The main evidence for the various "expanding universe" cosmologies is drawn from the red shifting of the spectral lines in the light emitted by galaxies, quasars, and other extraterrestrial objects. It is demonstrated that there are many mechanisms which can cause red shifts, and that the current interpretation of these red shifts yields absurd conclusions concerning the nature of the universe. The result is that the basic evidence for the "expanding universe" cosmologies is shown to be the result of misinterpretation of these red shifts, thereby undermining the concept that the universe originated in some primordial explosion.