How can we be sure man did not invent God by studying existence?

Question

After all, we have no purpose for living.

Answer 1

Man invented God for many reasons, all of them to serve the needs of human beings in some way. Our purpose for living is to do just that...live.

Answer 2

First of all I am sorry that you feel that you have no reason for living. Secondly I think that you answered your own question. Everyone has a desire to know that there is a purpose to this life that there is more than this. That is why many ancient civilizations created mythology and false gods, to give meaning to their life. But I think that deep down you are asking this question because you know there is more and you just haven't found it yet and you are questioning the existence of God, and I believe that He is the only reason for living. So I would say to you if you are looking for proof that there is a God and purpose ot this life I would look into Mere Christianity and possibly the Problem of Pain, both are two great books on why the world is the way it is. Many would question God's existence because of the corruption in this world, I would say this is not what God intended and I hope you find the answer you are looking for, please really read the two books I mentioned both are not very long and can answer a lot of questions for you. Logically, not scripturally.

Answer 3

Man could not have "invented" God, because even if you go to a barbaric jungle tribe in the heart of Africa or South America, you will find people who might have NO contact with the outside world but still believe in a higher power, going back for thousands of years. They did not "invent" the idea of a higher being, but rather drew an obvious conclusion based upon the world that they live in. They see the earth and assume that someone must have created it, just as you or I might see a car and know that someone had to have built it. I use jungle tribes as an example because they are not poisoned by the modern thinking of this age, nor do they have any influence by outside sources other than inside their little tribe. They do not draw their conclusions based on studies or excuses for their existence. They draw their conclusions on the obvious fact that there HAS to be a God, just based on the nature and creation that surrounds them. It's not an excuse and it's not a fairy tale to them - it's reality.

Answer 4

That is pretty arrogant for you to assume we have no purpose for living.
God has been believed in since before there were written records, so I'm not sure how you could invent God by studying existence. There wouldn't be anything to study.

Answer 5

Don't say that. You have a HUGE purpose in living. Don't ever think that you are worthless or have no point in existence. You're cool. =]. I am 100% sure that man did not invent God merely because of what I have gone through and who God has made me. Just trust Him and He will reveal himself to you.

Answer 6

Everyone has a prupose in life. That said, people invented god to explain the mysteries of life like were did we come from and who created the universe. Bronze age people didn't know anything about physics, evolution, and they didn't know the earth was billions of years old. Given the fact that they didn't know that much, they invented a supreme deity because that was, and still is, the easiest and laziest way to prove something you are unsure of.

Answer 7

Everything that God said in the Bible is coming true. He spoke a lot about Israel and guess what He was right predicting the future. Whatever you choose to believe, the universe is miraculous, and clearly has a design and suggests it was created and didn't evolve. Nothing good has or ever will come from a bang. Use your free will and believe the Creator.

Answer 8

Let's just say for the sake of argument that man made up God.

So we would have to work backwards, right? Jesus of Nazareth did exist. According to the diaries of Pontius Pilate there was a man named Jesus brought before him for execution. Pontius Pilate describes him. This is where we get the famous portrait of Jesus. Blue eyes, brown hair, beard, etc.

So at this point in time roughly 29 A.D., actually sometime after this... There had to be a conspiracy of men to deny the actual Jewish history that had been handed down for 300 years PRIOR to the birth of this man Jesus of Nazareth. They would have to lie about the birth, death etc.

So the people who kept the Law of Moses would have to rewrite the history to make themselves look like scum while making Jesus look like a God Man and rewrite the history that had been handed down for generations.

They would also have to invent the miracles, the sermons, the mother of Jesus, Mary and you're saying the father was Joseph would have to swear that all these things happened.

I suppose they would have to work a lot of fiction together in order to make this come off. We are talking rewriting several thousand manuscripts.

It would be a fascinating work of fiction that's for sure. I don't see how it was done. What about the disciples? Were they made up? If they were real, what was in it for them? "Hey, you'll be remembered for years to come!!! You'll be executed either by beheading or crucifixion.

Well, I think you have greater faith than I do. No purpose for living? Apparently, you're going to have to rewrite history to support your argument that man invented God.

Answer 9

First of all, how do you know that there is no purpose for life? We may not know what it is but there is a purpose. And nobody is 100% sure, except the prophets who are all dead, but Jesus may be out there now. That is why God rewards the faithful so much in Heaven.

Answer 10

jamesdkra... ---

You cannot possibly believe that. Even if you had skipped every science and math class throughout your entire life, how could not have learned anything? Before you speak for science, don’t you think you should at least have some clue what it is?

You might as well say that your dog has proven the existence of god. In fact, that would be more believable since, by definition, science cannot even investigate god’s existence, let alone prove it.

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Redeemed-----

First, that does not negate the questioner.

And, more importantly, the Christian god originated with historically obscure Semitic tribes of semi-nomadic illiterate goat herders who lived over 2000 years ago and, by your standards, certainly had no contact with a modern ‘outside’ world since they lived in a pre-Copernican, pre-Newtonian, pre-Darwinian, and pre-Industrial era.

Remember, these were people who had to appeal to their god for a decision on whether or not it was OK for them to have sex with their sheep and other animals.

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James B ---

What you say about the existence of Jesus is completely untrue.

There are no Roman records, including those of Pontius Pilate that mention Jesus by name or deed. There is not even a mention of anyone who was like Jesus. There is not even any first-hand reports of any crucifixion of anyone who could have been Jesus.

They diaries you speak of come from a novel, for crying out loud. It was a work of fiction:

W. P. Crozier's 1928 book titled, "Letters of Pontius Pilate: Written During His Governorship of Judea to His Friend Seneca in Rome."