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To: Dataman
Although everything in the universe must have a cause/beginning,

Unsupported presumption, but I'll let it slide.

God is the Causer and Sustainer of the universe and therefore the Uncaused Cause.

Errrnnt!! Conclusion does not follow from the premise. Thanks for playing.

Sure, his origin wouldn't be via anything *in* this Universe, but you've hardly "proven" that he therefore could exist without a "Cause" of some sort, from somewhere *other* than our universe.

That should be self-evident (although *you* managed to miss it), so let's go with an illustrative thought experiment. Let's say that 50 years from now, Einstein's great-great-grandson Fred figures out the holy grail of physics, the TOE (Theory Of Everything, which ties together and explains all physical laws). Along with winning the Nobel prize, he wants to put the idea to a practical test, so he rents time on the best particle accelerator of the day, sets the equipment just right according to predictions of his TOE, hits the "commence" button, and *poof*, successfully creates a brand new universe independent from our own, complete with its own space-time system. Cool. He names it Universe Betty, after his inspirational wife.

Now, ponder the situation. Is the following statement a logical conclusion?

If Fred created time and the Universe Betty, He must have existed outside of time and the Universe Betty. Although everything in the Universe Betty must have a cause/beginning, Fred is the Causer and Sustainer of the Universe Betty and therefore the Uncaused Cause.
Is this really true? Is Fred thus an "Uncaused Cause"?

Hell no.

Just because someone/something can manage to produce a new universe from whatever/wherever they currently reside when they decide to boot up a universe, that in no way proves that they must be an "Uncaused Cause". It only proves that if they have a Cause (and as far as we know, everything *needs* a Cause), it lies somewhere *else*.

425 posted on 05/03/2003 11:37:00 PM PDT by Ichneumon
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To: Ichneumon
Is this really true? Is Fred thus an "Uncaused Cause"? Hell no. Just because someone/something can manage to produce a new universe from whatever/wherever they currently reside when they decide to boot up a universe, that in no way proves that they must be an "Uncaused Cause". It only proves that if they have a Cause (and as far as we know, everything *needs* a Cause), it lies somewhere *else*.

Oh, such deep, deep thoughts. So, now, Fred is your 'causer' and he has a cause, so that proves what? Disney's "circle of life"? You can believe that nonsense if you want. I don't have enough groundless faith for that. The Bible takes much less faith than that gobblety-gook.

It is positively amazing to me what intellectual pretzels some people are willing to emulate -- just to avoid the obvious.

430 posted on 05/03/2003 11:53:18 PM PDT by winstonchurchill
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To: Ichneumon
Although everything in the universe must have a cause/beginning, Unsupported presumption, but I'll let it slide.

Please grace us with and example of something proven to not have a cause. This would be a violation of the law of cause and effect, another miracle! I am continually amazed at how you evos will point the finger at creationists and reduce their explanations to "goddidit!" while your explanations remain "itdidititself!"

Sure, his origin wouldn't be via anything *in* this Universe, but you've hardly "proven" that he therefore could exist without a "Cause" of some sort, from somewhere *other* than our universe.

For you, I'm sure there is no proof of anything but evolution. Please detail your thinking on how an Ultimate Being could have an origin.

It only proves that if they have a Cause (and as far as we know, everything *needs* a Cause), it lies somewhere *else*.

If everything needs a cause -- and I'm surprised to see that you agree with this law-- then what caused our universe?

501 posted on 05/04/2003 5:11:11 AM PDT by Dataman
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