How to convince an Athiest God exists?

[Mary888]

Asking to prove to you that God does not exist. He can’t.
All their arguments are about showing us connections that they find fascinating enough so they no longer feel the need for a religion. There are no logical arguments that the biblical God does not exist. Only ideas that fend of the discussion to a more comfortable territory - that of changing the subject.
And pray for them so that God helps them understand their illogical claim that this or that scientific discover is proof on God’s existence.

 

[whatistrue]

Science = confined to natural world
God = transcends natural world

Exactly. Just leave science out of it entirely, on both sides. I was a more or less committed agnostic for many decades until I started looking into it after marrying again after my first wife passed. I ran across an article (and have not been able to find it again or I would include a link) that did not even attempt to “prove” God’s existence, but rather argued to my satisfaction at least that the likelihood of God’s existence was greater than the likelihood of His non-existence. That basically started me on the path that has led me to RCIA and even to the point that I would try to enter formation for the Diaconate if I weren’t already above the upper age limit in my Diocese.

 

[Brisingr]

I like that.

 

[ChuckB]

If they honestly dismiss all the occurrences which have been thoroughly proven to be impossible by natural occurrence as natural, then they’re delusional. I’m sorry, but you cannot straight up deny the truth and expect to be called anything but that.

Disclaimer: For the purposes of this discussion, I am not taking a position on the existence or non-existence of God.

Please tell me about some of these “occurrences which have been thoroughly proven to be impossible by natural occurrence” that atheists dismiss as natural. I’m not really sure what you are referring to.

 

[Freddy]

Unfortunately no argument will convince true atheists.
Only thing that might make them reflect on their choice (in my experience, others may have different ones): the logical end to their belief should be a complete meaningless existence, in the big picture there is no purpose, no reason for morality, everything comes to cosmic dust so no matter what you do or not do in this life the end is the same. This is not just me saying it, Nietzsche said it best. So ask them, why be moral then? there must be something else something that makes them want to transcend. therefore a soul must exist.

As you said ‘in the big picture’. We don’t consider the big picture in the way we live our lives. Nobody wonders about what will happen in a million years (and that is a VERY short time when one considers ‘the big picture’).

So why be moral in the here and now? Well, I guess someone could try it and see what happens. But I doubt if it would end well…

 

[Freddy]

Tell him he needed to have been brought up in a Christian family who was part of a Christian community where belief was taken as granted. A community who regularly attended places of worship and prayed regularly. A community which reflected their religious beliefs in the way they lived their lives. That they exemplified the teachings of their religious leaders.

Unfortunately, that’s how you get people to become good Hindus and Muslims as well.

 

[Mishakel]

You can never convince someone to have faith because faith itself is a gift God himself bestows. You can testify about God and Jesus and scripture but we do not open the eyes for unbelievers. That is given by God alone because of his mercy.

I think you are looking at the situation incorrectly. Faith is not the product of a preacher’s compelling presentation, his eloquence, or even his theological soundness. Faith is given through the message about Jesus. This is the means God has chosen. Not everyone will believe and that is why the believers are called the elect.

 

[CaptainPrudeman]

Well, for one, miracles that elevate someone to sainthood must be proven to be impossible by natural occurrence. More evident in my mind though is the miracles surrounding Our Lady of Guadeloupe. There’s a plethora of evidence that says it’s a totally miraculous series of events and some still dismiss the miracles without any evidence to the contrary.

 

[Timeflies2me]

Its pretty hard to convince an athiest, for one they don’t believe in the first place because they need ‘proof’

I wouldnt argue and try to convince them with proof because we believe the Lord is our judge, not the athiest. No need to prove to an athiest because he isnt considered the judge of all things. Support him when he needs it, be open about your catholic faith, learn more apologetics. At some point he will question things and if not, then pray for him and leave it up to God to judge the one who wants to be the judge.

Its easier for a Catholic to convince a protestant to convert because two things: we both believe Jesus is the Lord, and because at some point they will dip their toe in the church and Jesus will find them.

