When it comes to a Personal God, I believe that the burden of proof is on the person claiming that a Personal God exists. I have never seen any evidence that convinces me that a Personal God does exist. Also, there are many things that lead me to believe that there is no God.
One is the theory of evolution. I am no expert at biology so I look to people who study biology. There is nearly unanimous agreement among biologists that the theory of evolution is valid. If the theory of evolution is valid then God did not make people in our present form.
Muslims, Jews, and people of other religions all believe that they have the one true religion. Many Christians would be Muslim if they happened to be born in Saudi Arabia. Many Muslims would be Christian if they were born in the United States. Here is a great article related to this idea: Which, if any, of the world's 10,000 religions is the true one?
Natural disasters also seem to go against the idea of a Personal God who loves us. I have heard two main arguments defending natural disasters in a world with a Personal God. The first is that natural disasters are a result of original sin. This answer is very unsatisfying. The second is that natural disasters are part of God's plan so they cannot be questioned.
The evil done in the name of religion also makes me doubt the existence of God. Young girls have their genitals cut or scraped out to please Allah. Children die because their parents pray instead of taking their children to see a doctor. People murder others simply because they believe in a different God or not God.
The bible also seems like a very human book. God is very violent in the Old Testament. He kills everyone except Noah's family. He kills the first born of Egypt. He says disobedient children should be stoned to death, and on and on. Then in the New Testament comes the idea of heaven and hell. God loves you, but if you do not believe that his son is your Lord and Savior you will burn in hell for eternity.
I prefer to focus on this life since I believe it is the only life we will have. I believe in making decisions based on what is best for people, not based on what a very old books says.
4 comments:
Dear Clint,
I have a very dear friend, Joey, who brought up many of the points you outlined in this blog. I am not well-versed in Christian apologetics, but I would like to share my thoughts on a few of your comments.
1. "When it comes to a Personal God, I believe that the burden of proof is on the person claiming that a Personal God exists. I have never seen any evidence that convinces me that a Personal God does exist. Also, there are many things that lead me to believe that there is no God."
I know this will probably sound naive to you, but when I see with my own eyes the beauty of nature, the incredibe "natural wonders" of our world and the universe it spins in, I cannot help but believe that there is a Creator--in other words, if there is a World, there must be a World-maker. And it's not just the beauty, but the cleverness and winsome design of the creation. I live in Florida, and the majesty of the ocean leaves me breathless. I used to snorkel in the Keys and would marvel at the spectacular variety of sea-life just a few feet below the water's surface. And what about us? Our bodies are so intricately fashioned and we are constantly discovering more and more astonishing facts about what makes us...us! It's harder for me to believe that all of this is mere happenstance than to believe in a Divine Creator. Even evolution had to be started by something...or Someone. It's like this: suppose you shook snd shook s box of jigsaw puzzle pieces, then opened the box and threw all of the pieces on the floor. Would one expect the pieces to arrange themselves into a complete picture that made any sense?
2. "Muslims, Jews, and people of other religions all believe that they have the one true religion. Many Christians would be Muslim if they happened to be born in Saudi Arabia. Many Muslims would be Christian if they were born in the United States. Here is a great article related to this idea:"
While it is true that a person's place of birth or family of origin can determine or at least influence one's beliefs, I think it's a safe bet to say that by now, all of those religions have spread throughout the world. There are Muslims in the US and there are Christians in the Middle East. What amazes me is that both religions were a result of one man, a Jew named Abraham, who had two sons by two different women. The half-brothers were rivals and this hateful rivalry continues to this very day.
3. "Natural disasters also seem to go against the idea of a Personal God who loves us. I have heard two main arguments defending natural disasters in a world with a Personal God. The first is that natural disasters are a result of original sin. This answer is very unsatisfying. The second is that natural disasters are part of God's plan so they cannot be questioned."
Clint, it is even hard for Christians to accept the devastations of natural disasters. All I can say to that is that I believe that God intended for the world to be a haven and a place of beauty for all of His creatures. He created a paradise with everything man and woman needed to enjoy life and a personal relationship with Him. But He gave Adam and Eve a free will: to obey that one command, or suffer the consequences. As parents, we try to set good examples and guide our children to make wise choices, but if they choose to rebel, what do we do? Do we ignore or excuse their disobedience? How then could we expect a Holy God to do that? By the way, I do not believe that natural or manmade disasters are or were ever a part of God's plan.
4. "The evil done in the name of religion also makes me doubt the existence of God. Young girls have their genitals cut or scraped out to please Allah. Children die because their parents pray instead of taking their children to see a doctor. People murder others simply because they believe in a different God or not God."
