What came first the Universe or the concept of the Universe?

If you ask 3 different people you might get three different answers to the question how was the universe formed?

One might say: “The universe was formed by the God of an ancient book.”
Another might say: “The universe came from a flash of light.”
Yet another: “The universe came from a great big bang.”

All three of these conclusions are true to the individual who possesses them. Another answer, outside of what the individual believes is true simply doesn’t exist.. right?

That is, if the answers to the universe are not conceived/believed by someone, then those answers are not definable as True. The only things that are True are things believed to be true. Everything else, is non-existent. Like space aliens or Lava monsters or World peace. These things seem to fail to exist at least as long as no one believes in their existence…

But what comes first? Our belief that the universe as we know it exists or does the universe exist first, creating our beliefs about it’s various properties?

Merry Christmas 2010, flutherites. :)