Universe from Nothing?

[Jesus is Lord]

Thanks to everyone who has posted.
We've talked about a lot of different ideas -
but the central idea I'm trying to hear about
is the idea of the origin of the universe.

How did the universe that we observe come to be?
IF you think it arose from nothing, then how?
IF you think it arose from something - "" ""
IF you think that time inheres in existence,
then why is there something and not nothing?

If you have some other view of the origins of the universe,
please explain - WITHOUT invoking anything supernatural.

---

You and I are walking near the south pole.
We both come upon a fresh baked loaf of bread on a table.
The bread is still steaming in the tin.
I suggest that - only moments ago,
this loaf of bread must have been in a hot oven,
and that we are not alone - there is someone else here.
Neither of us can physically see any evidence of the oven or the person.

You respond, "No - I don't think it is fresh from an oven,
but rather that it arose long ago."

I say, "had it been on its own for more than five minutes
it would be frozen solid by now."

You say, "It gave rise to itself."

I say, "It's a loaf of bread - these things don't arise by themselves
anywhere else in human experience.
All the loaves of bread that we can actually see and measure
don't do what you are suggesting."

The universe is here - it is made up of particles and systems
which progress from order to disorder; it is breaking down.
It is a fresh baked universe.
It lacks the capacity for eternal existence.
Given time the Sun will swallow the earth,
the stars will fade from view, black holes will predominate,
matter will evaporate via Hawking radiation
leaving lone leptons that miss each other by one hundred million light years.

Why is there a universe?
What is it still doing here?
Why is there order?
Why is there anything for entropy to act upon?
The only situations where we can measure and document
order arising and persisting in the face of entropy
are where consciousness is present.