Why do I need evidence of God's existence to believe He exists?

Question

I don't have evidence that my memories reflect reality, but I believe I had breakfast this morning.

I don't have evidence that my senses convey accurate information, but I believe I'm typing on my computer.

I don't have evidence that other people have feelings, but I believe you do.

Answer 1

I have evidence that I had breakfast this morning,...the dirty dishes are still in the sink

You are typing on the computer legibly...ergo...evidence

Have you seen other people cry or laugh...wala...evidence of feelings.

A beautiful sunset...evidence of particles in the atmosphere and clouds reflecting sunlight.

A babies smile...evidence that it probably has gas or just dirtied its diaper.

Answer 2

I think you do have evidence for those things.
Not proof, but plenty of supporting evidence.

You could test the thesis that memories reflect reality by testing whether you really had breakfast this morning: is your stomach full? has your weight increased since you woke up? if you induce vomiting, does breakfast come up? is there less milk in the carton than there was last night?

You didn't just invent the idea that memories reflect reality, or that senses are accurate, or that people feel. You base those beliefs on evidence garnered through years of observation.

Now ask yourself why you believe in God. You must have a reason. If not evidence, then what?

Answer 3

You do have evidence of all those things, your sense are conveying you information that you are typing on a computer. To see if if your senses are accurate in this regard you can do an experiment and check, by asking some one else to check that you have typed. If you still doubt, then repeat with more people involved, and at some stage you have to accept that its more probable that your senses are accurate than not.
Your blood sugar levels would be higher after breakfast if you checked them and later you will pass faeces, more solid evidence.
Other people's feelings are readable in their expressions, actions and words.
Memories are a kind of short hand of past events, so yes they can be inaccurate, thats why we rely on written material so much.
Whether you believe god exists or not is purely up to you, nothing that's typed here will change your mind.

Answer 4

Well actually...If your digestion is working correctly, you will have evidence eventually that you ate this morning.

As far as typing, well, yes perhaps your senses aren't conveying accurate information, but the alternative would be that you're hallucinating. Try printing...That's pretty good evidence.

You can observe other people's feelings and emotions. That's evidence.

You don't however necessarily need evidence of god's existence to believe in god...That's called faith. It's just that many of us prefer to rely on factual evidence. It's your choice; that's why they call it free will!

Answer 5

you DO have evidence you had breakfast. maybe not this morning for sure, but deffitnitely at some point, because otherwise you would be starved to death. you ARE typing on the computer, because i can read it, and there IS evidence that other people have feelings, unless you've never made anyone laugh, cry, get mad, or convey anything to you but a blank stare. there is plenty of evidence to prove all of those things. god, on the other hand, is more probably not what you or any human says and is something we cannot comprehend.

EDIT: nice one agnostic boy. we dont have any memory of god either, do we? haha.

Answer 6

God's existence is different for everyone. He's very real for me. It's hard to explain but you know when you're called.. And His children will know Him by His voice. All the existence that you need is to have the faith of a mustard seed. Trust Him.. He is a father and like any parent He disciplines His own. So don't get discouraged or take it personal. He truly does things for our own good believe me I was angry with him when I went through some stuff with someone that I thought was a friend. But that entire time of being persecuted lied to,lied about,BETRAYED was the best thing that ever happened to me. It was at that point that nothing else I did could get rid of the hurt that I had during that time It's when I turned to Him that My life changed for the better. I'm not some ex-druggie or alcoholic, I was just broken hearted and broken spirited.

Answer 7

Well, yeah, yeah you do have some evidence that your memories reflect reality, especially if a witness corroborates.

Whether your senses convey accurate info or not is actually determined by our own definition of accurate. We can define "accurate senses" in any way we choose to provide for "evidence" that shows our senses are accurate.

Feelings are also something we define ourselves. As the definers, we decide their existence. (What we are defining is an observable response to stimuli, for which we can certainly gather evidence.)

So, there go your analogies. It is only logical to suspend belief in anything before we can observe valid, credible evidence, including God.

Answer 8

Sorry some comment to some, animosity, praying doesn't get you into heaven, St. Ash, obviously, some people do, Jett, anyone can see these logical. Jeff S... now you know how we feel about that theory of evolution, Rockin Robin, yes you're right. And I can see how my fingers move about the keyboard painlessly, I can get the basic concept of eating, digesting, removal, repeat, and how the feelings inside of us exist according to the events of the day (with the exception of bipolar-ity) And that's pretty much the proof of God's existance, and, quite frankly I'm not going to trust an ape to tell me where I came from. Rick S, maybe we're trying to help some other people out there... like agnostic boy... maybe that's why this world is so corrupt. Blackacre, I haven't exactly seen any evidence to prove Him nonexistant... and ya know what, I'm bored with this...

anyway...And I think too many people are avoiding the obvious point because they don't want to believe in Him, which is one reason why they NEED evidence to believe in God. They will only follow a leader who, in their eyes, just tells them what to do and what not to do if they absolutely know and can't deny His existance. They don't want to see Him, to know Him, or to follow Him, and they will try to convince themselves while they attempt to convince others that His existance is not true, while they really can't justify their decision.

Answer 9

Actually, someone could believe anything without evidence. I have some reasons to believe that God and people are part of each others existence.

Answer 10

"I don't have evidence that my memories reflect reality, but I believe I had breakfast this morning."

But if you did have breakfast this morning you could prove it when it comes out the other end.

"I don't have evidence that my senses convey accurate information, but I believe I'm typing on my computer."

If you weren't then I wouldn't be able to type a response.

"I don't have evidence that other people have feelings, but I believe you do."

And if you angered me you wouldn't have to believe what type of activity I would do to show my anger.

I don't have evidence that leprechauns exist.But I believe they do.So, by your logic, they must exist.Right?

Answer 11

To believe simply means "to hold as true". We always believe in order to get somewhere or do something so there is always a goal when it comes to belief. If there is a goal, there must be a hope of reaching the goal. So when I say I believe in God, I am saying that I have a hope to find God's love and to do that I must seek God and to do that I must believe (hold as true) that He exists.

Belief is rational as long as we don't seek something that we are certain doesn't exist.