Someone convince me...?

Question

I'm an atheist/agnostic...I guess. Anyways, I'm just wondering if anyone can logically convince me that the Christian religion is right, or that God exists? Actually this question is open to any religion: convince me you're right. (and no answers like yes because the bible says so...I'm asking for proof of sorts.)

ok, let me edit this...I didn't mean convince me...I meant tell me why you believe what you do. Maybe that will clear up what I'm asking for. I only ask this question because I'm curious about how others think about their religions.

Answer 1

Can anyone prove God exists? No. God, by definition, is the creator, not part of the created order. Therefore, all things that pertain to the created universe such as time, space, and especially causality do not constrain God. Therefore, trying to elucidate a logical proof of a thing that transcends logic is a gross misapplication. Furthermore, God, being all powerful, can both conceal himself and reveal himself according to His own will.

However, that does not mean one ought to despair. There are several arguments for God's existence in the domain of natural theology, but none of them will necessarily tell you much about God. God, being a God of revelation, has revealed himself to many persons throughout history, particularly to the ancient Israelites. The record of this revelation is the Hebrew scriptures, or Old Testament.

But what is central to our concern is the person of Jesus Christ and especially his resurrection. To put it briefly, Jesus Christ announced his death, said it was in accordance with the scriptures, died, and was risen on the third day, later to ascend into heaven. This signifies the beginning of what was prophecised in the Old Testament. All this is found in the testimony of his apostles, the New Testament. Before you scoff, there is good reason to consider them credible witnesses. For starters, consider this article:

http://www.tektonics.org/lp/nowayjose.html

For some more substantial discussions, I recommend reading Reinhold Niebuhr's two-volume work "The Nature and Destiny of Man" and N.T. Wright's phenomenal book, "The Resurrection of the Son of God"

However, the greatest guide is the image of God in which you were made. Spend time in deep thought, meditating on important questions such as, "Who am I? What am I? What should I be? Where did I come from? Where am I going? What is the purpose? What is going wrong?" Your coming here indicates that there is some little part of you, however miniscule it may now be, that is yearning to be reconciled with God. This little seed will blossom, for God is not willing that a single little one shall perish.

Answer 2

I asked this same question to my mother's pastor and he gave me a surprising answer. I thought I was going to get the usual trite answer..."because the bible tells me so." You know those type of answers lol. He said I'd rather live my life serving and believing in God and go to heaven than die and perish in hell because I didn't have faith. That response kind of impressed me a little. When it comes to religion the key factor is faith not logic. So logically you cannot prove that God exists, but you cannot disprove that he exists either. In this case, I’m definitely going with the theory of Occam’s razor though… "All things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the best one."

Answer 3

Heres a true story about my husbands grandfather that I have found quite interesting.

Basically, he used to be this huge drunk that beat his wife and kids and didn't believe in God or anything. He ended up having a heart attack at 45. He had this heart attack at the Bar and there was a man there who performed CPR on him.

The EMT people came and worked on him for 45 minutes. For the last 22 of those minutes he was not breathing and there was no pulse. He technically was considered dead, but the EMTs would not give up and just kept working on him. He ended up coming back to life after being dead that long.

He was so scared after he came back, because the way he tells it, he was being dragged along the floor into this big black hole(he calls the mouth of hell) by a mass of black figures. They were screaming, clawing and biting him as they were dragging him down. He says that he was fighting and clawing at the floor to try to get away, but they just kept dragging him. He was almost down the hole, when he awoke to see the EMTs and people hunching over him.

He has never had another drop of liquor to this day since then (about 25 years), has never again laid a hand on his wife or kids(who are now grown), and has been to church every service ever since.

Answer 4

I don't know that I can give you proof, namely because the atheist usually operates from the head and from cold logic--which is fine, but it isn't going to find you God.

"Proof" of God comes from your personal experience--the feelings you have inside when you have a mystical experience. I define "mystical experience" as something that happens that is totally unexpected, that cannot be explained away as wishful thinking or even brain chemistry malfunction. You may or may not go through life having these experiences--a lot depends upon if you are open to receiving them. Our minds are very powerful and can close such encounters to our perceptions if that is the wish of the individual.

So, you see, I cannot convince you of anything. But I would encourage you to explore this question if it feels like you should. You may be surprised where it leads.

Peace.

Answer 5

Several years ago I had an unusual experience concerning an uncle, a distant relative who lived over a thousand miles away.

While driving my car I suddenly felt the unmistakable presence of this relative that I hardly even knew. He was more like someone I had heard about than someone I knew. It was very strange; it felt as though I was momentarily lifted right out of my physical body. I seemed to be suspended somehow beyond space and time, bathed in a love so intense It felt like I could have just disappear into it at any moment if It would have let me. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it seemed to last forever at the same time. I realize how crazy this must sound. The experience was so strong that at first I was afraid I was loosing my grip on reality. I finally managed to chalk it up to an over active imagination.

Three days later I got a call from my aunt telling me that this uncle we are talking about had gone into a coma and died the day I had the experience. It felt like ice water had been poured down my back when she told me this. I had lost any real ideas of God or faith and had become somewhat of an atheist. Needless to say this experience caused me to rethink some of the conclusions I had come to.