 

[QwertyGirl]

Ask yourself what could someone say to cause you to leave Catholicism and become an Atheist.

Most likely, your response is “nothing”. The Atheist is no different.

I would try to be the best Catholic you can be, and put your focus there. Maybe the Atheist will pick up on it. Maybe not.

 

[Freddy]

Well, for one, miracles that elevate someone to sainthood must be proven to be impossible by natural occurrence. More evident in my mind though is the miracles surrounding Our Lady of Guadeloupe. There’s a plethora of evidence that says it’s a totally miraculous series of events and some still dismiss the miracles without any evidence to the contrary.

Some people dismiss the fact the JFK was killed by Oswald. That it was someone else. Some people deny that planes flew into the buildings on 9/11. There are those who will say that the moon landings were a hoax and some will tell you they have been abducted by aliens.

And you want us to believe a story from the 16th century?

 

[annad347]

Put a rose in his hand and ask him to make one.

Then he will pull out the seeds, or graft the stem, plant it in soil, water it, place it in the sun then poof a rose will be made… I’m just saying.

If your friend is all about needing the scientific proof for God… try with the scientific proof that Jesus Christ existed, walked on the earth, was crucified, rose 3 days later and walked the earth for 40 days before ascending into heaven. There is scietific evidence those things happened.

There’s a movie and excellent book called a Case for Christ. Check it out it’s on Netflix.

You can never convince someone of the existence of God. You can show them by how you live by God’s will. Your actions might up ther heart to the possibility, then God will do the rest.

 

[Freddy]

Wannano:

Put a rose in his hand and ask him to make one.

If your friend is all about needing the scientific proof for God… try with the scientific proof that Jesus Christ existed, walked on the earth, was crucified, rose 3 days later and walked the earth for 40 days before ascending into heaven. There is scietific evidence those things happened.

I must have missed that. Can you help with some links to said scientific evidence?

 

[Gavin]

Tell him that we know a building was built by a builder and that when you see a painting we know there was a painter. Why? Because building don’t build themselves and paintings don’t paint themselves. The same goes for creation. If the big bang were true, then what made the chemicals in the first place before the big bang?

 

[Freddy]

If the big bang were true, then what made the chemicals in the first place before the big bang?

It was a natural process. If you ask why water freezes you don’t say ‘God did it’. You explain the natural process. Same with helium and hydrogen etc.

 

[annad347]

See the movie or read the book… I didn’t do the research, the author of the book did.

The Case for Christ by by Lee Strobel.

 

[VanitasVanitatum]

Asking to prove to you that God does not exist.

That doesn’t work.

 

[Freddy]

See the movie or read the book… I didn’t do the research, the author of the book did.

The Case for Christ by by Lee Strobel.

I guess you’ve either read the book or seen the film. Perhaps you could tell me about some of the evidence you saw (or read).

 

[PennyinCanada]

The human body is so complex. How does a working human body get conceived and grow and exist to make another human body? When something doesn’t work, it impacts everything else. Lets say if the liver doesn’t work, or the kidneys, and on. It’s hard to look at that amazing working being and not see that it was designed. It’s way more far fetched to say a bunch of molecules randomly formed together.

Even if you take a watch and put all it’s components into a paper bag and shake it for a thousand years, you’ll never have these components randomly hit each other and become a functioning watch with the correct time and working. Never mind that someone had to get the metal from a mine, and design it and also come up with the concept of time according to the rotation of the planet.

 

[annad347]

Some people dismiss the fact the JFK was killed by Oswald. That it was someone else. Some people deny that planes flew into the buildings on 9/11. There are those who will say that the moon landings were a hoax and some will tell you they have been abducted by aliens.

The Holocaust never happened… Christopher Columbus discovered America, that the atom was the smallest what ever on the planet until someone split it open and a whole mess of stuff came out (got that one from the TV show Friends).