Tat, trying to reason through the myth of religions is an impossible task, since the myth itself is not based on reason or logic. It is pointless explaining that monotheistic religions do not "really" believe in creation from nothing. They do. They have to, as I explained. If instead they believed that God created the universe from something, they would have to ask who created that something.

I agree that it does not state in Genesis that God created the world from nothing. But there is no denying that creation ex nihilo it is a basic tenet of faith for Judaism, Christianity and Islam. However much you try to tell them that it is illogical, irrational and simply did not happen, it will not change their belief that that is what actually happened.

If instead they believed that God created the universe from something, they would have to ask who created that something.

And the answer is simple, God created the something in question that eventually gave rise to the universe. Remember, their universe was multi-leveled. This level is simply an edition to the higher levels where the God was believed to dwell.

The God created everything and the God has always been around, creating this and that for an eternity. Everything links back to the God. Take for instance man. Where did the dust of the earth come from? It came from the God's spoken word followed by the God's own breathe of life. The man came from the God. Where does the man go from there? "The soul goeth back to God that giveth..." It's circular, from the God back to the God.

When I say reason through the mythology, I mean reason through it according to it's own standards. This is sort of like the Protestant problem with Catholicism. They accuse the Church of traditions which have no basis in scripture. That's the point of the Protestant Reformation. I see the idea of creation ex nihilo as one of those traditions which lack scriptural support when you investigate very closely. And I think it would do the world justice to always question anyone who ever comes along promoting religious or even scientific claims based on "nothing" and "nothingness." They are deceptive ideas. And a strong truth seeking path will veer away from these various fallacies...

Tat, I don't know what you are trying to prove. Even more important is who you are trying to prove it to: to me or to the religions that espouse creation ex nihilo. If it's to me, don't bother, since I don't believe that something can come from nothing. If you are trying to prove to those religions that they are wrong, I would think that you are beating a dead horse.

I hope you're not saying that Protestants believe that the world is not created from nothing The only "Christian" sect I know of that says that is the Church of Latter Day Saints .

I repeat, it is only certain mystical beliefs that preaches emanation. The mainstream of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have as a basic tenet of faith that God created the universe from nothing. Now go and tell them that their beliefs are fallacies and that yours is the "strong truth seeking path".

I always do...