The Existence of God
The Existence of God Kimberly Mongold PHI 208 Ethics and Moral Reasoning Instructor Kenneth Mentor April 07, 2013 ? Since the beginning of time people have often questioned the meaning of life, how the universe was created and the purpose for the wildlife and creatures that roam the earth. These things often lead us to question the existence of God. In order to even begin to answer these complex questions we must uncover the source of all of these occurrences. In this paper I will discuss the issue of Gods’ existence; present one basic dispute and clarify the arguments on multiple sides of this issue.
I will structure an argument that supports the side of the issue I find to be better defended while explaining why I find my side of this debate stronger. In conclusion, I will state my own view and defend it with an argument. Does God exist or did the “Big Bang theory” or other natural theories play a role? Even though it is absolutely impossible to prove Gods’ existence, I personally believe that the presence of God is so evident that we do not need solid proof to verify that he is our creator. When it comes to the issue of Gods’ existence, everyone has his or her own view of whom or what “God” really is.
Some people believe that there is one God while other believe in multiple Gods or even Goddesses. Most believers do not feel that is necessary to prove that God exists however, there are others that believe that it is essential to provide proof since there is no scientific evidence of his existence. People are often skeptical when it comes to this issue since God cannot be seen. This dispute often raises a very puzzling question. Should people be expected to provide proof of Gods’ existence or should we just accept that he exists based on faith alone?
Skeptics believe that simple having faith that something is true without actually seeing it with their own eyes is meaningless. Most skeptical people center their belief system on evidence presented in order to better judge certain claims. According to Queensborough Community College (n. d. ), “Physical or phenomenal evidence to validate religious beliefs is impossible to produce because religious experiences usually occur privately and are subjective, making it impossible to be justified and scrutinized rationally and honestly”.
Since skeptics have not seen any type of proof about Gods’ presence, they will continue to disbelieve claims of his existence. Most people that question Gods’ existence often lean more toward science because they believe that evolution and other scientific theories make more sense. In this day and age scientific developments are increasing at a rapid pace, which often creates arguments against the notion that God is our creator. Many skeptics believe that natural causes contributed to our existence such as the “Big Bang Theory”. The big bang theory states that at some time in the distant past there was nothing until a process known as vacuum fluctuation created what astrophysicists call a singularity and from that singularity, which was about the size of a dime, our universe was born” (Shestople, P. 1997). Skeptics are more accepting of natural theories because they seem to produce more accepting results than supernatural ones. If faith is centered on reasoning, analysis and proof, then it is very unlikely that skeptics will accept the assumption that there is a supernatural existence of any kind.
Also there is so much evil present in the world, which can often cause a skeptic to form opinions against Gods’ existence. Occurrences that cause despair happen every day, which can make one question the reasons behind them. “ In addition to the kinds of events that are caused by human beings, there are other events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, tornadoes, fires, and other natural disasters that have taken the lives of millions” (Mosser, K. 2010). Skeptics often wonder why these type of things occur if there is a God.
If God is so powerful why would he allow these horrific things to happen which cause people to suffer? They believe that if an almighty and perfect God existed, he would prevent evil as well as natural disasters that often cause pain, suffering, and even death. Most skeptics believe that proving Gods’ existence is vital in order to find the answers that they are looking for. Faith in something that is invisible will never be enough to sway a skeptic. True believers in God do not feel that it is necessary to prove Gods’ existence because they have faith in his presence. God is hidden only to our body and our soul, but God is not hidden to our spirit, we must look for him” (Harvard Computer Society, n. d. ). Supporters believe that we must seek God with our spirit in order to contact him since we are unable to see, hear, or touch him. “When people believe in Christ they receive his life into them” (Harvard Computer Society, n. d. ). Believers do not rely on science or any other proof of Gods’ existence because they do not need physical evidence to distinguish His existence.
Believers do not think that we appeared here on earth from natural causes or from the “Big Bang” theory. A supporter of God believes that God is the creator of the universe as well as every living being. People that have trust in Gods’ existence believe that there are many examples that can demonstrate that we did not just appear here naturally. For example, the universe is designed so perfectly that there is no way that this happened by chance. The universe and the life forms in it all depend on each other for the existence.
One example of this is the ecosystem; plants breathe in carbon dioxide and expel oxygen, while animals breathe in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide; plants feed animals while decomposed animals feed plants; this is the cycle of life. “ Consider how complex a single organism is…Each organ and tissue has purpose, all of which shows signs of an intelligent creator, there is no other possible explanation for it” (University of Houston, n. d. ). Believers in God have faith that God is our maker and that we are not here by chance. When it comes to evil things that often occur, believers in God do not think that God is responsible.
God gave us the freedom to make choices and we choose to do the things that we do. “God has given us the ability to choose good and evil, and when we choose evil he allows us, and those around us to suffer the consequences of evil” (Eby,D. n. d. ). We have the ability to choose whether to commit good deeds or evil ones. “The evil that does exist is that caused by human being who possess freedom” (Mosser, K. 2010). Supporters believe that God does have the power to overcome evil as well as natural disasters, but he may not have the desire to do so for his own reasons that many of us do not understand.
The argument that I find better defends the existence of God is that we do not need proof of Gods’ existence, our faith alone is good enough. Just because we cannot see him does not mean he does not exist. “His presence is no longer in his earthly body; it is rather in his spirit abiding our hearts” (Loyola University, n. d. ). I believe that the people that doubt Gods’ existence do so because they are unable to see the beauty and around us.
When it comes to the evil in the world, I believe that God has given us the freedom to make choices and to learn from our mistakes while also dealing with the consequences. If we do not experience the aftermath of our bad choices we will not learn from our mistakes. “God cannot overrule every evil choice of man and every evil consequence there from without contradicting his own purposes in creating being with free will” (Mattison, M. M. , n. d. ). This is part of the price we pay for freedom, and which God himself pays for creating us. God did not create evil, therefore, he should not be held responsible for it.
In conclusion, although several people have attempted to dispute the existence of God with the advances of science and technology, there is still an excessive need to prove Gods’ existence. Since we cannot see him it is difficult for many people to believe he exists. Believers is God do not require any type of proof because they have faith of his presence. Gazing at the stars, observing the beauty of nature, believe that the laws of the universe seem to have been framed in such a way that stars and planets will form and life can emerge.
Many constants of nature appear to be very finely tuned for this, and the odds against this happening by chance are astronomical. Understanding the complexity of the universe points to an intelligent designer, which is God. We do not need to see God with our eyes or even touch him in order to know that he exists. It is through our faith in him that we know he is real. I believe that God has surrounded us with so much evidence that he exists, but we must seek him in order to feel his presence. References Eby, D. (n. d. ). “Why Does God Allow Evil? ” Retrieved from http://my,unbc. du/discussions/2026 Holy Spirit (n. d. ) Loyola University of Chicago. Retrieved from: http://www. luc. edu/faculty/pmoser/idolanon/Holyspirit. html Mattison, M. M. (n. d. ). “Don’t Doubt God” Auburn University. Retrieved from: http://www. auburn. edu/allenkc/openhse/theodicy. html#Power Mosser, K. (2010). “Philosophy: A Concise Introduction”. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. San Diego, CA Retrieved from: https://content. ashford. edu/books Proof of God (n. d. ) LeTourneau University Retrieved from: http://www. letu. edu/_Academics/Arts-Science/chem-phys/documents/ProofofGod. html