Clint, you nailed it when you attribited evils done "in the name of religion." Even the Crusaders, self-proclaimed "Christians," did horrible things for the cause of religion. But if you know anything at all about Jesus, you must know that was not His message; His message--indeed, His life--was spent pointing people to love, mercy, compassion and peace snd forgiveness. If you look into the Old Testament, you will find that God abhorred the sacrificing of human beings (i.e., children to pagan gods. God is truly about the business of Life, not death.
People who deny their children of medical care are, in my opinion, ignorant. I believe in miracles, but I believe in medicine, too.
5. "The bible also seems like a very human book. God is very violent in the Old Testament. He kills everyone except Noah's family. He kills the first born of Egypt. He says disobedient children should be stoned to death, and on and on. Then in the New Testament comes the idea of heaven and hell. God loves you, but if you do not believe that his son is your Lord and Savior you will burn in hell for eternity."
First, let me address the killing of the first-born children of Egypt: Pharoah had God's chosen people--the Jews--in captivity and was given a choice: let Moses lead God's people out of slavery or Pharoah and his people would suffer the consequences--and there were plenty of warnings before the final plague of the killing of the firstborn children.
Also, God instructed Noah to build an ark large enough for the entire population of the ancient world. People ridiculed Noah, who begged them even as the first rains began to fall to come in to safety. They continued to mock him...all the way to their watery graves. Again--God did not kill them--they had a choice. Do you see a theme here? God made us in His image, not as brainless, emotionless robots. He wants our obedience out of love for Him. And this is the essence of eternal salvation, as well: even though Adam and Eve blew it for all of us in the Garden of Eden, God made a Way, through the gruesome, torturous sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from the consequences of the "sin DNA," that every one of us inherited. It's not a matter of how religious one is or isn't--it boils down to this:
Who is Jesus to you?
I hope to hear from you...
Debra
Debra,
I agree that evolution had to be started by something I just do not think that we should call it "God." Atheists do not know what led up to the Big Bang, but we do not think that saying God did it is very helpful. It leads to the question "Who created God?"
You mentioned that our bodies are "intricately fashioned." Would you agree that if we were designed by God then our bodies should not have flaws? It turns out there are many parts of our bodies that in no way appear to be designed by God. You should check out: http://www.decimation.com/markw/2007/07/09/what-evolution-left-behind-on-humans/
It gives some great examples.
Even though religions spread, certain religions still have a huge majority in certain areas. The fact that most people just continue in the religion of their parents shows that most people to not seriously examine their beliefs.
I still think that natural disasters should not occur in a universe where an All-Powerful, All-Good, All-Knowing God who loves us exists. Saying that it is a result of original sin is very unconvincing.
You mention that "God instructed Noah to build an ark large enough for the entire population of the ancient world." I do not think that is true. What verse is that?
I believe that historical Jesus most likely existed. I do not believe he performed miracles or was the son of God.
How did you come to believe that Christianity is the one true religion?
Clint
Hi!
I received your email but it went into my junk mail and then while I was trying to reply I pushed the delete button instead of the reply button!!!
Email me again and I will reply as soon as I can!
I'm also praying God will bless you.
Hi Clint,
I am responding to your comment you wrote to my Light Amp News Blog. When people in my church shared that they have been healed after prayer, I believe them, because there is no incentive for them to lie. Everyone who attends church pretty much knows that lying is a sin, and also, why lie about being healed when it is easy for others to detect that you are not healed? (Especially in such a tight-knit community such as a church)
Personally I have experienced supernatural healing. My friends prayed for my left foot, which was shorter than my right foot, and the left foot grew and increased in length in front of all of our eyes. And when I got up afterwards, I could sense the difference in my foot, in how I stood, and in how I walked. It was a miracle.
I have also prayed for others to receive healing and they have gotten healed. A friend with a broken knuckle was healed after I prayed for him. Another friend with back pain was healed.
Also, supernatural healing is widespread around the world. You can read reports from tons of different places on the web. They are not hard to find. Even cases such as healing from terminal cancer and raising from the dead.
In the Lakeland, Florida revival ongoing right now, there has been over 30 medically documented/ verified accounts of people who have been raised from the dead, after people who attended the revival prayed for them. You can go to www.freshfire.ca for more info.
Also, you can go down to Lakeland and see for yourself. If you can't make it down there, you can check in your local area, to see if there is a church that has supernatural healing happening on a regular basis.
Blessings to you,
Sam
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