Answering Atheism - How to Make the Case for God with Logic and Charity

by Trent Horn

before the Big Bang, like another universe that we came from that has been around for all eternity? T: Well, I also think philosophy could show that the past can’t be eternal, even if there was another universe that existed before the Big Bang. For example, if there were an infinite number of days before today, then time could never reach the present moment. But since today did happen, this shows that time must be finite and so the universe had a beginning. A: Wait. I’m not sure I understand how you get to the universe having a beginning. T: Let’s try this. Let’s pretend that the present moment is symbolized by you opening that door. If this were the fourth day of existence you would count one day, two days, three days, and then open the door. A: All right. T: Now if the universe were eternal, that would be like you counting to infinity and then opening the door. But can you ever really open the door in this scenario? A: No, because I would never be done counting. T: It’s the same with the universe. But since today did happen, we have a good reason to think that there weren’t an infinite number of days before today, and so the universe had a beginning. A: Ugh, all this infinity stuff is making my head hurt. T: Mine too! I’m just saying that this is one possible argument among several that point toward the universe’s having a beginning in the past. A: But if God created the universe, then what created God? T: My argument was only that things that begin to exist require an e...