Is it possible that the Universe has always been there, that it is eternal and infinite? Does everything have to be cause and effect? Is there a possibility that God does not cause or create anything?

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Yes it is possible that the universe has always been here. It is possible that time is not a straight line as we often imagine it, but is circular, curving back on itself, from the past to the future and from the future to the past.

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A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe,
a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself,
his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest
a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. -- Albert Einstein

I see the universe as a vastly complex series of effect - each of which has its own cause or causes.

Surely the universe, itself was the result of a cause I cannot see, but MUST surmise to be there.

Regards,
Scott

The perceived universe? No, it is not possible that it has always been here as eternal and infinite.

The known universe? (Known from within) - I believe it is plausible that it exists eternally and infinitely. I have NO evidence that it doesn't exist eternally.


Yes, I believe the Universe can be known to have One Cause, with the essence of One effect - which is really really (if you think about it) an extension of the Cause. That many effects are perceived, which in turn show up as "causes" of other "effects" is, IMO, a sure sign of a very vivid imagination.

Within the illusion (perceptual order), every conclusion is but another illusion.


Possible that it can be stated this way? Absolutely. Yet, I find it undeniably implausible that God does not Create, for anything and everything that exists, is that which is both created by God and IS God (extended).

I believe the universe in some shape or form has always existed and will always exist. No first cause, or creation. Energy makes up the universe, and energy cannot be created or destroyed. Cause and effect is there, there just never was a "first" cause.

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The only constant in this universe is change. Are you ready to change??

In terms of "TIME" yes. But the beginning of this universe is also the beginning of time. Therefore, the universe is NOT timeless. God is timeless.

Regards,
Scott

And if the universe had no beginning, then the universe is not timeless. And that gets rid of the need for a "timeless" god.

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The only constant in this universe is change. Are you ready to change??

Anything is possible, but it is highly unlikely, just from the things we can observe in our infant sciences. Does everything have a cause and effect? I wouldn't go that far. I don't think that the creator has a cause, though certainly he has an effect. As for him not causing or creating anything, I'd think that was a conflict of terms; a creator that doesn't create wouldn't be a creator.

I think I've reread this statement 10 times, and still not sure what is being said.

It seems to me the statement would be accurate if it read:

- And if the universe had no beginning, then the universe is timeless.

The "not" in there is what's confusing me.

That we tend to believe in time-space as existing (via perception) seems to me, the reason why we assume that there is beginning and end to the universe. And I would say that if there is no beginning, then there is no such thing as "time" - and that any experience / perception of time-space is "imagined." Thus all cause and effect that is related to time-space would also be imagined.

Is this close to what you are saying MV?

Woops!! The "not" is NOT supposed to be there. Sorry about that.

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The only constant in this universe is change. Are you ready to change??