For those who bring think, "you cant get something form nothing."  Think about it this way.

0 = 0  is nothing

1 - 1 = 0  is nothing, but positive and negative values can be percieved to exist

The negative energy of gravity and the positive energy of matter are overall nothing but are able to create themselves into existence.  This could also explain the accelerated expansion of the universe, we have a lot of positive energy clumped together and negative energy is pulling us apart to balance out the equation.  This may continue until even sub-atomic particles are pulled apart and our universe is returned to nothingness.

AHHH!!!

In other words, the universe was an accident, just like many of us here...

understanding it better than a grocery stock person is a logical fallacy if that is how you are setting up your argument, but there are many physicists who are equal or greater to Hawkins, and that is who you must compare him to to weight the merits of his arguments.  he is simply the most visible face of physics, but certainly not even the top in the field today, and isn't infallible. many scientists have shown his theories to be wrong, and he has conceeded theories as well.

You can't compare gravity and matter to numbers in a simple mathematical equation.  Gravity IS something, it is an energy, it is a force, and it must be caused by something.  Even if you describe it as a "negative energy" that doesn't mean that gravity matter = nothing.  Even if two forces cancel each other out, those two forces still exist for a time and exert their force on each other.

The universe cannot be understood fully because it's own laws suggest that it shouldn't exist.

edit: whoops weird double post/nonsense

Of course God didn't create it.... I did  XD

makes alot of sense but the thought that all this just came to be is just unimaginable.

@MARCUSDJACKSON

It's not like you can imagine it either way, it's like trying to imagine life without you in it. It's all conjectures.

This is , in short, how God came to happen:

Man: I can't explain how all this started, I look at the sky at night and see shining lights. Oh and people die. What happens to them, do they become those lights watching over me?  Then there's this big shining ball of light, it keeps me warm, it makes my crops grow, it gives me a nice tan. Hmmm, that must be the one in charge of this world! He must be a very powerful being living up there in some kind of world, very bright and hot, and he keeps watch all day. Then when he's resting he moves to the cooler and less bright world and chills out for the night. Hey, he must be pretty smart if he created all this! And he must have a purpose for all his creation, of course! Come to think of it, I owe him my life! I might as well worship him so we can be cool and live long and happy.

The universe created itself from nothing because Steve Hawking said so.

How do you know this?  Stephen could be just a good saleman , selling a load of bull.

 the statement "Stephen Hawking (or anyone else) has the ability to understand the universe" is in itself based on faith.