Stephen Hawking

On God

Here's a quote:
"When people ask me if a god created the universe, I tell them that the question itself makes no sense.  Time didn't exist before the big bang, so there is no time for god to make the universe in.  It's like asking directions to the edge of the earth; the earth is a sphere; it doesn't have an edge; so looking for it is a futile exercise.  We are each free to believe what we want, and it's my view that the simplest explanation is; there is no god.  No one created our universe, and no one directs our fate.  This leads me to a profound realization; there is probably no heaven; and no afterlife, either.  We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe; and for that I am extremely grateful."

I agree.

but
i have difficulty with the conception of time.
  (of course there was time before the big bang! just as there was space)
  (something for the 'spacetime' to expand in!)

we direct our own fates (largely) so in that sense we are our own gods.

there is an "afterlife", in the sense of our dna persisting in our children, and our art, quotes, books, influence, etc.

GD
grand design
grand designer
gunned down
good day
gandolf?
gigantic dunce!
general disarray