How can you prove that god exists or if he doesn't?

Question

Just wondering, it's a survey.

Answer 1

Thank you very much for your question.

One important point we need to understand in the first place is that the existence of God cannot be proved in the same way you prove the existence of a physical object. This is simply because God is not a physical object. Any physical object is subject to your five senses. In simple terms, you can see, hear, smell, touch or taste a physical object. This is not possible in the case of God, as He (swt) is a Transcendental Being [existing on a level beyond our sensual perception].

There are people who argue that the only form of knowledge available to humans is experiential knowledge or experimental knowledge, gained primarily by the use of outer senses. This led to the belief that human beings are constituted in such a way that the knowledge of reality is always unavailable to them; and so it resulted in a renewal of attention to the everyday world of appearances. The knowledge of here and now became the only object of human knowledge and concern. Thus from this point of view, the project of seeking knowledge of reality behind appearances must be abandoned, because it is beyond the scope of human understanding.

Now think: Can’t there be a way of “being” [existing], that is not susceptible of being perceived by the limited capabilities of humans through their defective senses?

I hope that the implications of the two expressions I used above [‘limited capabilities’ and ‘defective senses’] are evident to any thinking person. The claim that something does not exist, because you haven’t seen or heard it, etc. is untenable. When we consider the limitations of our sensual perception and of our reasoning powers, it is not necessary that we understand everything. We can speak meaningfully about everything simply on the basis of our perception. So to speak of “proof” with regard to a Transcendental Being becomes irrelevant.

What we can do is to point out facts which lead to a constant and inescapable awareness of the presence of God. It is clear that logically we cannot rule out the possibility of more things existing than can be perceived by our senses or can be arrived at by our reasoning. As for Man, there are two dimensions to his existence: One of matter and the other of spirit.

Reduced merely to the level of material existence, Man becomes a machine, or a mere animal at best. But think of a machine that rebels against being a machine; or of an animal that refuses to be an animal. That is what man is! What is it that makes him rebellious, angry, disappointed, frightened or hopeful? What is his dimension that gives him his imagination, his artistic genius, his creative urge? Why does he have nightmares and sweet dreams?

It is not matter that does it; evidently it is his spirit that makes him so different from animals. So to base our knowledge of the world and our philosophy of life simply on the material side of our existence to the complete exclusion of the spiritual dimension, is undoubtedly faulty. The strength of Islam as a philosophy and as a way of life is that it does not separate man’s material life from spiritual life, and that it seeks a balance between the two dimensions of human existence.

We should understand that human spirit is a reality incommensurable with material realities, and that it owes its existence only to God. Thus dear brother, if we ponder over the phenomena of the world around us and over the complexities of our own existence, we are bound to conclude that God is the Reality behind all appearances. The Holy Qur’an says in Surah 2, verse 164, the meaning of the following:

*{Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which God Sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they Trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth;- [Here] indeed are signs for a people that are wise.}*

That is to say the external signs we see in the universe should necessarily lead a wise person to the Ultimate Reality behind it all. And that is how we arrive at the realization that Allah Almighty is the Moving Power behind all life and all existence.

And Allah knows best.

Answer 2

The proof of God is simple. Before there was time, space, existence, nothingness, planets, universes, stars, big bangs and everything else there was "I AM." God is the only possible and logical explanation for what you see today. To deny it is to be illogical and plain right ignorant. Here are four possible explanations for the origin of the universe or universes:

1. We are living in a dream world where this whole life is not real. Pain is real and so is suffering so that conclusion is not logical.

2. Time is infinite. If time was infinite and the universe always was and never ended then what you would have is a looping existence. There would be no now because we are in infinity. The whole concept of present time would not exist in an infinite universe. This is not logical because we know that we have a beginning when we are born, a present and an end when we die. We are all going to die.

3. The big bang. For the big bang to happen it needed a cause. It could not occur by itself because nothing had existed before it. Remember we are talking about the origins of existence itself.

4. God. An all powerful being that transcends time and existence as we know it. A Being that always existed and that had no beginning. We are limited in understanding this because we are subject to time. God created time. He is Spirit. The only logical explanation.

Answer 3

It is not so much proving whether god exists or not, but what would it take to prove that god exists or not. What would be acceptable and agreed upon by all parties, bipartisan, unbiased or whatever? And if such an answer could be arrived at, what then? As well, which god, you have tens of thousands to choose from. Your question is a loaded one and not at all very well structured. Surveys are usually "yes", "no" or "maybe" with the opportunity for small comment.

Answer 4

Before you can determine whether God exists, you need to define the reality you claim he exists within. If you are scientifically naive and imagine your own perceptual experiences are real then you are apt to be a believer and assume God is real. On the other hand, if you understand that the physical realm is the basis of objective reality and know that your own perceptions are an illusion created by your living brain, you are apt to be an atheist.

Most people who argue about whether God exists fail to appreciate that the human mind is capable of considering both the subjective and the objective realms. This discrepancy is the root of much disagreement.

My own thinking is that if believers cannot provide any reliable evidence He exists -- it's moot, pointless, to even attempt to prove that He doesn't. The burden of proof is on those who assert God is real and they have totally failed to make their case. Of course, believers do know that God exists in their own subjective experience. Unfortunately, that only proves believers are seriously deluded and imagine their own thoughts are real, not that God actually exists in objective reality.

Answer 5

I move my hand in front of my face and look at it. I think, how did I do that? I have a brain with a bundle of nerves running from it to my hand. But I wanted to move my hand. This is odd, I don't understand. I'm just matter. I'm just made up of a bunch of molecules yet I have a will and I can make this body of mine do stuff.

How bizarre! I'm a piece of earth but I'm animated! Since when does dirt get up and animate itself?

I enjoy designing software. I often admire those engineers who create robotic bio limbs for those people who have lost a natural limb.

Those engineers are designing something. Its a design! However cool and slick their end product works, its nothing like the one that they are replacing that was designed by the capital "C" Creator.

Answer 6

'No evidence of His existence, that is proof he doesn't exist.'

Completely wrong unfortunately. Light existed hundreds of years ago when people thought it came out of your pupils and bounced back in, and now we know its the other way round completely. Human knowledge does not alter fact, either humans know something true or they don't.

God is unprovable. Even if a proof existed I doubt it would ever be found. Athiests do not believe in God and one cannot prove the negative statement 'God does not exist', so the burden of proof is with the theists. However theists generally believe in God out of faith and do not require proof, so they have no need to search for one.

This is why I suspend making a desicion either way and call myself strong agnostic.

Answer 7

You can't really, but if the god's supposed 'word' or 'prophecies' is oddly similar to contrary, vengeful, (male) egotistical and primitive poop borrowed from previous patriarchal religions....then the odds are high that there's another 'god' that doesn't exist except in the minds of those who believe the fairy tales.

Answer 8

He has performed many miracles in the presence of many men and women including myself. If you make Him lord of your life and seek Him you will find Him. I have seen people healed that Dr.'s said would die in a matter of weeks. I have seen people addicted to crack and alcohol delivered and never touch it again. You people who want proof ignore the proof that exists. The enemy has caused a spiritual blindness to fall on the unbelievers mind and no amount of proof will lift that, it takes faith.

Answer 9

God can only be proved to ones own self.

Answer 10

Some things can neither be proved or disproved, I will quote Jean Chrétien (1934-) Canadian politician.. 'A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof and when you have a good proof it's because it's proven.'.
My favorite quote after Clintons 'what is is.'