[Moby Grape]

The hardest question is what was before matter. If one accpets creationism, then big bang lends to this idea. All of mass in one place, exploding out and reforming by gravity into the universe. On the other hand, if one accepts creationism, they could also accept that any supreme being capable of forming matter, could just as easily speak it into existence in any form or date sequence that supreme being should choose. Whether steady state or big bang, or whatever, the "what was before matter" is the tough one. Einstein said that time only exists where there is matter and gravity...if so, then one could better conceive the idea of a supreme being in a state of "always was/ always is"....say, I am getting dizzy!!!! One thing I am sure of...I don't know exactly how the universe came to be.

[medved]

The hardest question is what was before matter.

My own GUESS would be that the material universe is eternal, and always has and always will be here. Creation stories in literature invariably refer to the creation of the visible cosmos, i.e. our own solar system and its near environs.