RM> Does time have to have a beginning?
   If you listen to St. Augustine, a firm devote of Plato the answer is a
resounding yes.  For him it had to begin with the beginning of the world,
whenever that was.  Of course he was not quite as open as Plato was in the
myth of the Timaeus because Plato did not think anything was absolutely
FOREVER and the world, given a spin would at some point run down in one
direction and have to be started again in another.  The symbolism of "eternal
recurrence" was not far down the line but Augustine's acceptance of the
Christian theophany would not permit THAT!!  Nietzsche gave it LOTS of
publicity - eh, Day?
Sincerely, 
                                     Frank
                                                                              
                                                       
--- PPoint 2.05
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