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@Castin
Not to barge in on your discussion but you have two distinct "realities" at play here, yes everything within the created universe/s has a beginning and has an ending (which is an eternal cycle in theistic terms BTW) and I would imagine there's not much to argue about there. But try and remember theists (although outplays does not label himself a theist) believe that the nature of conscious awareness was never produced by the universe and that this is a superior view, that it was intelligence that produced the living, designed universe where it is today through a process. So while the universe had a beginning.... the conscious, intelligent awareness has always been, it came before the universe.
Why do we believe conscious awareness/soul is infinite? that's a great question even though you never asked it lol, the answer lies in the fact we believe nothing creates awareness by understanding the nature of it and experiencing it, away from the physical body alone. There is also ample evidence which suggests consciousness survives death, brain death and the death of the physical body. There's also the technique of learning to leave the body or switching your attention to your subtle bodies or spirit body and having experiences from that reality (which is why people have so many spiritual experiences unintentionally). Even though its not a mainstream teaching, astral/soul travel is one of the most compelling forces in understanding the nature of the soul and its capabilities. Basically, examining creation from a natural, materialistic approach will lead you to false conclusions, on the other hand, experiencing the realms of consciousness through the medium of consciousness the rules and facts change dramatically.
