Essays on Religion

Topic 4: Are You SURE There's A God?

 

This one's a question I got from an Atheist a while back.

“But Owens,” she said. “Are you SURE there's a God. I don't mean: Do you believe in God. I mean, are you sure beyond any sort of doubt whatsoever that God exists.”

I was tempted to answer, “yes,” immediately, but the question made me think.

Do we, as Christians, have an obligation to be sure? What if we're not? To what degree do we KNOW that God exists, and to what degree is it “blind faith.”

So that's the topic. Certainty and doubt.

It seems that there is a disconnect in the way Christians present faith to non-believers and the way we live it ourselves. We may angrily tell atheists that “sometimes you just have to believe without proof,” yet at home we pray silently for signs, proofs, and certainty in God. It isn't that we're all certain. But is it that we all want to be?

You can tell me that you're 100% convinced that God exists. And I would count myself in that category. But I confess that that's only at my best. I don't like my entire life on those joyful highs of pure belief. Much of it is spent a little under a hundred. A little too low for my liking. This essay is going to be useless unless you admit to yourself that there are days where you can only muster up a “probably” in your mind.

Now some churches teach that this is Satan, whispering in your ear. I think that's a phenomenally poor understanding of human psychology. The way the human soul was created, we need no help from Satan to doubt.

We're not in bad company, at least. Abraham and Sarah doubted God's power. Thomas doubted Jesus' resurrection. And look how they were treated by God—the first became the founders of God's chosen people, the second a key apostle and evangelist. God does not look down on us for doubting. He does not love us any less for it.

Here's what I mean about human psychology: The human brain is a finicky being. It has to be convinced often of even the most basic things. It likes physical, tangible proof. That's a great trait to have, as it's responsible for nearly all the scientific advancements and achievements we have.

In the realm of religion, though, it can be a wedge between you and God. That human brains aren't built for perfect faith is one of the first challenges, and one of the continual sources of prayer. Every time we think, “Hey, I'm getting good at this 'being a Christian' deal,” there'll come a day when we cannot bring ourselves to pray, cannot understand we believe at all. And then we admit to God that we need his help even for this simple task of steady and constant faith. In that way the “wedge” of doubt resolves itself into something great.

A little doubt keeps us humble. What about a LOT of doubt? What about a hypothetical Christian who really can't convince himself that there is a God? Well, for his convenience, I've compiled a couple of the more popular arguments for the existence of God.

FOUR (of many) ARGUMENTS FOR GOD

The Cosmological Argument: This one often gets simplified to something that doesn't sound very convincing, (something had to have caused the universe. Ergo, God!) but actually it's quite subtle in nature. It hold that a) Everything that exists has a cause, b) If the universe were to have a cause, it would have to be a God c) The universe exists, d) So the universe has a cause, e) the universe's cause is God. Now this might not sound totally convincing—I'm hoping one day to do an essay just on the Cosmological Argument—but it's reasonably airtight.

The Ontological Argument: a) Imagine the greatest possible being. b) In order to be the greatest possible being, it would have to exist rather than not exist. c) That thing you're imagining, then, let's call it God. This is an extremely difficult proof to explain. The link for Atheists breaks down between a and b, and it's difficult for a non-Philosopher like me to explain why the greatest thing is existent rather than not. It does appear to make sense, however.

Argument from Conscience: a) Many aspects of the human conscience do not line up with evolutionary benefits, b) so the conscience appears not to be wholly Darwinian, c) The thing that gave us these consciences—let's call it God.

The Argument from Degrees: a) traits make sense because we can compare them on a scale (less, more, etc.) b) The thing at the end of the scale must exist, otherwise the organization is incoherent (think absolute 0, etc) c) Goodness, mercy, justice all must exist in the maximum degree in SOMETHING d) Let's call it God.

In summary, there's enough reason to legitimately believe in a God from an intellectual standpoint. But it's always harder to get emotionally invested—because that's where doubt and fear creep in.

Remember that doubt is an essential component of faith. Remember that faith moves in cycles—doubt doesn't last forever. There are peaks and troughs. Personally, I find that God often uses these “tides” to make different points. Look at any chapter of the Bible when you're feeling doubt and when you're feeling no doubt. You might find that different verses stick out at different times. Or you notice different words.

  Above all, don't worry! If I had to answer that Atheist today I know what I'd say. “Sometimes I do believe without a shadow of a doubt, and sometimes I don't. Christians have good days and bad days. But we are not 'just mostly sure.' We are certain when we are thinking clearly, and uncertain on our oh-so-human off-days.