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[Pippy]

theories are the HIGHEST form of explanation known to science

oh. What about theories that are so stout they grow into laws? A theory does imply guesswork, that is kind of the point, i thought...

we're pretty knowledgeable right back to a fraction of a second after the Big Bang

In theory. We know nothing for certain about the silly "fraction of a second before or after the bang". It was (in theory) a few billion years ago. We can look back, and speculate. We can guess, make a few assumptions... Take what evidence we see, and interpret it as we will. Theory.

Gravity is just a theory.

Well, to be perfectly clear, 'gravity' (the word) is a symbolic descriptor of a very real thing. So gravity (the thing) is real, and has properties and function. But 'gravity' (the word) is our concept of gravity (the thing). And so the semantic 'gravity' is theory, but the real gravity we are trying to name is solid. We can, of course, test out theories about gravity, much less can we test our theories of the supposed beginning of the universe.

I feel a little put off when I remind you guys that no one was around to witness the beginning of the universe, and so we should be open minded about it's way of happening. And then, somehow, I am an idiot. OK, so you all know without a doubt how the world and universe was formed, up until the silly split second after the theoretical bang. And for me to say that that seems far fetched at best makes me an idiot. Interesting.

Thank you for clearing that up.
-Pip