if God exist why is there such a huge debate if he real or not?

Question

There are things that most if not all people believe in even though we can't physically see it..first thing that comes to mind is Oxygen.

Then there are things that you are suppose to believe till you no longer do..such as santa clause.

and lastly there is something than a large group of people do not believe in...and many that do. It divides the world and this thing is God.

So my question is.....if God is so obviously there (such as oxygen) then why don't everyone believe in him. Why is there such a great debate over him/her? Why are there highly intellegent people (some would even say that the smarter you are the less you believe in a God) that would disagree about God's existence? Is God just another imaginary character...or was he someone who was real at one point but dead now and his reputation lives on forever...such as Santa Clause?

Answer 1

The debate continues because denying the existence of God allows one the pschological freedom to create his/her own morality.

The funny thing about being considered "smart" in the modernized world is that it requires a comparatively massive financial and economic capacity to attain enough knowledge to be worthy of the title.

The funny thing about that is, when you finally get there, you realize much of what you consider knowledge is what you've been shown and what you've seen and done. The desire to believe in something which, in all your studies, you could not see or describe directly weakens considerably. There is no rock you can tip over to see "Made by God" enscribed on it There is no code in our DNA that screams "God exists!" The "smarter" you become, the more obvious it seems the finer details of science and life fail to prove out God. Yet, what the "smarter" individuals don't like is that God is not about the minute, absolute details in life, but about the big picture of life, the way to live life. In realizing this, there is no big eureka moment, no sudden grasp of understanding, but a feeling of having been cheated or let down. "Smarter" people understand many of the intricate details of life--social interactions, politics, language, mathematics, bodily functions, and human psychology, just to name a few. And since God cannot be found waltzing around deep within any of these very precise categories, it is the "smarter" individuals who conclude God cannot exist.

Yet, for these individuals, this is not enough. There is a need to deny others of believing in any God. Atheists look for God in textbooks, cannot find God, and demand everyone else believe in their conclusion. Those who believe in God (any God, in fact), accept the "big picture" consequence the concept of God carries and modify their lives accordingly. Atheists are unsettled at this philosophy, and scream to the world God does not exist because the individual pixels fail to carry the meaning the whole picture has.

The debate rages because God as an entity cannot be expressly defined. God as a concept, however, is impenetrable.

Answer 2

You can't see the back of your head either, but you know it's there. It doesn't matter whether or not we can see God, it is a matter of whether or not we can prove God.

At this point I'll direct you to Bertrand Russell's Teapot, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, whichever you wish.

"If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time."
- Bertrand Russell, 1952 http://www.cfpf.org.uk/articles/religion/br/br_god.html

Flying Spaghetti Monster:
http://www.venganza.org/

Answer 3

This is an amazingly perceptive question.

If there is a god of some sort, then his/her/their/its work should be evident and not explainable by anything else. To borrow your oxygen analogy, we can't see it, but we can measure the effects that it has on things. God, not so much.

And, if one did exist, there would be no question at all as to who this god was. Instead, we have many thousands of gods over many thousands of years.

Kudos to you on such a great question. I just hope people actually take the time to think about it instead of just retreating to their knee-jerk reactions.

Answer 4

In my opinion... my personal beliefs... God is not "all seeing" but is all powerful. His rule returns when our solar system alligns with the center of the universe. When these periods happen he starts a new era... and such an allignment is approaching in 2011. The allignment is backed up by science. The beliefs are a merger between ancient beliefs and current. I believe the answers to human origin must lay within each and every culture... when looked at as a whole.

Answer 5

1) There are many ways to test for, and even see, oxygen. Like liquid oxygen, or spectroscopy.

2) God can not be tested for. God is not 'so obviously there'. Just another imaginary friend.

Answer 6

God is real, no matter what you believe. An open and honest soul can and will find God if he/she seeks Him. There are so many "gods" because there is a real spiritual plane and there are real demons and real angels.

Most people are blinded to the existance of God and even if they believe God exists, they are blinded to who God is. Knowing God starts with knowing good and bad. It's the Conscience and everyone has one. Every "religion" offers forgiveness of sin by doing something. Hindu's have to bathe in a filthy river, Muslims have to obey the 5 pilars and fast during ramadan, and do good works. Jews are supposed to sacrifice animals, but they changed their mind 1800 years ago and decided they didn't need to. They just do good works. Catholics have to confess to a priest to be forgiven, but the priests can't be trusted.

