The Horizon Problem

[The Horizon Problem by Dr. Jason Lisle] "In the big-bang model, the universe begins in an infinitely small state called a singularity, which then rapidly expands. According to the big-bang model, when the universe was still very small it would have developed different temperatures in different locations. Let’s suppose that point A is hot and point B is cold. Today, the universe has expanded and points A and B are now widely separated.

However, the universe has an extremely uniform temperature at great distance—beyond the farthest known galaxies. In other words, points A and B have almost exactly the same temperature today. We know this because we see electromagnetic radiation coming from all directions in space in the form of microwaves. This is called the “cosmic microwave background” (CMB). The frequencies of radiation have a characteristic temperature of 2.7 K and are extremely uniform in all directions. The temperature deviates by only one part in 105.

The problem is this: how did points A and B come to be the same temperature? They can only do this by exchanging energy. There are many systems where this happens; consider an ice cube placed in hot coffee. The ice heats up and the coffee cools down by exchanging energy. Likewise, point A can give energy to point B in the form of electromagnetic radiation (light). (This is the fastest way of transferring energy since nothing can travel faster than light.) However, using the big bang supporters’ own assumptions (such as uniformitarianism and naturalism), there has not been enough time in 14 billion years to get light from A to B; they are too far apart. This is a light travel-time problem—and a very serious one. After all, A and B have almost the same temperature today, and so must have exchanged light multiple times.

Big-bang supporters have proposed a number of conjectures which attempt to solve the big bang’s light travel-time problem. One of the most popular is called “inflation.” In “inflationary” models, the universe has two expansion rates; a normal rate and a fast “inflation” rate. The universe begins with the “normal” rate (which is actually quite rapid, but is slow by comparison to the next phase). Then it enters the inflation phase, where the universe expands much more rapidly. At a later time, the universe goes back to the normal rate. This all happens early on, long before stars and galaxies form.

The inflation model allows points A and B to exchange energy (during the first normal expansion) and to then be pushed apart during the inflation phase to the enormous distances at which they are located today, but the inflation model amounts to nothing more than storytelling, with no supporting evidence at all. It is merely a speculation designed to align the big bang to conflicting observations. Moreover, inflation adds an additional set of problems and difficulties to the big-bang model, such as what would cause such inflation, and how to turn it off in a graceful fashion. An increasing number of secular astrophysicists are rejecting inflation for these reasons and others. Clearly, the horizon problem remains a serious light travel-time problem for the big bang.

The critic may suggest that the big bang is a better explanation of origins than the Bible since biblical creation has a light travel-time problem—distant starlight. Such an argument is not rational since the big bang has a light travel-time problem of its own. If both models have the same problem in essence, then that problem cannot be used to support one model over the other. Therefore, distant starlight cannot be used to dismiss the Bible in favor of the big bang." The Horizon Problem, Lisle.

“The heavens declare creation and science confirms it.” Jason Lisle

Response to comment [from a Christian]:  [Lisle quote:  "The critic may suggest that the big bang is a better explanation of origins than the Bible."] "This quote demonstrates that the writer does not understand the Bible."

The Big Bang Theory is an attempt to explain the origin of the universe without God.

Response to comment [from a Christian]:  [Lisle quote:  "According to the big-bang model, when the universe was still very small..."] "This quote demonstrates that the writer does not understand the big bang theory."

Yes, Stephen Hawking, the most brilliant man alive forwarded the idea of a singularity.  Of course he has no answer for where he got his mass.  Borrowed from God maybe? 

...Movin' on.

"...[T]ime itself is stretched..."

You've been watching too many Star Trek episodes. No, time is real. It occurs in heaven and on earth (Rev. 8:1). Leave the stretching for Nancy Pelosi.

"Time is relative to the observer."

Fun thought but you have no biblical support for it.

Response to comment [from an atheist]:  "The BBT is an attempt to explain the universe, nothing more."

Big bang cosmology is probably as widely believed as has been any theory of the universe in the history of Western civilization. It rests, however, on many untested, and in some cases untestable, assumptions. Indeed, big bang cosmology has become a bandwagon of thought that reflects faith as much as objective truth." Burbidge, G., 1992. Why only one big bang? Scientific American, 266(2):96.

Response to comment [from a Christian]:  "There's no Biblical support for nuclear bombs, but they exist."

I don't know about that (2 Pet. 3:10, 12).  Wonder how a fisherman knew (Matt. 4:18, Mt 24:22).

Response to comment [from a Catholic]:  "I saw the title of the thread, and I immediately thought to myself: "Hey, cool! Someone's going to write something about phenomenology! There's actually someone else who's educated and clever enough to say something worth my reading." I was sadly mistaken."

Do you have Tourette syndrome?

The Horizon Problem