How do you know God exists?

Question

how can you put your faith in something you can not see

Answer 1

We cannot see the air but it is there

Answer 2

A great deal of logical reaonsing and evidence supports the existence of a Supreme Being.

One needs to have a formalized understanding of logic and philosophy to understand the topic of God's existence. Here is a starting point:

Premise: Every event has a cause
Premise: The universe has a beginning
Premise: All beginnings involve an event

Inference: This implies that the beginning of the universe involved an event
Inference: Therefore the beginning of the universe had a cause
Conclusion: The universe had a cause

For something to have caused the universe it must have existed outside of the universe and time. That First Cause could only have been an omnipotent supernatural agent, God.

Another argument is one from design:

1. The universe began to exist
2. The universe has complexity, order and fine-tuning
3. Complexity, order and fine-tuning imply design
4. Design that began to exist implies a designer
5. Therefore, the universe has a designer

Premise 1: See Big Bang theorem (Hawking, Penrose) All matter and time itself began at this moment
Premise 2: Universe has complex designs, e.g, cellular DNA, Laws of Physics, fine-tuning for life on earth, etc.
Premise 3: Nothing ordered can come from chaos, an orderer is required. Laws of Nature are often cited as counterexamples, yet these very Laws are themselves ordered.

Premise 4: Self evident. If something did not begin to exist, there is no beginner or designer

Thus, the universe has a designer, God.

Yet another:

1. If God does not exist, objective moral values do not exist.
2. Evil exists.
3. Therefore, objective values exist. (Some things are really evil.)
4. Therefore, God exists.

Another way to prove the existence of God is from the impossibility of the contrary. The transcendental proof for God's existence is that without Him it is impossible to prove anything.

Thus once I conclude logically that a designer, first cause, or higher moral authority exists, I must then look to evidence of this designer's will. After investigating, the bible appears to me to be the most reliable revelation of this Supreme Being. You can review the two links below for discussion about the reliability of the bible.

Accuracy of bible:
http://www.carm.org/questions/trustbible.htm
http://www.carm.org/demo2/bible/reliable.htm

While all of my questions will never be definitively answered, I find that rationally my belief is on solid ground. There are many things in the world we do not fully understand or "see", yet we have no problems in believing them. For example, solar physics is not fully known, yet we all objectively accept, using faith and scientific discourse, the "fact" that the sun will rise tomorrow.

Why is it we can believe in many things using rational analysis, even when what we believe is only partially known, yet when it comes to matters like a supreme being, we suddenly want the "show me beyond a shadow of doubt" proof? As Aristotle once stated, "It is the mark of an instructed mind to rest satisfied with the degree of precision which the nature of the subject admits, and not to seek exactness when only an approximation of the truth is possible."

Persons that seek absolute proof of something are inconsistently applying logic and rationality, for they do not seek this absoluteness in all things. Hence, their epistemologies are not fully formed; they speak without proper understanding of the nature of knowledge.

These persons must first take the time and formal study to answer the question: "What is the justification for the presuppositions informing your epistemology and ethical system?"

I have also taken the time to spend years in universities studying theology as well as science, so I could more fully understand what I have staked my eternal soul upon. I don't advocate everyone do this before making a decision one way or the other, but I do suggest folks go beyond some of the rhetoric in these forums, the media, and elsewhere, so they can be more grounded in their beliefs. These and more are the reasons I believe in God.

Answer 3

Oh the question that is hard to answer for people that do not have faith. That is what faith is. Think of it this way. Maybe you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, a husband/wife and you know that they love you. But how do you know? Can you REALLY prove that they are truly IN LOVE with you. You have faith in them and trust in it, but you can't KNOW it, it is faith.
As for God....we have a conscience. We know right from wrong. We did not as a human race wake up one day and say "Okay, let's think about this. Killing is bad, so let it be bad for everyone." No. He told us not to and we have a conscience. That little voice that tells you right from wrong is His, letting you know. Otherwise we would all go around doing anything and everything we wanted without feeling any remorse about it at all.

Answer 4

God is everywhere- in his spirit. He made the universe, space and you. He made you in HIS image and likeness. Though you cannot see him, try to believe in him that he saved the world from sin after shedding his precious blood for you in calvery's cross. Then, you'll see results about God: He is mysterious, loving merciful and so much more. God isn't an illusion. If you really want to know if God is real, then you should think about all the things around you, where did it come from and how did it get here. Glorify God for all he's made and supplied for us. I'm a really serious christian and God (Jesus) said that seeing is not believing, but believing is faith in HIM. Faith is the key to a new life with Christ, a changed life for all eternity, it is the key to joy, happiness, true love and safety against all evil.
There's this book I want you to read, it's called THE PRAYER OF JABEZ FOR TEENS by Bruce Wilkinson. It'll really help you.

Answer 5

I believe in oxygen, gravity, atoms and numerous other things I cannot see, as well as concepts such as justice, truthfulness, decency, etc. These are also real, even though you cannot see them. The critical question is, how do I know that these things exist? Simple: you know the source by the result. The fact that there is an effect, requires the existence of a cause. I could elaborate on this theme, but I would rather point you to other sources of information on the nature of God:

Answer 6

I know it is hard and it can not be proven that god exists.It is a matter of faith.I sometimes find it extremely hard to believe in god because i cannot see nor hear him.But look at yourself, you are beautiful and therefore god created you.There are so many beautiful things in this world.If god did not exist how did this universe come to be?But then the question is how did god come to be?You can never know for sure that god exists but since my mother passed on three months ago i have been getting loads of signes like things i have been looking for for ages just turn up!You must chose yourself whether oor not to believe in god.It is your choice and noobody elses.

Answer 7

You can never know for sure. But it's nice to believe in something. It gives you a conscience (not that atheists dont' have them i would never want to imply that) but you think twice about hurting someone if you believe in hell, because you wouldn't want to go there.
I question my faith all the time. When bad things happen I have doubts. I'm not set in one type of belief, and I'm certainly not devout. But it's very comforting to believe in God i don't know why anyone would try to convince a believer he doesn't exist. That's taking away something positive from their life.

Answer 8

That is the very definition of Faith. You see, God does not expect us to live in blind faith. He does let his presence be known to those who sincerely seek after him. No, most of us will not see him in this life but then whoever said that seeing is believing never sat in a court room listening to multiple eye witnesses of the same event. No two stories are the same and many times the stories are exactly opposite coming from two people reporting on the same event.

True conversion to God and to Jesus Christ comes through the Holy Ghost who testifies of all truth. If you truly want to know if God lives, just get down on your knees and in all humility, ask him to reveal himself to you. He loves you and he will do it, I promise.

Once you have done that, go to my profile and email me, I will be happy to show you the true path that leads to eternal life.

Answer 9

One of the best ways to find the existence of God is to walk onto your patio at night and just look up at the stars and the moon. Check out the song "Maybe there's a Loving God" by Sara Groves.

Answer 10

To be honest, Im Catholic, but I sometimes doubt there's even a god for any religion(no offense). (Im not even 12 MWAAHAHA) (don't tell anyone i know, its a secret between myself and I, and everyone else who read this, but no1 knows who i am except Me, Myself, and I.) No one has any proof. Sometimes i think some crazy person made Christianity up. But then I think, what if he is real? I have 2 sides, one that thinks there's no god, and one that thinks there is. When they're mixed up, I become a puzzle, more of a puzzle than god is. XD

Answer 11

I see without seeing. It's called faith. And because so many people have given their lives for their faith in him.