A few quick comments, Graham. The tired light theory seems to have been crucified and then resurrected (my attempt at humor), as seen in this 2001 AAAS story om Science: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2001/06/tired-light-hypothesis-gets-re-tired

But, it's not dead yet, according to this more recent book:

https://www.intechopen.com/books/redefining-standard-model-cosmology/tired-light-denies-the-big-bang

I can't contribute anything meaningful to the debates among scientists, but I do consider the Big Bang idea to be the most likely for reasons I explained in my post and based on what remains a strong consensus among maintstream science. Yes, I know, I reject the mainstream on things like neo-Darwinism but then accept it on ideas that conform to my own picture of reality. But, we all do that, don't we? And I see that same thing in your response to the idea of a beginning. It clearly does not align with your preferred idea of an eternal universe. You suggested several times that my belief in the Genesis account is if not blinding me, then at least obscuring my vision. But, I think you might want to try that shoe on regarding your belief in an eternal universe.

By the way, I don't believe that should we find that the universe is indeed eternal, that they does away with God or even Genesis. It says the earth was without form and void. That could be interpreted as what happened after the initial start and that form had to be created from the chaos, or it could be that the chaos and formlessness is the eternal state. That, of course, is Platonic as well, as I understand.

I greatly enjoy reading Ethan Siegel as he does a good job of explaining some pretty complex things, not that I understand a quarter of what he usually talks about. I agree that sometimes he comes off a bit certain about things that are far from certain and as one observer noted, his fulminations on covid demonstrated his political leanings, and shall we say biases. How that affects his interpretations and explanations of things like the Big Bang, I can't say. Sadly today, when any of us get in the least bit political, intentionally or not, we tend to shut the ears and close the eyes of about half or more of those we might want to communicate with.

As always, Graham, appreciate your thoughts and the conversation.