I feel blessed to now understand that even in our darkest confusion something loves us so much that it went out of its way to assist me and bring me back to a state of absolute certainty about Gods love for us.
During the experience it seemed like there was a vast amount of information that I was somehow allowed access to. One thing that I came away from this experience understanding beyond any shadow of a doubt was that any Idea that God is unhappy with us or would judge or allow us to be punished for any reason is simply impossible.

I can’t explain the love I felt with words. They simply don’t make words big enough or complete enough to do this. The only way I can begin to convey this love to you is to say that there was simply nothing else there. Nothing but love. No hint of judgment, no displeasure of any sort. It is as though God sees us as being as perfect as we were the day we were created. It is only in our confused idea of ourselves that we seem to have changed.

I hope this is of some help to you. Good luck. Love and blessings.

Your brother don

Answer 6

There is a God
By Carman
93 million miles from the blistering surafce of the sun hands the planet earth. A rotating sphere perfectly suspended in the center of the universe. The ultimate creation from an infinate mind. An unbelievably intricate complex design. A supernatural testimony, an irrefutable sign that there is a God.

The size, position and angle of the earth is a scientific phenomenon to see. A few degrees closer to the sun we'd disintegrate, a few degrees furter we'd freeze. The axis of the earth is titled at a perfect 23 degree angle and it's no mistake that it is. This allows equal global distribution to the rays of the sun making it possible for the food chain to exist.

Or take for example the combination of nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere we breathe every day. It just happens to be the exact mix that life needs to prosper, it doesn't happen on any other planet that way.

You see, the Bible says the invisible things of God are seen through His creation, to believe this is not hair. If there's a design, there's a designer, if there's a plan, there's a planner and if there's a miracle, there is a God.

CHORUS:
There is a hope, there is a light
There is an answer to all answers
There is a flame that burns in the night
And I know, I know, I know there is a God

The Scripture says the heavens decalre the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of His hands. If we allow our minds to drink in all the truth that surrounds the truth that just surrounds us, creation itself with help us understand.

Did you know the moon controls the tides, it's the maid that cleans the oceans. Even the waves don't crash the shores in vain. The tides drag impurities from the depths of the sea, it's nature's constrant recycling chain.

It simply boggles the mind to think that the stars will rotate with such exact precision that it's true. That the atomic clock with an error factor of less than three seconds per millenium is set by the way we move.

Though they silently orbit, the sun, the moon, the stars are like celestial evangelists above. Who circle the earth every 24 hours shouting in every languages that there is a God. Atheism is the wedge under the foundation of our faith, trying to topple our relationship with Christ. When the fool said in his heart, there is no God, he rejects the truth God painted on the canvas of the night. Atheism has never created an artistic masterpiece, never healed a fatal disease or calmed a fear. Atheism has never still given answers to our existence, peace to a troubled mind or even dried a tear.

For it's God who created heaven and earth and flung the stars in space and breathed in the handful of dirt and it became a man. It's God who sits on the circle of the earth and measures the mountains in a scale, and holds the seven seas in the palm of His hand. It's God who sent His only begotten Son to the cross of Calvary to save our souls from Hell and the grave. It's God who creates, God who delivers, God who heals and who is worthy of a thunderous ovation of praise.

CHORUS(2x)

There is a God, there is a God
And I know, I know, I know there is a God

Answer 7

Hey,
Don't know of any way I could convince you. I feel like the answer using the Carmen song is a pretty good explanation fo God.
Christians come to Him thru faith. (I know, I know.. "What is faith?) Hebrews 11:1 says it like this: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
If you truly want to know about Him, and KNOW Him, ask Him. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you and start searching the Bible, His book that will tell you who He is. Start in the gospel of John. If you truly seek Him, you'll find him.
God's blessings!

Answer 8

For myself, I don't understand how anyone can believe that there is no God, it just doesn't make any sense to me. I mean life with all its complexities, and they all happened by chance? Come on. Plus why are the humans the only ones discussing this on Yahoo answers?

Answer 9

I have heard of something like this.

I have to ask you, do you love your mother or anyone that your obvious answer is going to be yes.

Then I will have to ask you to show me. Show me Love - you won't deny that love exists will you? But can you show it to me?

Think about it.

I also recommend the song Heaven by Live, he says, I don't need no one to tell me about heaven, I look at my daughters and I believe.

God is there and everywhere, just like love, you can see evidence of his and it's existance, but in each case the evidence could be argued as something else.

It is all really a matter of if you want to believe, than if it exists.

Hope you liked my serious answer and I didn't answer for the 10 points, I answered because I thought it was worth sharing.

Good luck and God Bless.

Answer 10

It is not matter if a relegion is true or not.It is important that we use our logic in analyzing matters.God exists but identity of god is not exactly clear to us.this world is so complicated and has so finely detailed matters that considering all without a creator( god )is not logic atall.Also in the name of humanity deeding good is important not the relegion one blongs to.