Because of modern science we now know the universe does not have an infinite number of past events and it indeed had a beginning. Big Bang cosmology has successfully validated that the universe is not eternal and that roughly 14 billion years ago all matter, space and time came into existence in less than a split second– in fact far less. Given the scientific brute fact that prior to the universe coming into existence there was no matter, no space and no time, the cause of the universe must necessarily be a timeless, spaceless, immaterial and uncaused entity. God is the only reasonable explanation of a timeless, spaceless, immaterial, uncaused cause that one can arrive at concerning the universe’s origin.

However some self-proclaimed intellectuals like to say they have too much stock in rationality to believe in God and are quick to quip that they instead believe in science. What they fail to grasp is that positing God as the ultimate explanation for the origin of our universe is the only scientifically and philosophically rational position one can take. But some individuals have such a strong and unflinching predisposition to reject the entire concept of God apriori that they find it impossible to truly be rational on the matter.

For example some people’s rejection of God as being the ultimate explanation for the origin of the universe is based on nothing more than a prejudicial disregard for an unpleasant caricature of God they have formed in their minds. And they see little to no reason to affirm their caricature of God as being the uncaused cause of the universe. But when one digs a little deeper it is all to obvious that the personal disdain these individuals have towards the God hypothesis does not lie in rationality but in preference. They don’t prefer to think of a cosmic, personal Being watching over the affairs of earth and whose existence lies sequestered and unaccessible to their scientific probing.

But what if we simply throw out the whole concept of God being a “personal Being.” Let’s just strip it down it down to bare facts and be honest about what we are facing. We are in need of a spaceless, timeless, immaterial, uncaused cause– are we not? Forget about calling it “God” and assigning personal attributes to it. Let’s just qualify it as an impersonal “thing.” Whatever that “thing” is we can rationally agree that it needs to be timeless, spaceless, immaterial and uncaused– that is to say an eternal, non-contingent “thing.” Can we not?

At this point I have often found atheists to be more agreeable and encouraged to connect the dots of rationality as to how the ultimate explanation of the universe must fit those category terms. This tells me that they don’t reject the God hypothesis on rational grounds but on preferential grounds. They agree that the cause of the universe must be a timeless, spaceless, immaterial, uncaused “thing” of immense power. They just don’t want to call that “thing” God.

Prejudice and preference. Two pitfalls that blind us to true, scientific inquiry and acceptance.