Is everyone born with the innate knowledge of God's existence?

Question

My personal answer would be something ending in the word 'off'. I never heard of God until I was five, and didn't recognise the concept.

However since I've noticed a few people on this forum who'd answer Yes, I've decided to ask this question anyway.

I'm just wondering though; How many of you became believers of your own volition, and how many were simply taught religion by your folks since you were very tiny, and have known no other way of life? And are you also the same people who subscibe to the belif that people like me hate God because he disapproves of us doing all the immoral things that us atheists constantly get up to?

So: Do you really think everyone is born with the innate knowledge of God?

Your call.

Answer 1

I do not believe that the knowledge of God is an innate belief. When we're born, we're a "clean slate". Who we become depends on our parents and surrounding family, as well as everyone we've ever met in our entire life. We are a combination of everybody we've ever known.

I've never believed in God. Part of it is because I was never told to believe in him, my parents taught me about God and all the things he'd done, because both of them are Christian, but not that I HAD to believe. It was a "your call" kinda thing.

With that, I remember first noticing that we look similar to monkeys at the zoo, because they had hands like ours and seemed smarter than other animals. My parents explained evolution. As I said before, I've never believed in God. As a matter of fact, I had no idea who he was until I was about 7 or 8, when my parents told me about him.

Answer 2

Mankind is born with an innate basic knowledge that there is a God, though they do not know Him. If they never hear the Gospel, they are judged by their works. Romans 2 says there are those who do not have the law, but by nature do the things contained in the law, who are a law unto themselves. This means that if they live a life that upholds God's moral law and have never heard the Gospel, they will still go to heaven. However, most people do not fully follow their conscience. Pretty near everyone lies or cheats or steals or other things which are contrary to God's ways, and most people quite often. More people are saved through the spreading of the Gospel than are saved without it, thus Christians need to spread the Gospel.

Answer 3

Yes everyone is according to Romans 1 but humans tend to suppress the truth. Atheists, even well-behaved atheists, are very proud. They generally trust their own intellect above all else. When they don't understand why a good God would allow so much evil, they just jump to the conclusion that God must not exist. Or they've been taught evolution by "intelligent scientists who really think for themselves instead of just believing the backwoods, brainwashed, Bible-thumping Christians of the world who will believe anything at all, no matter how foolish."

I was taught religion by my parents but I did choose to follow Jesus on my own. My brother, raised in my family too, has decided so far, to not follow Jesus very faithfully. He decided to marry outside the faith, which is a sin, and his wife just up and left after five years because she didn't feel like being married anymore. That's in style these days. His worldly roommates have given him severe problems too because again, their worldview is a very selfish one. Now that his life is starting to go down the toilet, he's back in church, but he still doesn't read his Bible very often if at all and I don't think his prayer and worship life is very strong at this point. I'm praising God for him being back in church though. It's a start.

As far as having an innate knowledge of God, it depends on how you mean it. We know that God exists without having to be told. When we look around at the world, the sun, moon, and stars, it logically follows that there is a Creator. However, knowing there is a God and knowing God are two very different things. Based on your question, I know that you exist. However, I don't know you. Understand? In order for me to know you, we would have to meet. It works the same way with God. In order to know Him, He must reveal Himself to you. There are many ways that God does this, but the most important way is through the Scriptures. At least, that's what I believe. That's the primary way He's revealed Himself to me. I've had experiences with Him too though; one really powerful one after I got hurt by a girl and had to forgive her. Once I'd forgiven her, I finally knew that God really did love me and it wasn't just something I had been taught. I was fifteen. I made Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior when I was six years old.

Answer 4

Being the youngest of 3 other siblings, from a child I have stood alone in my family on Christian issues. My family has always went, and still do today, the opposite direction of me. Better yet, I've refused to go the direction of them. Romans chapter 1 teaches us that God put it within every man to "know" there is a Creator. In my life personally, no one person taught me religion. I felt God's hand on me as a small child and I took His promise to heart, " Whoever shall seek me with all their heart shall find me." Well I found Him and 30 years later I haven't let go because He's so much a part of me that I would not want to imagine life without Him for one second. As close as I am with the Lord I am well aware that I've only scratched the surface of His greatness and love. Even in heaven, we will never stop learning of His unmatchless Grace.

Answer 5

Yes I do think so! Personal experience. My dad died when I was 5 years old. I can remember everything. Baths in the sink, cutting the hell out of myself trying to shave. I can go beyond that. I am not ready to share that yet. We all came from the same place, I mean our souls. I am a believer of my own. No matter what was taught to me, that feeling won't let me be. I feel so sorry for those who have doubts! I guess I wish to teach you no matter if you don't want to. Hard road don't you think. Ask me a question I will tell you what I think. Its like common sense? Who is born with that?

Answer 6

My mom has raised me in church since I was a baby...I am a Christian and believe in the KJV Bible...I believe in Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit!!!!

My mom raised me in church but I stopped going when I was 14yrs old...now I am 18 and I go by myself because I've realized that I am God's and need to live my life for Him. I've been to a Catholic church, Non-Denominational, and protestant. But I am attending the church I choose which is an Independent Fundamental Baptist church. And I don't believe in a "church" I believe in the Bible and Jesus.
So yes I became a believer on my own and with God's help too.

And I think that every child some thought of God!!!!

Answer 7

Everyone is born with an innate knowledge of a higher power...whatever "form" that takes. For Jews, Muslims and Christians, it is God.

Answer 8

Socrates would have said we are born with innate knowledge and it reawakens within us when nurtured.

This does not state there is a God, just we are born with the knowledge of whether there is.

He proved that everyone is aware of basic geometry when asked the right questions.

Answer 9

What the Bible states is that a man has the intellectual and moral capacity to deduce the existence of such a Being by observation of the ordered Creation.

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."
Romans 1:18-23

Men are capable of knowing God. They choose not to.

Answer 10

well i think everyone can conceive of an invisible all powerful spirit person. it's not too surprising though that you hadn't thought of it at age five. i'm not sure when i was introduced to the concept, probably about that age i suppose. like you though, it always seemed pretty far-fetched to me. just because we can imagine something doesn't mean it exists. perhaps that's not quite what you're driving at with your phrase 'innate knowledge of god' though?