Seriously. How can you justify God?

Question

First of all I'm an atheist.

Second, I believe religion to be devisive and the excuse for lots of world and social problems

Third, I think the world would be a better place if people had to explain their actions without the exuse of devine inspiration from a supernatural entity(ies).

So, I will say up front - I cannot explain every thing in the world - there is loads of stuff I don't know, absolutely buckets of the stuff! But given that why on earth would I beleive in a supernatural super-entity(ies) to fill in the gaps in my knowledge, and isn't it even a little bit strange that most societies have some sort of mythology to explain these mysteries and yet none of them seem to have developed the same one?

Go on, someone come up with a LOGICAL argument for their deity/deities.

Finally, in the absence of a sensible argument, and here's my motivation, if one person decides to question their supernatural beliefs - great stuff, welcome to the enlightenment!

Answer 1

I am an Atheist too. So naturally I agree with what you say.

So here is my argument as to why the 'God' idea has come about, been developed and is (regrettably) still with us.

To our primitive ancestors the world must have been a scary place. Scourged by diseases for which they had no cure or explanation; hunters who could easily become prey, not only to animals but to other tribes they need a consistent view of the world.

This consistent view helped them understand and plan.

So the brighter of them invented spirits, Gods or whatever to explain the seasons, the weather, crop failure, pestilence, in terms that they could understand. Of course to the better, the most charismatic of these 'explainers', came certain powers which they used to bolster their position within the tribe.

Eventually we called them priests.

They formed various religious groups, who of course all bashed hell out of each other because they knew that if their one true religion was overcome they would not only be out of work, but probably dead.

When enough people had been killed to impress they formed a Church.

These 'priests' controlled the main channel to their God and thus enhanced their power and wealth.

Hence organized relgion.

If you think I am wrong read the Old Testament and watch American Evangelist shows.

Answer 2

You are an Atheist and I am a Christian. You also believe religion to be divisive and the excuse for lots of world and social problems. I too agree with this. I take it at this point, just to clarify, that we are talking about religious denominations, sects or cults on a global scale. Interestingly, you state that you cannot explain everything in the world, then immediately you say BUT why should I believe in the supernatural super entity(ies) to fill in the gaps of your knowledge. What knowledge are you looking for ...material or spiritual knowledge? It's the 'filling in' of the gaps is where I am perplexed. However, to be fair, you are on your own personal spiritual journey, and where ever that leads you I wish you well. Finally, your question is extremely profound in that you couldn't possibly get an acceptable answer here. Volumes have been written on your question; So much so that the two of us would find it impossible to read it all in several lifetimes. I'm not exactly sure what an atheist hopes for, but I know that as a Christian having faith gives me hope for better things to come for me and my children.

Answer 3

I can't justify God but I can confirm it's existence by personal experience. I survived an illness that according to medical science should have killed me. Have you ever seen your Dr or radiologist look at you starry eyed and shocked, I have. Anyway, science is a bit stumped by my case and my notes have gone for research, I know of at least two places, one is to a geneticist the other to a neurologist. Simultaneously while experiencing this impossible illness I trained and qualified as a nurse, which should have been impossible. While all this was going on I had numerous psychic and some spiritual experiences that went way beyond the five senses and normal or abnormal consciousness processes. I had a transcendent experience way before I ever knew of such a thing. Not brought up religious I didn't know that some of the experiences I had do tie in with descriptions of spiritual things experienced by other people. How can you experience something that you have no fore knowledge about yet matches descriptions made in ancient text, granted these experiences tied in with more eastern spirituality than Christianity, but never the less these happened. It's not a matter of faith for me but experience and it's up to science now to investigate and explain what was found. Incidentally these experiences did not lead me into any religion. I am an agnostic.

Answer 4

First of all, I'm Christian. Roman Catholic, specifically.

Second, it's a sociological fact agreed on by experts in the field that the world is a better place because of Christianity (I'm not sure about the other religions).

Third, there are things we do and say that are sometimes beyond logic or rational explanation. Just because psychologists or doctors or scientists gave names or labels to these behavior doesn't mean that you can grasp them already. If it happens that there are people who hinge their actions on a supernatural phenomenon, you can always fall back on coping mechanism, which is very much part of our genetic makeup in order to survive. There are scientists agree on this one, too, you know.

We don't believe in supernatural entities to fill the gaps in our knowledge. We also went to school and to this day are still learning about life and keeping at it, just like everyone else--atheist or otherwise.

I don't have a logical explanation to offer you for my faith. Faith is not formulated by logic in the first place. You've seen and heard strange things happening out there in the news, which nobody can quite explain satisfactorily. But it doesn't mean that they didn't happen, or just because they're unexplainable doesn't necessarily follow that they should be explained away. As Carl Sagan put it: "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." Sagan, btw, was agnostic.

Questioning one's belief is not the end all of enlightenment. You don't stop at questions; you should search for answers. Ask your favorite man of science about this and he'd tell you the same thing.

Peace.

Answer 5

For me, God is so "easy" to explain. I feel him every time I seek to connect with a spiritual side of myself. I have a physical side, an emotional side, an intellectual side, and social side, and yes a spiritual side that yearn and tells me that there is something beyond what we see, taste, touch, smell, etc. I know this to be possible. I cannot see the wind, but know that it is there. I cannot see an atom, but there is evidence to suggest that it exists.

Likewise, there is "evidence" to suggest that God exists. Whenever I climb to the top of a mountain peak, look out over the grand view, watch a sunset fade before heading down, I feel all of that grandeur tells me there is a God. Each time I have witnessed the miracle of child birth, I sense that there is a God and that this newborn child has just come from somewhere magnificent, has come from the presence of God.

