(Comment copied from part (1) and edited): A vitally important, but commonly misunderstood point: according to our current scientific understanding, time *didn't* come into being at the Big Bang - it couldn't do as there was *no passage of time!* So there was no before the universe / multiverse, just as there is nothing South of the South Pole. Similarly, there is nothing outside the universe / multiverse. The only way to get around this is to posit higher dimensions of space and time for a transcendent being to inhabit, but then where did these come from? You either have to admit to there being a beginning to time without a time before it (which we already have according to our models), or to there being infinite amount of time prior to the universe being formed (which sure sounds impossible to me, and saying god is eternal doesn't really help with this : how long did he have to wait before he created the universe? how could he freely make a decision to do so if he knows the end from the beginning?). Ockham's razor says get rid of unnecessary assumptions, and I think something infinite being used to explain something finite is very much an unnecessary assumption!!
31:13 "Might I suggest, my friend" - not at all condescending there...
(Comment copied from part (1) and edited): A vitally important, but commonly misunderstood point: according to our current scientific understanding, time *didn't* come into being at the Big Bang - it couldn't do as there was *no passage of time!* So there was no before the universe / multiverse, just as there is nothing South of the South Pole. Similarly, there is nothing outside the universe / multiverse. The only way to get around this is to posit higher dimensions of space and time for a transcendent being to inhabit, but then where did these come from? You either have to admit to there being a beginning to time without a time before it (which we already have according to our models), or to there being infinite amount of time prior to the universe being formed (which sure sounds impossible to me, and saying god is eternal doesn't really help with this : how long did he have to wait before he created the universe? how could he freely make a decision to do so if he knows the end from the beginning?). Ockham's razor says get rid of unnecessary assumptions, and I think something infinite being used to explain something finite is very much an unnecessary assumption!!