What's your reason for believing in God?

[sw85]

Edward Feser’s Aquinas really locked up the issue of the existence of God for me. Though now I want to learn more and detest my poor instruction in philosophy.

It’s basically the same book as TLS, but written for a more academic audience. I’ve read both; Aquinas is more technically sound and TLS is just a much funner read. Feser has a gift. You should read his blog regularly, he routinely attacks major atheist thinkers for their laziness, sloppiness, and ignorance.

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

It’s basically the same book as TLS, but written for a more academic audience. I’ve read both; Aquinas is more technically sound and TLS is just a much funner read. Feser has a gift. You should read his blog regularly, he routinely attacks major atheist thinkers for their laziness, sloppiness, and ignorance.

Aquinas definitely was for an academic audience, that sure didn’t get past me . Some of that reading was a chore, but it was so worth it.

I’ll have to get around to The Last Superstition and some of his other works. Aquinas got me very curious about metaphysics and I want to learn a lot more about it; I just don’t know where to start.

 

[TS_Aquinas]

It’s basically the same book as TLS, but written for a more academic audience. I’ve read both; Aquinas is more technically sound and TLS is just a much funner read. Feser has a gift. You should read his blog regularly, he routinely attacks major atheist thinkers for their laziness, sloppiness, and ignorance.

The man is brilliant, though his extractions in Last Superstition of the first way would seem far fetched to the unlearned without going through the other four, which he didn’t for reasons he stated that it would take another book. Thankfully he wrote Aquinas for that reason, and a necessary read it is. Going through his Philosophy of the Mind, very impressed thus far.

 

[Poseidon]

Because it is metaphysically impossible for Him not to exist in any possible world, He is the rigid designator.

Being that you’re a young gun, do you think that any conclusion you made on you’re own is concrete? Your intellect does not lie to you, but it lacks necessary variables to make such a claim that learned men would disagree with. The real question here is that are you asking just to waste our time or to gathering information to reevaluate your premature conclusion to abandon faith?

Certainly I can come to solid, concrete solutions. I may change my mind at some other point in my life, but I don’t live at that point in my life. I live now, as a 20 year old. Do I lack a lot of knowledge and experience that someone older than me has? Yes. That’s why I’m asking this question. If you consider it a waste of your time then don’t answer it.

 

[Qoeleth]

I was raised Catholic, but now at age 20 I am in the process of abandoning my faith because I took a critical eye to it and found that it just doesn’t hold up. So I am wondering what keeps you believing in God? How do you “know” he is there? Especially any older people on here (old is relative, I know, but old compared to me )

The reason I am a Christian is I love Jesus and what He stood for. The question of God seems essentially a speculative, and secondary, question. Theology is just words- and the answer is just words. What does “believe” mean? What does “God” mean? Most importantly, I still do not know what “to exist” means- nor, in my experience, does anyone.

 

[eo_chibears]

I was raised Catholic, but now at age 20 I am in the process of abandoning my faith because I took a critical eye to it and found that it just doesn’t hold up. So I am wondering what keeps you believing in God? How do you “know” he is there? Especially any older people on here (old is relative, I know, but old compared to me )

 

[Qoeleth]

I was raised Catholic, but now at age 20 I am in the process of abandoning my faith because I took a critical eye to it and found that it just doesn’t hold up.

Do you still like Jesus? Do you think His teaching make the world a better place?

If the answer is “Yes”, then follow Him. Go to Mass to remember His words and life.

Of course, it doesn’t “hold up”. Nothing in this world “holds up”…Except the Cross- the final and definitive statement about life, love and human existence.

 

[Reverend17]

From a young age the most I was taught is that God is in Heaven high, and His son is the man who died for the sins of humanity. The rest I learned on my own. I was gifted 2 children’s Bibles at a young age, and read them by myself, by choice. I enjoyed learning of all the good and pleasant things that happened, it was heartwarming and enjoyable for me to read those Bibles. As I aged, I only knew just what those books told me, and some few things I was taught from my grandparents. Now I am 16 years old, a devout Christian, who has taught myself all I know about faith, and my religion. I have many people my age who seek me for guidance and help in their times of hardships and loss of faith. The Lord has shined His golden light upon me, and given me eyes that can see the glory of God. I may be a bit young in age, but I don’t allow people to underestimate my knowledge. I have managed to successfully argue and defend my faith, with non-believers much older than I. I have managed to impress atheists my age, and even mend the broken faiths of several others. I love everything about what I believe, I may be criticized for it, but I will continue on anyways, for in the final analysis it is not between those critics and myself, but between me, and the Holy Father.

 

[mwok]

I believe in God because His Son conquered death, thousands of people were martyred to witness to that truth.

I stopped asking for a sign or miracle because everytime I do I get this idea that “blessed are those who believe and have not seen.”

Mother Teresa even had a long period of time(I think like 40 years) of what she called “spiritual dryness”.

 

[Gaber]

what doesn’t hold up?

Which is the real Jesus?

