I'm not asking for athiests to tell me that God isn't there. I know he is. But I want to know how other people are aware of him and what they use as a weapon against doubt. I've been a Christian all my life, but I've suddenly got this new boost of faith in Him, and I want to know how to defend myself. Let me just repeat: I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY BULL ABOUT GOD BEING FAKE. PLEASE. Be mature, if you have nothing nice to say... don't say it at all. Thanks. :)
2007-02-21 15:45:57 · 16 answers · asked by Rebeccah 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
- Proving the Existence of God -
THE BEGINNING
If we do indeed exist, there can be only two possible explanations for such a phenomenon. Either we had a beginning or we did not. The Bible says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). The atheist has always maintained that there was no beginning. The idea is that matter has always existed in the form of either matter or energy; and all that has happened is that matter has been changed from form to form, but it has always been. The Humanist Manifesto says, "Matter is self-existing and not created," and that is a concise statement of atheistic belief.
In order to decide whether the theist or atheist is correct we must ask after science to discover what it says regarding this question. In the local 'brane' of the cosmos are a number of galaxies like our own Milky Way. These galaxies are accelerating away from each other with every passing moment. We live in an expanding universe that gets bigger and bigger with every passing day. Now if we suppose that time can run backwards, we could see that all galaxies must come together at a beginning, at a point of universal expansion which scientists call a singularity. This puts the lie to the idea of an eternal universe. It had a beginning.
A second proof is seen in the energy sources that fuel the cosmos. Like all stars, the sun generates its energy by a process known as thermonuclear fusion. In every second, the sun compresses 564 million tons of hydrogen, fusing its components into 560 million tons of helium with 4 million tons of matter released as energy. In spite of that tremendous consumption of fuel, the sun has only used up 2% of the hydrogen it had on the day it was born. This incredible furnace is not unique. Indeed, this process takes place in every single star in the universe, as well as some gas giant planets such as Jupiter in our own solar system.
Now for a simple logical question: Throughout the cosmos there are 25 quintillion stars, each converting hydrogen into helium, thus reducing the total amount of hydrogen existing in the cosmos. Now if everywhere in the cosmos, hydrogen is being consumed, and if that process has been going on 'forever', how much hydrogen should be left? Obviously, the universe should have run out of hydrogen long ago. The fact is, however, that our sun has 98% of its original hydrogen still available.
Hydrogen is the most abundant material in the universe. Everywhere we look in space we can see the hydrogen 21 cm line in the spectrum - a frequency of light only given off by hydrogen. This would not be possible unless we indeed had a beginning.
A third scientific proof that the atheist is wrong is seen in the second law of thermodynamics. In any closed system, things tend to become disordered. If an automobile is never repaired, for example, it will become so disordered that it will eventually cease to run.
Getting 'old' is simple conformity to the second law of thermodynamics. In space, things also get old. Astronomers refer to this aging process as 'heat death'. If the cosmos is "everything that ever was or is or ever will be," as Dr. Carl Sagan was so fond of saying, then nothing can be added to it to improve its order, or to repair it. Even a 'bouncing' universe that expanded and collapsed forever would eventually die because it would lose light and heat with each expansion and rebound.
The atheist's assertion that matter/energy is eternal is scientifically impossible. The biblical assertion that there was indeed a beginning is in complete agreement with scientific principals.
THE CAUSE
If we know that creation has a beginning, we are faced with another logical question - was creation caused or was it not caused? The Bible states, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Not only does the Bible maintain that there was a cause - a creation - but it also tells us what the cause was. It was God. The atheist tells us that "matter is self-existing and not created." If matter had a beginning and yet was uncaused, one must logically maintain that something would have had to come into existence out of nothing. From empty space with no force, no matter, no energy, and no intelligence, matter would have to become existent. Even if this could happen by some strange new process unknown to science today, there is a logical problem: In order to say that matter can come from nothing, we would need to invalidate all scientific laws dealing with the conservation of matter/energy, including those of chemistry. Aand conservation of angular momentum would have to be wrong, invalidating all of physics. All of our laws of conservation of electric charge would have to be wrong, invalidating all of electronics. In order to believe matter is uncaused, one has to discard most if not all known laws and principles of science. No reasonable person is going to do this simply to maintain a personal atheistic position.
The atheist's assertion that matter is eternal is wrong. The atheist's assertion that the universe is uncaused and self-existing is also incorrect. The Bible's assertion that there was a beginning which had a cause is supported strongly by the available scientific evidence.
