MIA; A proof for the eternality of matter

In my opinion, what is called the 'new atheism' is a response to the inadequate approach taken by most Christian apologists. The defensive posture of only trying to defend Christian beliefs, and never doing a critique of non-Christian beliefs has given confidence to a lot of enemies of the Church. I think it's time Christians started asking atheists (materialists) some tough questions of their own.

Let's take the question of the origin of matter;

You'll have noticed I suppose, that few people try to prove the eternality of the physical universe. While there are many people (perhaps too many) trying to prove the existence of God, you'll have to look hard to find one person defending the eternality of matter. So why is this?

Materialism (the most popular religion of academia) depends upon the eternality of matter (since matter/energy can't be created or destroyed) but yet few seem concerned about defending the idea. Is this because no one thinks it's possible? Is it because no one is sceptical of the idea? Is it because most people take the idea for granted? Is it because most people are spiritually and intellectually asleep; having been hypnotized by the pablum and fodder dished out by the popular (ad financed) media?

To be a intellectually satisfied atheist one must be able to defend the eternality of matter, but yet few are trying to do this. People are all dialed in on the Big Bang model of cosmogony in our day, and they seem to think that this explains how materialism could be the correct view of the universe. (i.e. of its foundation) But the big bang doesn't explain the origin of matter. A basic tenet of physics is that matter can't be created or destroyed. So what's the explanation then? I've looked, and I don't see one. The problem with the big bang (in this regard) is that it starts with a singularity, it doesn't explain where this came from. The only explanation that I've seen (I'm not a student of physics) is that we just have to assume the eternality of matter. Yes; it's not a satisfying solution, but it's all we can do. People try to draw up models of eternally collapsing and exploding universes, or infinite universe, but these don't answer the problem either as far as I can see.

In my opinion most christian apologists are far too lenient with the basic ideas of materialism. They spend far too much time trying to prove God, and not nearly enough time critiquing the foundations of materialism; nor do they spend enough time critiquing the inadequacy of materialism to address the most important life concerns of human beings.

The christian view is that God created matter; that before matter was, God is.
- The fact we don't know how matter can be created, and in fact deny such a possibility, is evidence to me that God exists. Clearly matter and energy exist, therefore it seems likely that someone exists who must have superior knowledge to that possessed by mankind.

Mike Johnson [frfarer - at - gmail.com]