if there is a god....?

Question

can you show me that God exists without pointing to a religious book or by quoting religious doctrine?

Answer 1

okay, how do you know a building has a builder, well, you don't need to see the builder to know he exist, becuase the building is obvious proof there was a builder. You don't need faith, all you need are eyes that can see and a brain that works.

Same thing is true for a painting. How do you know it had a painter? Well, the painting is perfect proof that there must had been a painter. You couldn't ask for better proof.

The same is true for God, our creator, how do know he exist?? well you have all of creation as proof. you couldn't ask for better proof of a creator. you don't need faith relgion to believe, just eyes that can see, and a brain that works.

Answer 2

Many philosophers have attempted to demonstrate a "proof for the existence of God" throughout the centuries. Some of them are better than others, however, most are ambiguous.

The 10th century philosopher Anselm of Canterbury presented what became known as the "Ontological Argument". This consisted of the following, (condensed):

-God, if he exists, is that than which no greater can be conceived.
-God can be conceived in the mind to exist.
-To exist is reality is greater than just existing in the mind.
Conclusion: ‘God must exist in reality as well as in the mind’

This argument is better understood within its context, and so I would suggest reading Anselm's Proslogion, of which the "ontological argument" only consumes a few pages.

Descartes, the ultimate skeptic, attempted to contemplate whether or not God existed, and what exactly he was capable of 'knowing.' He ultimately concluded, "I think, therefore I am." His logic followed that truths had to come from an ultimate source, and his existence could not have been the birth of his own thought. However, he also offered a more extensive proof based on several different approaches.

Kierkegaard concluded that there was no way to prove the existence of God, but that he must exist, and thus it requires a "leap of faith" to accept this truth.

In the end, there is no way to undeniably prove God's existence, otherwise everyone would believe. The most compelling argument for me comes from Thomas Aquinas who offered the following "five ways" to the existence of God. Again, these are condensed, and I recommend reading an excerpt from his Summa Theologica:

1. First mover - everything moves as a reaction of having been moved by something else, therefore there had to be a "first mover"

2. First efficient cause - there is a cause for every effect, therefore, if we traced back each effect, and its cause, it would require that the first effect would require an efficient cause

3. Everything is created by something else (you by your parents, etc), but if we traced this back to infinity it would require that there has to be the existence of some being having of itself its own necessity, and not receiving it from another, but rather causing in others their necessity.

4. There must be something by which all beings and things derive their perfections, maxims, and understanding of truth.

5. The universe acts in an intelligent manner. Things that lack reason act intelligibly (plants move toward sunlight, etc). Therefore, some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end.

All of these five things we call God.


I hope this helps answer your question. I find Aquinas to be the most effective in making a reasonable and intelligible argument.

Answer 3

The periodic table of elements.

It is pretty perfect.

Each element fits next to each other by it's specific properties... For a while we had "holes" in the table. It helped scientists look for elements we had not discovered yet.

When I learned that it gave me goose bumps, all the elements in this perfect map. That are the blocks for all things.
It felt....
.
.
.
designed.
That was 3 years before I became a Christian.

Answer 4

Yes, what created the air we breathe? God did! And I know He is real because He has shown it through the many things He has done for me. He has helped me out of soooo many tough situations. I know He he exists because I can feel it in part of me. I just know, you know??? = )

I can see it in my children, in the beauty of nature, in the fact that because of Him I am becoming a better person, doing things I could not do with out Him. Putting up with people for one, He helps alot with that! Shutting my big mouth (well He is still working on that one obviously! lol) Helping me to say the right things, and not the wrong things. With out my even trying sometimes HE changes me. Because with Him I am different, no longer what I was before, but new.

God more than anything has shown me He is real by showing me His love. I used to think God was mad all the time at me, and I had to be perfect or do everything right and He would just send something terrible to happen to me. I used to love Him because I had to or He'd get mad and something bad would happen to me if He got mad. But one night I told Him that, with just a little fear. And I told Him I wanted to love Him the right way and He has been showing me how ever since. I really love Him now, just for who He is. Because He loves me inspite of how terrible I am. He's the only one who knows EVERYTHING about me and He is still on my side and with me everyday. He is not expecting a perfect performance from me, for me to follow the Bible to the letter, but He sees my heart is right toward Him. He knows I can't be perfect, duh, that is why He sent Jesus. He just wants me to trust Him and lean on Him. And as I do, I do see the changes, slowly but surely. That is how I know. Because I know who I was then and who I am now, because of Him.

Answer 5

Yes, and faith doesn't work unless you believe. I have been pulled out of many bad, risky situations and gotten through many things because of the mercy, miracles and compassion of the Lord. I wish I could experience rapture. An epiphany and a few warnings save me, sort of.

Answer 6

I would ask the opposite: how does one look at the universe, see a sunrise, experience love, joy, life, and not believe that there is a God who authored and created all of it. When I chose to put my faith in God (Jesus), he proved himself to me. I know this sounds naive to you, but it really is that easy to believe.
Great question though...

Answer 7

No I cannot . Can you show me that he does not exist and you can point any where you want.

Answer 8

look soley at the perfection of the universe. we are perfect in every way shape and form, other than what we do to our bodies, we are the perfect distance from a perfect sun. probability doesnt support mere concidence.

Answer 9

Wow, not one good answer yet. I guess the xians are batting .000 still.

Answer 10

No, but this is a good link;
http://www.godisimaginary.com/index.htm