The beginning of Time
Question #1: Did Time exist before the Universe resulted from the Big Bang some 14 billion years ago?
The question is a little more complicated than it may seem. According to many organized religions, the answer is “no” because God, who existed before the Universe did, is “timeless.” Einstein would presumably answer my question the same way on grounds that Time is just a component of “spacetime” that has existed only as long as the material Universe has. But if the correct answer is in fact “no,” that could have serious implications for the nature of God and His connection, if any, to our magnificent Universe.
I’ll post my answer to this question in 15 days but, in the meantime, I would definitely welcome your own thoughts on the matter.
About The Author
Bill Penick
I am a “believer” who cannot find a plausible God among the many traditional choices. After practicing law for over 30 years, I spent many years researching and pondering the matter, which led me to certain conclusions that are still “works in progress.” And that’s why I am soliciting your help and your views on this blog site. Practicing as an active trial lawyer for so long actually helped me in my quest to find a believable God because I learned how to identify the key issues, ask the right questions, analyze and organize the evidence, and present my arguments effectively. Perhaps more important than anything else is the fact that it taught me to always keep an open mind, which is a lesson I hope to bring to the journey at hand. Aside from practicing law and contemplating God, I’ve enjoyed a fulfilling life. Julie, my wonderful wife and best friend for 55 years, and I spent a lot of time in the outdoors with our kids hiking, camping, canoeing, skiing, and dogsledding, including a three-day honeymoon at 13,000 feet in the Rockies with an armed stranger who allegedly just killed his wife (that’s probably when I started contemplating God). On another occasion, my 100-pound wife, armed with nothing more than a couple of pots, chased a 400-pound bear out of our campsite in the Canadian woods (a moment of more contemplation). Many of our adventures (and misadventures) wound up in written stories to share with our three children and seven grandchildren.