Could God have Created a Different Universe?

[Clizby WampusCat]

When God created the universe, did He create a universe that is the only one that He could have created or did He choose to create this universe over other different universes knowing all that would happen in this universe?

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

When God created the universe, did He create a universe that is the only one that He could have created or did He choose to create this universe over other different universes knowing all that would happen in this universe?

He did create a different universe and called it new
Isa. 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Rev.21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

 

[Halbhh]

When God created the universe, did He create a universe that is the only one that He could have created or did He choose to create this universe over other different universes knowing all that would happen in this universe?

Seriously, and it's not just a momentary new idea or a rare thought to me, I'm really delighted with this physical Universe, as it is, so astounding.

There's isn't any possible way to have actual love -- which operates by free choice -- without also allowing evil to happen.

While you could have rigidly programmed robots without any autonomy that would never do harmful actions....they also would not love in any interesting/wonderful way. Such rigidly programmed entities could only be a simplistic/eventually boring mechanical nation.

Not worth having more than a day or a year maybe. Boring all too soon.

So, for love to exist, evil had to be possible, and so would happen plenty, right along with the good things.

We have to learn and be changed, to choose what's good and leave what's bad behind.

There's not another way to have a truly wonderful society in the end.

 

[ChetSinger]

When God created the universe, did He create a universe that is the only one that He could have created or did He choose to create this universe over other different universes knowing all that would happen in this universe?

Who knows?

One thing the Bible does tell us is that this isn't the first age, and it won't be the last one. The Greek phrase we translate as "eternal life" is literally "life across the ages". That's what he's offering us: to experience subsequent ages. And also the forgiveness of sins, so that we don't get too beat up for the sins we did in this one.

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

He did create a different universe and called it new
Isa. 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Rev.21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

That is not what I asked.

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

Seriously, and it's not just a momentary new idea or a rare thought to me, I'm really delighted with this physical Universe, as it is, so astounding.

There's isn't any possible way to have actual love -- which operates by free choice -- without also allowing evil to happen.

While you could have rigidly programmed robots without any autonomy that would never do harmful actions....they also would not love in any interesting/wonderful way. Such rigidly programmed entities could only be a simplistic/eventually boring mechanical nation.

Not worth having more than a day or a year maybe. Boring all too soon.

So, for love to exist, evil had to be possible, and so would happen plenty, right along with the good things.

We have to learn and be changed, to choose what's good and leave what's bad behind.

There's not another way to have a truly wonderful society in the end.

Not what I asked. But I am used to Christians answering a different question than what was asked.

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

Who knows?

Thanks for the first answer to the question asked.

One thing the Bible does tell us is that this isn't the first age, and it won't be the last one. The Greek phrase we translate as "eternal life" is literally "life across the ages". That's what he's offering us: to experience subsequent ages. And also the forgiveness of sins, so that we don't get too beat up for the sins we did in this one.

This is just another doctrine that conflicts with other Christian's doctrine. But this is a different discussion than the question asked.

 

[Halbhh]

did He choose to create this universe over other different universes knowing all that would happen in this universe?

No.

Evidently, and also according to the scriptural text read more fully and carefully, God apparently has made us able to at least sometimes do an unpredictable choice/change in direction.

By design, as it were.

Or more simply: He made us like Himself:
John 10:34 Jesus replied, "Is it not written in your Law: 'I have said you are gods'?

God made us to be like Himself, able to make choices (meaning those choices are not all predetermined).

 

[ChetSinger]

When God created the universe, did He create a universe that is the only one that He could have created or did He choose to create this universe over other different universes knowing all that would happen in this universe?

If you're asking whether everything is predestined, then no, I don't think it is. Some things are, but not everything is.

 

[Petros2015]

When God created the universe, did He create a universe that is the only one that He could have created or did He choose to create this universe over other different universes knowing all that would happen in this universe?

I'm not sure we know what the universe 'is'. We know what it appears to be, but there seem to be some funny things going on under the covers at the quantum level.

