The Greatest Miracle that Science has Ever "Proven"

              You may have noticed that the word “proven” in my title is in quotes and wondered if this is a concession that no such proof really exists for the “miracle” in question.  So you may be thinking my claim only illustrates the adage, “What one hand gives, it takes away with the other.”  Now on the one hand it is true that in terms of the question of causes in the succession of events of nature (e.g. present array of biological creatures, the geological history of Washington, etc.), scientists are not able to prove their conclusions.  Instead, they look at the entire range the evidence and then, out of a pool of multiple competing hypotheses, choose which one best fits the broadest array of data.  On the other hand, even under this criterion, the claim of my title still stands that science has virtually “proven” the “miracle” of the beginning of the universe!  Not only are scientists at a loss to explain this event in light of current scientific knowledge.  This is an event for which there is not even conceivably a scientific explanation.

                At a recent Reasons to Believe (www.reasons.org) chapter meeting, the agenda of which is to harmonize the Bible with scientific knowledge without compromising either one, our “resident atheist” also attended as a highly valued guest.  During the Q&A which followed that day’s video presentation on the beginning of the universe, he declared publically that there is no actual evidence for the existence of God.  I publically contested his assertion by posing the challenge that, in the face of the scientific evidence just presented affirming the universe came into existence out of a “zero volume singularity,” what can atheism offer as a scientific account of how the universe began out of nothing, that is superior to theism?  When he replied that “the God answer” is unacceptable, I further pressed him, “What cause then do you offer in its place as a more reasonable account?”  When he proposed a quantum alternative, others present reminded him that he was merely assuming the prior existence of the very particles and laws that he seeks to explain.  Ultimately he conceded that the cause of the universe is yet unknown.                

To be continued...