Many people do not like the idea that time has a beginning, probably because it smacks of divine intervention. (The Catholic Church, on the other hand, seized on the big bang model and in 1951 officially pronounced it to be in accordance with the Bible.
Stephen HawkingWhy are we here? Where do we come from? Traditionally, these are questions for philosophy, but philosophy is dead.
Stephen HawkingBefore we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe. But now science offers a more convincing explanation.
Stephen HawkingThe initial configuration of the universe may have been chosen by God, or it may itself have been determined by the laws of science. In either case, it would seem that everything in the universe would then be determined by evolution according to the laws of science, so it is difficult to see how we can be masters of our fate.
Stephen Hawking