re: #264 dog philosopher

1. God provides the best explanation of the origin of the universe. Given the scientific evidence we have about our universe and its origins, and bolstered by arguments presented by philosophers for centuries, it is highly probable that the universe had an absolute beginning. Since the universe, like everything else, could not have merely popped into being without a cause, there must exist a transcendent reality beyond time and space that brought the universe into existence. This entity must therefore be enormously powerful. Only a transcendent, unembodied mind suitably fits that description.

so, this ‘entity’, like the universe, and everything else, “could not have merely popped into being without a cause”, either - wouldn’t you agree?

and what is your explanation of the origin of this “enormously powerful” entity, the, um, “transcendent, unembodied mind”?

This is just a badly worded and dumbed down version of Thomas Aquinas’ Cosmological Argument. It’s something that modern science shows is not required for the existence of the universe and is therefore debunked.

Even if it was true, this ‘entity’ does not necessarily have to continue to exist, nor does it, simply on the basis of this argument, match the Christian or any other God as portrayed in by any religion in existence.