Is he the one who
was born when Quirinius was Governor of Syria (6-12 AD) (Luke 2:2)
or the one born when Herod the Great was King (37-4 BC) (Matthew 2:1)? (note q12 year gap)

Is he the one whose
adopted father Joseph wasthe son of Heli (Luke 3:23)
or the son of Jacob (Matthew 1:16)?

Is he the one whose
adopted father, Joseph was descended from King David through 28 generations (Matthew 1:6)
or was descended from King David through 43 generations (Luke 3:23-31)?

Is he the one
whose conception was told to his adopted father Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:18-20)
or announced to his mother by an angel. (Luke 1:26-31)?

Is he the one who
was born in the house in Bethlehem where Joseph and Mary lived (Matt 1:18 – 2:23)
or in a stable in Bethlehem to where Joseph and Mary have traveled to take part in a census (Luke 1:4 – 2:40)?

Is he the one whose
cousin John survived the killing of the children under 2 years old ordered by King Herod and who later baptised him (Mark 1:9)
or was only six months older than him (Luke 1:24-26) so would have been killed in King Herod’s slaughter? (Matthew 2:16)?

Is he the one
who drove the money lenders out of the Temple at the beginning of his three-year ministry (John 2:14-16)
or in the week before his death (Mark 11:15)?

Is he the one who was crucified
on the day of preparation for Passover at about noon (John 19:14)
or on the day of Passover at 09:00 a.m (Mark 15:25)?

Is he the one whose last words were
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46)
or “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” (My god, my god, why have you forsaken me?) (Mark 15:34)?

Is he the one who
died immediately before the land was cast into darkness and the ‘curtain of the Temple’ was ripped (Mark 15:38)
was still alive when the curtain was ripped (Luke 23:45)
or even whose death was followed by an earthquake and dead people rising out of graves and wandering about in the city, events which, surprisingly, no one else seems to have noticed (Matthew 27:51-54)?

Is he the one whose tomb was
opened in the presence of Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and an angel who sat outside on a stone (Matthew 28:1-2)
found to be open by Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome with one angel sitting inside it (Mark 16:1-5) (but they told no one about it! (Mark 16:8))
found to be open by an unspecified number of nameless women with two angels standing inside it (Luke 23:55 - 24:4)
found to be open by Mary Magdalene on her own and in which two angels only appeared after several other people had come and gone (John 20:1)?

Very clearly, only one Jesus can’t have been all of the above, So the only possible conclusion, other than that they were all made up, is that there were several different Jesuses and that the Bible’s authors were either writing about different ones or they got them muddled up. In either case, or any other, even if there was just one Jesus, we have then to question the historical veracity of these differences and ask why they exist, especially coming from people who were right there! And if times, dates, places were so muddled, how accurate are the recorded sayings so few as there are?

 

[JDaniel]

I was raised Catholic, but now at age 20 I am in the process of abandoning my faith because I took a critical eye to it and found that it just doesn’t hold up. So I am wondering what keeps you believing in God? How do you “know” he is there? Especially any older people on here (old is relative, I know, but old compared to me )

Poseidon:

I refuse to believe that the universe and life were created through some infinitesimally minute chance (not random) event, within infinite nothingness.

God bless,
jd

 

[Gaber]

Poseidon:

I refuse to believe that the universe and life were created through some infinitesimally minute chance (not random) event, within infinite nothingness.

God bless,
jd

Why are so many hung up on this “creation” them and the inevitable arguments it fosters about how and why? What if both God and the Universe just are, and ever have been, and we just see the story we made up about it, religious or scientific? I mean, if you are not here to see it, as in deep sleep, where is it? And don’t tell me the universe is objective, else we would all agree on what it is, as we do about 2+2=4.

And btw, I’m not an atheist. I get that a lot.

 

[JDaniel]

Why are so many hung up on this “creation” theme and the inevitable arguments it fosters about how and why?

Hello, Gaber:

I think that is because the universe appeared 16.5 billion years ago where there was infinite nothingness before. This is fairly well proven by measuring red-shift.

What if both God and the Universe just are, and ever have been, and we just see the story we made up about it, religious or scientific?

There must be some reality that we can rely on. Some people believe everything is illusory. I’m not one of them. If I am walking along a deserted beach and notice a footprint up ahead in the sand, I must conclude that either I made it, or someone else did.

I mean, if you are not here to see it, as in deep sleep, where is it?

As I said, I don’t believe all is illusory.

And don’t tell me the universe is objective, else we would all agree on what it is, as we do about 2+2=4.

I won’t, then. I’ll let the scientists do it. They’ll do a much better job than I will.

And btw, I’m not an atheist. I get that a lot.

Actually, I’ve read many of your posts and I don’t think you are. I think you are questioning.

God bless,
jd

 

[punkforchrist]

Hi Poseidon,

Like some others have mentioned with respect to themselves, the study of philosophy did not only not cause me to abandon my faith, but it actually strengthened it. I’m convinced by the arguments of natural theology, especially the cosmological and teleological arguments, that a necessary, eternal, powerful and intelligent cause of contingent reality exists. In addition to this, I find the evidence for the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection to be compelling. These are just some of the foundations of philosophical justification for Christian theism.