THE DESIGN
If we know that creation had a beginning, and that the beginning had a cause, there is one last question for us to answer - what was this cause? The Bible tells us that God was the cause. We are further told that this God did the causing with planning, reason and logic. Romans 1:20 tells us that we can know who God is "through the things he has made."
The atheist, on the other hand, will try to convince us that we are the product of Chance. Julian Huxley once said: "We are as much a product of blind forces as is the falling of a stone to earth or the ebb and flow of the tides. We have just happened, and man was made flesh by a long series of singularly beneficial accidents."
The subject of design has been one that has been explored in many different ways. For most of us, simply looking at our newborn child is enough to rule out chance. Modern-day scientists like Paul Davies and Frederick Hoyle and others are raising elaborate objections to the use of chance in explaining natural phenomena. A principle of modern science as emerged in the 1980s called "the anthropic principle." The basic thrust of the anthropic principle is that chance is simply not a valid mechanism to explain the atom or life. If chance is not valid, we are constrained to reject Huxley's claim and to realize that we are indeed the product of an intelligent God.
2007-02-21 16:00:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
The proof is in/with you. It's one thing to say you believe in God, but it's another to put your faith in Him, Jesus Christ, and start seeing a transformation take place in all areas of your life. When you've been in the dregs of life with no hope and no way of seeing a future and then you take a step of faith and suddenly you start to experience joy and peace.....it's the greatest journey...also one of the most challenging. My testimony and the testimonies of countless is proof of the existence of a loving Heavenly Father. The more you know His word, the more you'll know Him and you'll be able to discern truth from deception.
2007-02-22 00:43:48 · answer #2 · answered by graphitegirl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't look for physical evidence to justify the existence of God. That's what faith is, believing without seeing. Don't get me wrong, God's works can be seen throughout the earth, its just they can also be explained scientifically or rationally. The only thing I have is faith in God's Word, and when you put your trust in Him you begin to see the "evidence" of Him in your daily life. It's easy to miss that and take your blessings for granted. Faith is not something to be proven, it's what you believe and trust in, and that is the heart of Christianity.
2007-02-22 00:01:27 · answer #3 · answered by melissa 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am also a christian and I notice that when I am going through things in my life he is always there in a powerful way. Also if you have been a christian all your life and you are doubting then the devil is trying to confuse you. You need to put on the full armor of god so that the enemy cannot attack you
10In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].
11Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
12For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
13Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
14Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
15And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the [a]firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness [b]produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.(B)
16Lift up over all the [covering] shield of [c]saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit [d]wields, which is the Word of God.
18Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).
I truly hope this helped and it sounds like god is calling you to something. Maybe he wants you to surrender yourself completly to him because he is a jealous god. Stay in Gods word that is the best weapon you can use against the enemy, If you feel the enemy attacking then that means he sees you as a threat. And remember we are not called just for ourselves but to help others as well. God needs help to round up his people, I truly believe that is why you feel him so strongly.
2007-02-22 00:09:06 · answer #4 · answered by Nadea K 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know deep inside my heart that God exsist. i dont need any scientist to prove me wrong. and i know God exsists and i know hes listening right this minute. a reality check God is all around us. the air, the trees, the water, the animals, the houses, the cars the stars the universes the galaxies the moon and the sun and on and on.
2007-02-22 00:03:19 · answer #5 · answered by mamas_grandmasboy06 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many will tell you that the evidence is in the Bible. But then, are they right? They are only human. We are all human, and we all have the my-side bias: the whole deal where we tend to narrow our vision to our beliefs and miss out some parts of the whole story that go against the original belief. So, one may tell you s/he knows the truth, but do we know that they can confirm that? Do we know if we can confirm our own opinions? Sorry, I'm getting carried away. Good day.
2007-02-21 23:53:34 · answer #6 · answered by High-strung Guitarist 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Detailed prophecy written hundreds of years before it was fulfilled did it for me. The bible is more reliable than Michael Jordan in game 6 down by one with the ball in his hands...
2007-02-21 23:55:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anomaly 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you're a true believer, then you don't need any physical proof. The faith you have in your heart will be enough for you know he exists.
2007-02-21 23:57:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
LIFE, ORDER OF the UNIVERSE. either the big bang created all this or it comes from a designer. I'd go with GOd.
2007-02-21 23:48:51 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Faith and feelings are really crummy ways to objectively ascertain the truth value in a claim or concept.
2007-02-21 23:48:56 · answer #10 · answered by ZER0 C00L ••AM••VT•• 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