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Summary in 400 words or less:
The question “Who created God?” (or sometimes, “What created God?”) is a common question posed by agnostics and atheists in internet discussion forums. After all, if we can follow the chain of causes all the way back, eventually we would arrive at the Cause of all of our universe.
On one level, the question puts in doubt the concept of a “First Cause,” since we can always imagine a cause as also being an effect that requires another cause. There are a few possible answers to the question posed, though, as the following list suggests.
1. “Man created God.”
This answer is the answer that the atheist typically gives. The God concept thus, under this view, would originate due to the political, cultural, or psychological needs or preferences of humans.
2. “God created God.”
This answer could imply things ranging from the extremely esoteric to some sort of pantheism. On the positive end of things, this answer stops the regression in causality by attaching a loop at the end. The circular reasoning stops the otherwise infinite regress, but has odd implications, especially with a Judeo-Christian view of God.
3. “Nothing created God.”
This answer could pose a problem, especially when “Nothing” really means something, even if just empty space.
4. “Energy created God.”
This answer presents energy as supreme, and the Agent second. One then must wonder what one’s definition of “God” is.
5. “The question’s verb does not make sense.”
This view objects to the first three views on the grounds that God is maxipresent and fills all versions and points of time. Thus, it does not make sense that past tense would be used for the verb, since God is already present whenever moments exist. The result is a confusing mess, wherein “God (A) preceded God (B), man, or nothing, who in turn created God (A).” We would essentially have presence prior to origin (an anachronism).
So then the question becomes, “Who creates God?” The answer to that question presumably would require an entity that also fills all versions and points of time. This eliminates view #1, since man does not fill all versions and points of time. Concerning a modification of option #2 (“God creates God”), the resulting conclusion would imply that God is both a constant Creator and a constant creation. Regarding this view, at some point we must ask whether the verb “creates” has changed its meaning.
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Collaborators: Z.E. Kendall
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