Yet, the universe seems to persist, and the general consensus is, even among the most atheistic scientists, that the universe, (inconveniently for many) has an age. This age is generally believed to be 17-20 billion years old. Ergo, if at one point the universe did not exist (prior to 20 billion B.C.), then at some point it did, somehow, come into being (sorry,...). But, science has still failed to explain this phenomena. Certain attempts have been made to describe what took place during Creation, "scientifically". But this, of course, does not explain the origin, reason or cause of the original "Bang".
For those satisfied with the quasi-explanation that "it just happened" and "we don't need to know why" (and perhaps can't know), this, of course, just begs the question altogether. But, even so, assuming the quasi-validity of this quasi non-explanation: then prior to the "Bang" there was...what? Nothing? Well, then: who created that awfully creative "Nothing"? But, can Something (particularly something as cumbersome as a universe) really have come full-blown from absolutely Nothing?
Personally, I tend to believe that this explains- nothing (pardon the pun...).
It's interesting, though, that the "Who created the Creator? " crowd has such a hard time with the concept of Eternity, which is pretty much a given in theology and much of philosophy. In fact, the idea of a Primal, unborn and undying principle, capable of creation, maintenance and dissolution, is the basis of all of the main religions of the world. While this may not mean a lot to the "who cares?" among us, there does exist a vast literature, from all the major religious traditions of the world, documenting the experiences of quite certifiably sane individuals, with this "unborn & undying" principle. The Hindu religion in particular is actually based on these experiences as collected in the Upanishads click here, (which the German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer, called "the consolation of my life").
The uniformity of the nature of these various experiences is remarkable to virtually any objective observer; whether from St. Teresa of Alvida, or the Sikh Kabir, or Hindu Ramakrishna (who apparently spent much of his life in this state. click here ) These actual experiences with the eternal, Primal Cause span thousands of years and tens of thousands of miles. The most recent of which I am aware is on page 198 of Elizabeth Gilbert's bestselling "Eat, Pray, Love". It is quite stunning in it's specificity; and this from a white, Protestant girl who grew up in 20th century New England...
The fact of the matter is that these same experiences occur quite regularly to probably thousands of individuals all over the world, in any given age; whether in monasteries, hermitages, caves or some suburban home in Kalamazoo, Mich. For the most part, they just go unrecorded (The Buddha is often to have said he is just the 25th Buddha. Presumably the previous 24 didn't much care if anyone else knew about them...)
" The most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience
is the sensation of the mystical.
It is the sower of all true science.
He to whom this emotion is a stranger,
who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe,
is as good as dead.
To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists,
manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty,
which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their primitive forms -
this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of true religion. "