None of these things you do have anything to do with God. These things are just things. God created the universe and He is so big that you can't even see or comprehend Him. All men know in their hearts that they do wrong things, and they need to be forgiven. The bible says that there is nothing you can do to be forgiven of your sins. The bible says that all men have fallen short of the glory of God and they deserve eternal punishment.

However the bible also says that God realized that man would need to be forgiven. Why? Because sin is actually a self-centered hatred for God. If you lie, and you are made in the image of God, you are telling all of creation that God is a liar. If you blaspheme his name, you are throwing insults at him. If you hate someone in your heart, then you're hating the image of God, and it's the same as you wanting to murder God if that were possible.

So knowing this, and knowing how wicked man really is, God came down here, and lived life as a man on Earth several thousand years ago. He walked the only sinless life from day one till the end of time and he went to his death, a horrible and shameful death upon the cross. And on the cross He paid the price for your sins. Sin is a debt, and can only be paid with punishment. Jesus was punished for your sin so you can go free and have your sins forgiven. He requires that all men repent of their sins (which means to turn from them, hate them and be sorrowful to God for them), and then turn to Jesus who is in heaven this very day. And then you must trust and obey him. Then He will make you a new creation. The old sinful nature will pass away and you will be left with a new spirt that hates sin.

See religion says that man can work to get to God, but there is no assurance that you will go to heaven. But go find a real Christian who loves God, and ask him. He will say that He is has been granted and guaranteed heaven not because of anything he did, but because of what Jesus did to save Him. We are bad people like you, who is saved by a good God, for no other reason but that we trust in Him and we repent of evil. Then we serve Him because of the great love within our hearts for what He has done for us.

There can be only one truth. Jesus claimed to be Truth... Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except by me."

So why not work your way to heaven? If I punch you in the eye every Friday, and then tell you that to make up for it you're going to go do some "good works" to make up for it, how would you feel towards me after a while? The next friday comes... Pow! The next friday... Pow again. Who have I offended when I punch you in the eye over and over? You or the little old lady I walk across the street thinking it will make up with you? Should I not repent to you? Should I not stop punching you in the eye and offending you? Who do I have to trust if there is to be forgiveness? Wouldn't I need to trust you to forgive me?

That's what we do to God daily. We punch him in the eye through our offences. He has much patience, but he will not hold you blameless on the day of judgement. Make up with God. Get right with Him, and trust in Him to forgive you. He is a just Judge and he has already given a means by which you can be forgiven.

When you make that small step of faith, you'll soon realize His truth, and you're realize that He does forgive.

Answer 7

Oxygen can be proven, god cannot. Dumb.

If he's real, prove it. We've been waiting a few thousand years for believers to do that, but they won't.

Why not just believe in Zeus? Or Odin? Or leprechauns?

You must be very, very young, or very, very stupid. Or both.

Answer 8

HE is no imaginary character. HE is not Santa Clause. He is The CREATOR, The FATHER, The inspiration behind the BIBLE (HIS WORD). MANY BELIEVE and yet SoMe do not. Satan has his claws in those who are most opposed to HIM in such a manner that they do not want to listen to reason. There are a number of expert scientists and historians that know HE EXISTS and know that HE has to exist. You and I are in this world as a result of HIS original work here. You have an opportunity to believe or not to believe. I hope that you are able to see thru the clouds and find HIM.

To become a real Christian, we are told that we must HEAR the WORD in John 6:45, Jesus said, “It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught by God. Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” We are also told so in Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We are told the we must BELIEVE in Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. We are also told so in Mark 16:16, Jesus said “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” and in John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. We are told that we must REPENT (or turn from sin) in Luke 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Also in Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. We are told to CONFESS CHRIST in Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. We are also told in 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. We are to be BAPTIZED according to Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” and Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. We are to CONTINUE to be FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH according to Revelation 2:10c Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. We also know that Paul wrote in Romans 14:12 each of us shall give account of himself to God. It is important that we not ignore what is written, change what is written, or add to what is written in the New Testament which is our Christian Guide. Have a great week.
Eds

Answer 9

Oxygen has been scientifically proven.. as well as evolution.. God has not.

Answer 10

Oxygen can be proven. God cannot.