Origins

[Theland]

If asked for your opinion on our origins, the universe from nothing, life from lifeless materials, what do you say if you have no faith in God?

[Old_Geezer]

No one can ever know anything for sure (except maybe their own existence) everything is up for replacement by a better explanation; but that's not really a reason to reject that which is proven beyond reasonable doubt, nor even that which provides the best explanation so far. I feel sorry for those who wish to remain uninformed. Curiosity is supposed to be a human trait, and one which has advanced our situation greatly over the years.

[Theland]

Mrs LB - Thank you. The same evidence is available to us all, and we form our opinions on it.
No, I don't believe in fairies, or luck, or other such things, but based on that same evidence I do believe in God.
But thank you for posting.

[Theland]

OG - Yes well said.

[mibn2cweus]

Nothing was ever learned by believing. Faith is the wrecking ball of reason, the only means by which anyone has ever come to understand anything at all.

[Theland]

Hi Mibs. - Welcome. Hope you had a good Christmas.

Is it not reasonable to believe in a first cause?

[naomi24]

//Is it not reasonable to believe in a first cause? //

It's not reasonable to insist you know what that first cause is when you don't. That's totally unreasonable.

[Theland]

No. One step at a time.
Is it reasonable to believe in a first cause?

[naomi24]

No. If you don't know - and you don't - it's not reasonable to 'believe' in anything.

[Theland]

So in your experience have you ever come across anything that did not have a cause?

[naomi24]

I’ve come across things I don’t understand and, hence, I wouldn’t claim to know the cause. That would be irrational.

[Old_Geezer]

First cause seems natural to us, but common sense isn't always right.

What if time stretched to infinity both towards the past and towards the future ? What chance a first cause then ? We aren't even sure what time is, whether it's real or a persistent illusion. Maybe cause & effect is also an illusion. Seems to be dispensed with when looking at quantum behaviour.

One needs a more open mind and work back from what we know about the present moment.

[Theland]

Our evidence depends on what we observe, what we can conclude by rationalising it.
Not speculating on what might be ie infinite time past.
We know from science (?) time had a beginning. Or maybe the scientists are wrong?

[pixie374]

Theland, you are the only poster I have seen that doesn't believe in a "first cause". You say god has always been around (not a first cause?). And if time is not infinite, how could a God have always existed?
You seem to use different rules for different things... God might have possibly existed forever, but the universe couldn't have? It's so irrational, it's hard to answer.

[sevenOP]

"science (?)"

If, the above allade to 'The Big Bang', that is a theory, as is Darwin evolution, and God.

[sevenOP]

perhaps he is alluding to 'the uncaused first cause'

[pixie374]

Does that even make sense, seven? I thought he was ruling out an "uncaused first cause"? For everyone else, at least.

[Theland]

Pixie - God simply is.
He is infinite, and above and outside of time.
Time is part of His creation.
He is pure spirit, immaterial, and if you are really interested, there are far better Christian apologists than me.
I suggest, Ravi Zacharias.
Give it a go.

[pixie374]

Thanks, theland, but no. I'm interested in what you think and why... but not random strangers with an agenda.
It makes no sense to believe "God is"... and then go on to claim everything has a "first cause".
Where did God come from?

[pixie374]

Theland.... I did, just out of interest, watch this...
https://youtu.be/6uMjLKNf4ic
But got a third of the way through it, and he was talking so much nonsense, that I couldn't ask him about, that there was no point in going any further.

[pixie374]

To answer the OP directly (as you seem to be busy elsewhere, theland).... How did God appear from lifeless materials? And, if he has always existed... how?