[jon462]

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In addition to causality all of these proofs rely on a general belief in a beginning of time. They assume that something had to bring everything into existance, set everythig into motion, etc... but why is it that they could not have merely existed w/ motion energy and all in the same way that a god could exist.

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No, they dont assume that at all. In fact I think (as I imagine Aquinas would) that it is nonsensical to imagine time ever "began." As for space (and perhaps that is what you meant) how could there not be a beginning of space? There was a time when the earth didnt exist, as well as the sun, universe, etc. As for your implicit argument that every effect has a cause ad infinitum, as some kind of time loop (???), well I think Aquinas assumes you are working within the frames of logic here, as that is clearly impossible. If you assume that every effect has a cause (which everyone who is not David Hume does), then if you follow every effect back to its cause there has to, EVENTUALLY, be a first cause. Again, you can call that first cause whatever you want; Aquinas calls it God.