RM> Salutatio Frank!
 RM> 19-Jan-98, Frank Masingill wrote to Richard Meic Subject: Universes
 RM> Does time have to have a beginning?
 FM> If you listen to St. Augustine, a firm devote of Plato the answer is a
 FM> resounding yes.  For him it had to begin with the beginning of the
 FM> world, whenever that was.  Of course he was not quite as open as Plato
 FM> was in the myth of the Timaeus because Plato did not think anything was
 FM> absolutely FOREVER and the world, given a spin would at some point run
 FM> down in one direction and have to be started again in another.  The
 FM> symbolism of "eternal recurrence" was not far down the line but
 FM> Augustine's acceptance of the Christian theophany would not permit
 FM> THAT!!  Nietzsche gave it LOTS of publicity - eh, Day?
 RM> Sorry, Frank I really don't give a %#$& what Augustine's opinion was, or
 RM> any of the past philosophers.  I DO care what YOUR opinion is, though.
 RM> :)
   Well, I can accomodate you easily on that.  The world had a slow start as
that old country doctor slapped me on the buttocks and shouted, "cry, you
little devil, you, CRY!" and burst into full audio-visual display the day I
had my first bottle of beer at about age 17!!!
Sincerely, 
                                     Frank
                                                                              
                                                       
--- PPoint 2.05
---------------