No evidence for God? …Not true.

 

Do I Really Believe, Or Not?

When I was a young man it occurred to me that my belief in God may have been taught to me and instilled in me in such a way that I almost had no choice in the matter.

“Perhaps my parents and other well-meaning people have presented these ideas about God and Christianity so relentlessly and so effectively that the result has been something similar to being brain-washed,” I thought.

I continued to wrestle with these thoughts and pursue them. I asked myself, “Do YOU really believe in God? Or, are you just going along with this particular view of reality because it is what is expected by the community of which you are a part?”

So I came to a point at which I reasoned, “You have to live with yourself. You have to believe what you really believe not what someone else has told you to believe.”

Shakespeare wrote, “To thine own self be true.” …Or, that might have been Moe Howard. I’m not sure. Anyhow, I needed to be honest with myself.

I gave myself permission to reject belief in God. I realize that may seem like an odd way to put it but in my mind that is what I did. For me, this actually involved a form of permission. “You don’t have to pretend, Dan,” I told myself. “You can put aside this belief in God and live without it, if that’s what you really believe about the nature of reality.”

What I discovered during this time of thinking and inner wrestling was very important for me. I’m not suggesting—for a moment—this would be necessary for everyone, I am saying it was important for me. Giving myself permission to abandon belief in God helped me realize I really do believe in God. Belief in God rings true with the deepest part of my heart, mind and soul.

In fact, having been through this season of life and other times of questioning and introspection, I could put it this way: I cannot deny or reject my genuine belief in God.

I believe.

In the many years since that time I have done a significant amount of reading and studying and have come to discover there is a strong intellectual defense for belief in God. This knowledge has been tremendously helpful to my faith. Correct reasoning matters. Evidence matters.

But it is in my heart of hearts that I have come to realize I believe in God.

C.S. Lewis wrote a line that is specifically about Christianity—not just God—but I can relate with what he expresses: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

We Can Know God Exists, If We Are Willing

Jesus spoke of people who closed their eyes to the truth. He spoke of people who closed their hearts to understanding. He was quoting from the book of Isaiah when He made these remarks. He was talking about people who… well, He put it this way: “[T]hey look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.” Matt. 13:13

The evidence for God can be there right in front of us. It can be available for us to see and yet we can choose not to see it. (Let’s be honest, sometimes people are living in such a way that a Holy God can be downright uncomfortable.)

In order to see God as He reveals himself in our world we have to be willing to see God. There is a measure of choice involved on our part. God gives us enough evidence that we can see him and know He exists. In fact, we can have assurance that He exists…if we are willing.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
 Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
 They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.
 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
    and their words to all the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

Information And Evidence For God -- Video

This video explains why “information” provides very strong evidence for the existence of God.  If you find it to be interesting and helpful I hope you will consider sharing it.

                                          Click here for video!

The Evidence Is There If We Have Eyes To See It

Those of us who are willing to know whether God exists have been provided with evidence.  Faith is still required, but the evidence is there.  “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

Would "Evidence For God" Look Like The Life of Jesus?

What would “evidence” for the reality of God look like? We sometimes like to think evidence for God would look like some explosive display of power. But if God wanted us to love Him and accept Him and believe in Him without our being coerced into it, I’m more convinced all the time that genuine evidence for the reality of God would look like the life of Jesus.