 

[abucs]

Hi Poseidon,

for me as a Catholic who went to Agnosticism/Atheism and then came back to Catholicism it was the study of Quantum Physics and how reality is put together that convinced me that our Creation was created.

I couldn’t go back to Agnosticism/Atheism on scientific and intellectual grounds.

Good luck in your journey.

 

[shoe]

It seems far more reasonable for me to believe that God exists based not only on the laws of logic but also on the observable and repeatable scientific evidence than to believe, as the atheists do, that from the beginning nothing happened in nothingness and enabled the universe into existence. And also I believe that we are on sure ground to put our faith in God because our very own conscience bears witness to His truth, which in turn enables us to be subjectively and objectively able to observe and realize everyday God’s unfolding love in Jesus for mankind.

 

[wcknight]

Poseidon, I basically went through the same journey that you are now going through (and a few of my friends and now my kids are experiencing the same lapse in faith). I think what brought me to that point was the fact that I could not live up to what the faith required or asked of me.

Getting up for church every Sunday was a chore and dating was so restrictive and staying holy was such a big deal especially if I was not sure that God existed or the Catholic Church was even right. But after about 10 years or more, I researched other faiths and became interested in the research about folks surviving death or near death.

At one point I became almost obsessed with what happens after death. The idea that we might just totally disappear into nothingness terrified me. Then it occurred to me that IF I was to die AND there was life after death, what or where would God put me. I then read up as much as I could about the saints and their experiences with miracles and the supernatural. At that point I became convinved that the Catholic Church has it right, and every thing that I have experienced since points to that as well.

I later met two people whose relatives had near death experiences, and a couple of other folks who experienced the supernatural. God has been huge in my life, not in what is considered supernatural, but He has led me to wonderful and awesome experiences. Life is not perfect but this is earth not Heaven. I pray you find your way home, as I do for my kids and loved ones. Even IF you become an atheist never stop praying if only a Hail Mary or Our Father every day, God will answer you guaranteed… and IF He doesn’t then you can say at least you tried.

 

[hannajomar]

I haven’t read all the responses, so I hope I’m not repeating.

I highly recommend C.S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity. I don’t have it in front of me, so I’m paraphrasing - I hope I’m not butchering his work here. He writes how a lion stalks and hunts prey. A bird will attempt to fly, even if his wings are broken. You never see a lion attempting to fly. The reason is that since it is impossible for lions to fly, he doesn’t even have that type of desire. If you look at humans, the vast majority of societies and cultures that have ever existed in some way attempt connection with God. They attempt to search for God, to interact with God, to understand God. Why would we have such desires if we are just shooting blanks, so to speak? Why would we ponder the purpose of existence if there was no purpose to our existence? By all appearances, we are the only creatures who ponder the purpose of our existence. If we do ponder this, there must be something real to ponder. Seriously though, C.S. Lewis is a much better writer than me, and says this in a much better way.

Personally, I believe God exists because I just don’t believe that our capacity for love is some kind of evolutionary accident. Although I completely believe God exists, I know that I don’t understand everything about Him. I don’t know why He allows suffering and pain. The nature of God is very mysterious to us people, and I choose to live without perfect understanding.

 

[robwar]

I was raised Catholic, but now at age 20 I am in the process of abandoning my faith because I took a critical eye to it and found that it just doesn’t hold up. So I am wondering what keeps you believing in God? How do you “know” he is there? Especially any older people on here (old is relative, I know, but old compared to me )

How do you know there is wind? you can’t see it but you can see it’s effects. You can feel wind but can’t see it. You can try to think of God this way if you are struggling. You will know when wind is blowing. You need to give your faith a 2nd chance. Try to reread and relearn.
I will be praying for you.

 

[robwar]

I haven’t read all the responses, so I hope I’m not repeating.

I highly recommend C.S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity. I don’t have it in front of me, so I’m paraphrasing - I hope I’m not butchering his work here. He writes how a lion stalks and hunts prey. A bird will attempt to fly, even if his wings are broken. You never see a lion attempting to fly. The reason is that since it is impossible for lions to fly, he doesn’t even have that type of desire. If you look at humans, the vast majority of societies and cultures that have ever existed in some way attempt connection with God. They attempt to search for God, to interact with God, to understand God. Why would we have such desires if we are just shooting blanks, so to speak? Why would we ponder the purpose of existence if there was no purpose to our existence? By all appearances, we are the only creatures who ponder the purpose of our existence. If we do ponder this, there must be something real to ponder. Seriously though, C.S. Lewis is a much better writer than me, and says this in a much better way.

Personally, I believe God exists because I just don’t believe that our capacity for love is some kind of evolutionary accident. Although I completely believe God exists, I know that I don’t understand everything about Him. I don’t know why He allows suffering and pain. The nature of God is very mysterious to us people, and I choose to live without perfect understanding.

amen! great response!