

[Squishes]

Else, because every observable thing in the history of man has

This fails for a few reasons, I think.

1) We have never observed universes coming into existence, so it's strange to think we could make inductive statements concerning its coming into existence.

2) If we look in the universe for support for causal principles, all we see is matter being shuffled around and not, as your claim requires, things coming into existence.

3) If we have ever seen anything come into existence, it would be something like quantum virtual particles, which appear to defy the laws of causation.

and any other conclusion is, at best, speculative and counter intuitive.

In fact, any conclusion is speculative, and a counter-intuitive answer might very well be the correct one. Intuitions help us in everyday life, but are terrible guides to questions outside that small spectrum.

 

[Squishes]

Nevermind. :doh:

Notice how none of the atheists and non-believers want to discuss their own viewpoint?

You make it sound like there is something wrong with not knowing. I take it as a sign of intellectual maturity.

 

[Stripe]

You make it sound like there is something wrong with not knowing. I take it as a sign of intellectual maturity.

:think:

I don't know if that is true.

 

[Newman]

Something can't come from nothing. And since time moves forward, there has to have been a starting point.

These facts prove that a force outside of our own realm of possibilities created the universe as we observe it today.

That "force" is God.

 

[lucybelle]

Don't worry about it. You'll have enough problems just mentioning God.

I believe the account in Genesis 1 is historically accurate and is to be understood as it is plainly read.

In a little more detail and with some extra details from human understanding:

Day1:
God made the Earth and the stars by putting their masses in the right places, switching on gravity and stretching everything at the same time.

Day2:
God made the crust of the Earth dividing the oceans half under and half above it.

Day3:
Gravity pulled thicker parts of the Earth's crust (called Heaven) downward which made lighter parts go up and out of the water. He then made a garden.

Day4:
God created the sun and the moon.

Day5:
God made fish and birds.

Day6:
God made animals and people.

That's cool... I can dig it... just so long as you don't go asking for a more detailed timeline breakdown or anything like that...

 

[Squishes]

:think:

I don't know if that is true.

Actually, I think I misspoke. There probably is something wrong with refusing to believe when there is overwhelming evidence.

So I'll amend and say that there is nothing wrong with not knowing upon insufficient evidence.

 

[Dena]

OK, time for a quick suspension of disbelief (for an Atheist, anyway) here - let's say there really is a supreme being who created the universe. Just imagine the (incomprehensible, mind boggling) wisdom, power, intelligence, etc. of such a being!!!!! Now, do y'all REALLY think that this being / spirit / force / whatever really gives a flying you know what about what we eat, who we sleep with, when we work and gazillion other archaic "though shall's" (obviously, created by men) you read in the "holy books"?

Entirely different topic.

 

[Squishes]

Something can't come from nothing.

Why?

And since time moves forward,

Does it?

there has to have been a starting point.

Explain.

These facts prove that a force outside of our own realm of possibilities created the universe as we observe it today.

That "force" is God.

Does it have to be God? Could it be something else?

 

[Nathon Detroit]

You make it sound like there is something wrong with not knowing. I take it as a sign of intellectual maturity.

Fantastic! My 1 year old niece must be a genius.

Here's the thing.... are you not capable of having a conversation on this topic? Can you only discuss things that you know beyond any doubt? How limited is your intelligence if you can't even have conversations where you theorize and express "gutt" feelings and observations?

I call that a sign of immaturity.

 

[Dena]

As for the OP's question. I have NO idea.

 

[pqmomba8]

Gee... awfully combative and bitter today eh? Who would have thought this topic would have caused you to flame out in such a way? :think:

Yet, to answer your question... yes... I do believe that God cares about our well being.

The thing is... I have asked YOU about YOUR beliefs and you don't seem very eager to discuss your own beliefs. Go figure.

No need to be so smug about it. I think that deep down inside you know the answer - NOBODY REALLY knows. That includes yours truly. But I will go (at least tentatively) with the 'Big Bang' theory. Certainly far more empirically based evidence for that and far, far, far more plausible than a 'great, omnipotent spirit / force' just kind puffed everything into existence. Just sayin'...............