I prefer to take the theories put forward by the likes of Stephen Hawking, (who incidentally claims to have shown how the Universe can start from nothing), than those put forward by laymen such as myself and you.

I haven't read SH's papers, let alone understood them - I struggle with Einsteins general theory of relativity!

Suggestions of how I think the universe began would be as useful as someone who can't multiply two numbers together trying to explain calculus!