Recently I have some communications with an atheist.
He has written that there is a magic leprechaun who created the universe. He has also written that he has evidence for it, because he has a book which says so.
So I have to ask him as to whether his magic leprechaun is spaceless, timeless and immaterial, because otherwise his magic leprechaun cannot be the creator of the universe because of the following reason:
Logic dictates that a creator will always precede its creation. As universe primarily means its space, time, matter and energy, so universe created by magic leprechaun will mean its space, time, matter and energy have been created by magic leprechaun. That will further mean that before creation by magic leprechaun there was no space, no time, no matter and no energy. That will again mean that before creation magic leprechaun was in no space and time and that magic leprechaun did not contain any matter and energy. So a magic leprechaun who is the creator of the universe will always be spaceless, timeless and immaterial. Therefore a magic leprechaun who is not spaceless, timeless and immaterial will fail to qualify himself as a probable candidate for the post of the creator of the universe.
In reply he informs me that this magic leprechaun comes from another universe and that he created this universe. He also writes that it is all in the book and that it makes more sense than the Biblical God. He also states that if something (or someone) is spaceless, timeless and immaterial, then it doesn't exist, because there is no space where that something exists, there was no time that it existed and there is no material where that something exists of. So as per him something cannot exist without space, time and / or matter.
In reply I have to write to him that he has no idea about what it actually means to be spaceless nad timeless. For him spaceless and timeless means to be in no space for no time and therefore something that is spaceless and timeless does not exist at all. But actually it means something else. I present the following argument to him:
Whatever exists within the universe exists within space-time. But what about the universe itself? Does it exist within some higher space-time? Is there any space-time beyond the universe? If there is no space-time beyond the universe, then universe as a whole does not exist within any space-time. In that case shall we say that the universe does not exist?
Then I have given him one example also:
We also know that the universe is expanding. Now if one asks any cosmologist this question that what it is expanding into, they will always reply that it is not expanding into anything, because the universe is not embedded into any higher space-time. Their answer is fully consistent with the big bang theory. Big bang theory says that space-time began along with the big bang only. That means big bang did not occur within any pre-existing space-time, because there was no space-time before the big bang. Therefore neither is the universe expanding within any pre-existing space-time. So, here cosmologists are also saying the same thing that the universe as a whole is not within any space-time. Again I ask him the same question: can we say that the universe does not exist because it is not expanding within any space-time?
In reply the atheist confirms that the universe does exist, because as per him the universe IS space time and matter. He states that as far as all of us know, there is nothing outside of our universe. So he thinks that it is indeed fully consistent with the Big bang theory. He also states that outside the universe there is no space and time where anything can exist and that therefore probably nothing exists without our universe.
In reply I have to write to him that everybody knows that universe is space, time and matter. But I have to give him a reminder that here the question is something else and that it is this: within which space-time does the universe as a whole exist if there is no space-time outside the universe? I have to repeat to him that his concept that spaceless and timeless means existing in no space for no time applies equally to the universe as well, because the universe as a whole is not within any space-time. I also write to him that in whichever way he will try to suppress this truth that the universe is not within any space-time, he will fail.
In reply he writes that there is a council of gods existing without time, space and matter, spending no time doing nothing no-where. He also writes that these gods never showed any interest in him or his well being. So, he guesses that the god(s) have better things to do with their no time, and that he will try to spend his time as good as possible, because he has to deal with time as because he is in the universe. He also requests me that in case I meet one or more gods, then I should tell them that he would really like to meet them. This is because he is very curious how it is to live without space and time.
In reply I have to write to him that his last comment shows that either he is a dogmatic person, or that his intelligence level is low. So either he refuses to understand (due to his dogmatism), or he fails to understand (due to his low level of intelligence) that whatever may be the ultimate reality, that ultimate reality can never be within any space and time.
Here the communication ends.
Here the atheist is clearly using double standard for ascertaining truth; he is using one standard for God and another standard for the universe. For him existence means existing within some space-time. So for him God does not exist because God is not within any space and time. But for him the universe exists, although as per the cosmologists neither is the universe within any space-time, because it is not expanding into anything. So as per his own standard he should also say that the universe does not exist. But he does not say so.
So his using double standard for ascertaining truth is quite apparent.