Just caught up with it. Cool thread.
One thing I find amusing is the way some peope think an explanation for the origin of the universe, or whatever framework the universe exists within, has to be intellectually satisfying. It'd be nice if it was, but I have a feeling that it never will be, simply because it's an area where our sense of logic, which has evolved to deal with a very restricted set of circumstances, is likely to be completely out of its depth.
It's fairly obvious that the available options are going to be a/ infinite regress or b/ uncaused first cause or c/ it will be something we find literally and permanently incomprehensible. None of these are exactly intellectually satisfying, but I'm not sure if there are any other options.
Side note: This is the stage when the Qur’an turns remarkably ugly. For the purposes of this debate I’ve read through it more in the last several days than I have in quite some time, and I must say that it is a remarkably vile, low quality, evasive, and assumptive jumble of bully tactics and intimidation. Allah really sucks at arguing a point—remarkably so. I’m struggling to figure out how I’m going to make the Qur’an sound anywhere near intelligent here.
All; of that pretty much sums up why I never managed to read the whole thing. I did make a start on it, but I thought it was such a terrible book that it simply wasn't worth persevering with.