Could be we perceive 1 of what are in fact a 'multiverse' of creations

There's also Many-Worlds-Theory

The bizarre logic of the many-worlds theory

In which case the 'universe' encompasses all the possible events and outcomes, the branching of an enormous tree. I doubt this is the case, but it would be interesting, since for any individual it would contain a best-of-all-possible paths and a worst-of-all-possible-paths and multitudes of paths inbetween, all equally real.

And what's with all these stars anyway?!? I mean... GEEZ!

I'm not sure what's actually up.

But I am prepared to be surprised.

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

No.

So this is the only universe God could have created?

 

[Halbhh]

So this is the only universe God could have created?

I'd not say that exactly.

I'd say something more like this: This is the best universe possible to allow and help accomplish our maturing in relationship with God.

How? It's one where there is great beauty, yet not an easy proof of God for a skeptic. So, that we have to make a leap of faith -- enough to actually do what Jesus said we should do. (not just some other stuff churches do like charity, etc., but instead the exactly several things Jesus said we are to do, specifically and precisely)

 

[Petros2015]

When God created the universe, did He create a universe that is the only one that He could have created or did He choose to create this universe over other different universes knowing all that would happen in this universe?

If you go with the Creator-As-Artist allegory, I would say no -
The Artist could create more than 1 piece
The Artist has complete control over the creation process
The Creation should tell something about the Artist

(Artists don't create things they aren't interested in)
(unless they are hard up for rent and doing a piece on commission

Is the one they last chose to make the only one they could have ever made?
No, not really, but it's the one they did make.
It's possible that in the next piece they make
Some of the favorite elements might be preserved or carried over

We shall see.

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

If you're asking whether everything is predestined, then no, I don't think it is. Some things are, but not everything is.

I am asking whether God had to cerate this universe or could He have created a different universe?

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

I'd not say that exactly.

I'd say something more like this: This is the best universe possible to allow and help accomplish our maturing in relationship with God.

How? It's one where there is great beauty, yet not an easy proof of God for a skeptic. So, that we have to make a leap of faith -- enough to actually do what Jesus said we should do. (not just some other stuff churches do like charity, etc., but instead the exactly several things Jesus said we are to do, specifically and precisely)

Sounds like you are saying that He could have but did not want to because this one accomplishes His purposes.

 

[Clizby WampusCat]

If you go with the Creator-As-Artist allegory, I would say no -
The Artist could create more than 1 piece
The Artist has complete control over the creation process
The Creation should tell something about the Artist

(Artists don't create things they aren't interested in)
(unless they are hard up for rent and doing a piece on commission

Is the one they last chose to make the only one they could have ever made?
No, not really, but it's the one they did make.
It's possible that in the next piece they make
Some of the favorite elements might be preserved or carried over

We shall see.

So God could have made a different universe but made this one? Like an artist could have made another piece of art but chose to make the one they made?

 

[Halbhh]

Sounds like you are saying that He could have but did not want to because this one accomplishes His purposes.

That's my opinion, yes -- I don't think a wholly different kind of reality/universe would accomplish the same.

Your OP is asking for speculations. The answer isn't plainly stated as I read it, unless you count such things as "all things work for our good".

 

[ChetSinger]

I am asking whether God had to cerate this universe or could He have created a different universe?

Since he alone is uncreated I think he can create anything.

 

[Petros2015]

So God could have made a different universe but made this one? Like an artist could have made another piece of art but chose to make the one they made?

I feel like that's a fair assessment or possibility; something that a Creative Personality would have open to it rather than a Force of Nature. I'm not sure that it's within the capacity of a Force of Nature to create a Creative Personality. But it might be within the capacity of a Creative Personality to do so.

 

[PloverWing]

When God created the universe, did He create a universe that is the only one that He could have created or did He choose to create this universe over other different universes knowing all that would happen in this universe?

For me, this question is the same as "Is the universe, as it is, the only way that the universe could be?" There are lots of events that could be otherwise -- I could plant an oak tree instead of a maple tree in my backyard, or (more significantly) a species in the ancient past could have survived instead of going extinct, etc. -- so in that way, the universe could definitely be different from what it is. But for more fundamental elements -- could the speed of light be different from what it is? could mathematics itself be different from what it is? and so on -- I really don't know how much fundamental differences like these are possible.