When I look in a microscope at the minute intricacies of a living cell, and know that such a cell cannot be reproduced by man, I sense that there is a God.

I am not so arrogant that I think I know everything and that I know that God does not exist. Why not ask him, God should know if he exists or not. He can give you the answer.

Answer 6

To this, I have to ask, how can you justify your existence without God? Why does one go through this crazy life if there is no God? My belief is that this life serves as a test to see whether we will choose to follow the one and only God-Jesus Christ-or follow the world's ways. I do not see the world as an end in itself. While I believe in using one's God-given talents and abilities to achieve as much as possible and make the most of one's time on Earth living for Christ, achieving success is not an end in itself (if one is compromising God's life standards to achieve success, what does success mean anyway?)...that's kind of my life philosophy...but, anyway, as for the proof or "justification" of God...

I believe the best evidence that can be found in justifying God is seen in the fulfilled prophecy in the Bible...Christianity is actually the ONLY religion on Earth in which every prophecy has been fulfilled...the Bible is the infallible word of God...( a great indication of a false religoin like Islam/Jehovah's witnesses, etc., is that they will make false prophecies; for example JW"s predicted the world would end in 1925-obviously, it didn't) I posted a really great link that talks about some of the Bible's fulfilled prophecies/end of time prophecies...

These are just some of my reflections ("food for thought")-as I consider all of the technology that allows one to be everywhere at once (cell phones, computers, etc.-while you (assuming you are older than 20) and I can remember life without them, the younger generation has always lived with them)...anyway, while the communication benefits are obvious, I can't help but wonder what purpose they serve in the grand scheme of God's great plan... information is so easy to exchange these days...people can see events happening in totally different parts of the world simultaneously...could this technology have something to do with the end time events???

Now, no one can predict when the end times will occur...if they say they can, they are lying...God (the true God) is way too complex for any humans to fully understand. However, I believe the best justification for the Christian God are the fulfillments of Biblical prophecies.

Now, I know that many argue against Christianity b/c of all the hypocrites...my best response to that is, just because they are Christians (or say they are Christians), they are still sinners...if Christians were perfect, they would not need a savior...

I think it will really be worth your while to look at the link I provided...after all, the only way to come up with your counterarguments is consider what the other side is saying...

http://www.recklessjoy.blogpsot.com/Documents/Tracts/The_Climax_tract.htm

Also, a great read is C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity" (written by a former atheist)

Answer 7

This whole influx of religious 'prove there is a god'/'prove their isnt a god' is wearing a bit thin, i mean, if there was a definitive answer it would have already been discovered and what you must remember is, everyone is entitled to believe whatever they choose to believe in-regardless of whether you can see it or not. I dont necessarily believe in all that the bible says, or that god takes the form that the media portrays and that history has talked about, I need to believe in something though, so that when i need help or need faith i know that there is always going to be someone there to guide me. People get so uptight on here trying to find definitive answers and at the end of the day nothing is resolved and the same replies are posted with little luck in finding out whether god is real or not. Its about faith and belief, its about having something to look up to and turn to. I believe sometimes religion is used to control people and shape peoples beliefs, religion in this sense is unhealthy, but just believeing in something is perfectly normal-the same way that people look up to madonna and elvis-its something to aspire to, its something to believe in.

Answer 8

God, is just consciousness with the ability to Act on emotion and feeling. IT is made up of infinitely variable vibrational rates and reflections.

A very important aspect of IT is the ability to OPEN UP SPACE and hold it open. Another important Aspect of IT is to be able to fill the dark space with light.

Advancements in understanding of IT SELF create increased vibrational rates that set it apart from other rates. So you can be sure that "places" like the sun have higher level beings and that somewhere in the universe is the highest vibration possible. The level of magnetism of this place would be immense making it the center of the Universe. This would be considered the GOD HEAD. Here the highest level of creation and understanding is occurring.

Considering how much more advanced they must be then us it is highly doubtful that they can not contact us. Most likely they just don't care much. They and God most likely view us as very primitive and are afraid to even come near us.

Quote.

Answer 9

I was doing some research today on human cloning ... and I found some really really scary things!

I do understand -for- arguments, and I can understand those who are against (even for religious reasons), but this video is scary in a very different way! ... just see those faces ...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8Ddtp5MvNzU

as for religions ... they don't need arguments! .. that's the point of dogma which is basis of every religion .. not a single religion tells you "think" but absolutely every single one says "believe" .... no way you can argue with that ... if you do, you don't "believe" and it means you're bad, you don't know, you haven't met Jesus, or whoever, you're possessed by Devil ... and so on, and so on ... very creative explanations, we'll have to admit

Answer 10

The existence of God is not a question of logic: "Is it logical to me that God exists?". It is not a question of value "Do I think that it is right that God exists?". It is a question of fact. "Does God exist?".

Any attempt to ascertain the existence of God based on a system of logic cannot lead to the correct answer, since the question is incorrect to begin with. But most systems of logic applied to the question of the existence of God have flawed assumptions. One flawed assumption frequently used is "If God existed He would (or would not) do (fill in the blank)."

God Himself has promised to reveal Himself to a true seeker of knowledge, and in several places in the scriptures, challenges the writer and the reader to test Him. Therefore, the scientific method is the only possible one that can be used to ascertain the existence of God.

Hurling the accusation that it is "not logical" to believe in God is a sign of the failure of the methodology used to decide in His existence or non-existence.

I have tested God, and found Him to be true to His word. I know that He lives because He has revealed Himself to me in a very personal way. He will do the same for any person who truly wants to know.

Warning: God's answer is unmistakable, but will only come to those who REALLY want to know the facts. He is a perfect gentleman who will not push Himself on someone determined to believe that He does not exist.