[plain talk]

That's kind of an old question that sort of makes sense on a shallow human level. No one can really fathom eternity. So the question is understandable. But it's somewhat shallow. It says that if one cannot figure it all out and apply the same consistent reasoning to how man or God got here then we should reject the concept that the universe was created.

We can not understand God or comment on his origin. We cannot even understand the creation much less the creator. So first things first. But we can comment on what we observe and what has been observed by others. I don't need to know why the sky is blue or came to be blue to know that it is blue.

God is spirit and man is matter. In the universe we observe the result of intelligent design that is so obvious even we humans can observe it. In fact the designs are so blatant it's as if the creator wanted us to see them once we matured as a people to some level. We also have evidence of God's direct interaction with us via OT prophets and Jesus Christ.

On the nature of God Himself all we have are the scriptures which reveal much about God's personality and character and point out that God eternal and timeless. As a Clint Eastwood character once said, "a man has to know his limitations".

[r9etb]

No one can really fathom eternity.

Excellent point -- and it's worth noting that eternity pretty much has to be "bigger than" time or space-time.

[XBob]

51 - "In the universe we observe the result of intelligent design that is so obvious even we humans can observe it. In fact the designs are so blatant it's as if the creator wanted us to see them once we matured as a people to some level."

Super saturate a solution of sugar or salt and water, then put it in a glass jar, and hang a string into the solution. Let it sit for a week or two, uncovered, and see the beautiful design of the crystals which form (from your design? - not quite)