Big Bang? Who says it has been like that? In past years, some people defending religons pointed finger at me and complained i were saying that Darwin is the ultimate truth. I never indicated that belief, though. It's a theory - but in my eyes the currently best theory we have, making much more sense than any other. Big Bang also is a theory, born by a thinking that ssumes that there must be a beginning and an end, and between the two time is "moving" from the first to the latter. But there are other models and thoughts, that simply do not inlcude any beginning or ending, but saying that "it" simply is, never being born, never dying. I personally thino that big Bang somehow is even a somewhat stupid theory, which says more about our disrupted way of thinking and malking models of the world and our place in it, than saying something about reality. You see, I have seen some strnage things and made some strange experiences that made me assume that our concept of time if flawed, and that there is no beginning and no ending like big Bang and entropic heat-death of the universe. This theory only reaches as far as our current scientific knowledge allows us to go. I also am 100% sure that neither intellect nor ego alone cannot explain the universe, as you put it. That is like something limited trying to embrace the unlimited, so to speak.
In the end, there is only your mind experiencing yourself, and all things you consider to be there, time, matter, God, sense and meaning, are only interpretations. While what is will set you free, and lead you beyond all boundaries of your intellectual or religious imagining. If you want to see the truth, loose your self and come to your unconditional awareness. self-realization is only possible at the cost of self-transcendence: the more you want to see the true reality there is, the more you need to be unaware of yourself.
When googling for the english translation of a Zen one-liner I wanted to give you, to my surprise I stumbled over a name I know - my second teacher and mentor, Wolfgang Kopp. He got quoted from a collection of transcripted speeches some students of him have collected and pusblished in book form. Please note that the text is not to missionise concerning any ideology, nor is it arguing in favour or against any religion, it also does not tell anyone just to believe this or that, but leaves it up to you wether to analysize it by self-experience, or not. So take it for itself, not more, not less. From the following link, the first two texts, "Mysterious peaceful joy", and "The cheerfulness of the soul":
http://peterspearls.com.au/joy.htm
(bold printing and markings by the website's creator, not by Zensho).
You will note that by context, content and direction, it is right the same what I am occassionaly try to point at, too. Also note that Zensho is a fully "ordinated" Zen Master and dharma-follower of Soji Enku Roshi, but nevertheless -like me - is not shy to refer to the Christian gospels and christian mystics. I already was like that when I first met him.
Zensho and me always differed on the role of Paul, though.
One of my most favourite sayings:
Mind is of shining clarity, so throw away the darkness of all your terms. Free yourself from everything! - Huang Po. (my translation from German.)
That includes Darwin, Big Bang and evangelical confusion as well. Move beyond these dualistic arguments.