 If
you live in a desert and never leave it, you won't find a shred of
evidence for the existence for polar ice caps or polar bears. If you live a world
apart from God and never venture beyond it, you won't find a shred of evidence for
God. As the author of a web site
that offers evidences of Divine design and challenges chance and evolution
as the sole explanation for the origin of life, I've received letters taking positions across the entire spectrum of
belief on this issue. As a former agnostic, I can understand positions taken
against creation, and now, as a believer, I can understand positions
taken against evolution. What I can't understand are those who write
to tell me that "there isn't a shred of evidence for God."
This exact phrase has appeared in a number of letters, so I suspect it comes
from some well-regarded source of atheistic writing, but it would seem
that any rational person with an open mind would have to concede that
there are in fact many evidences for God:
Reason and observation of the universe, life and
mankind
-
A universe that is very precisely tuned to support life, from the
very unique properties of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and other
elements that form life to the physical laws that allow matter to exist
in a delicate balance between black holes and plasma.
-
Life itself, which is not just a mere assemblage of the right
chemicals, but a system of hundreds of interrelated components working
in harmony to create the miracle we call life, all precisely coded in
the DNA of every cell.
-
Innate and unique characteristics of human beings which are not
readily explained by adaptation, such as artistic creativity, a sense or moral
right and wrong which often contradicts "survival of the
fittest" and a desire to seek answers about God, even among those
who say they do not believe.
Veracity of Scripture in prophecy, history and
scientific information
-
People and events in the Bible which have been corroborated by
historical and archeological evidence.
-
The consistency of the message found in the
scriptures of almost all religions. The Bible, for instance, was
written by 40 diverse men who lived over a span of 1,500 years, kept
separate records and recorded events independently, yet it tells a
remarkably consistent story.
-
Prophecies recorded in scripture that were fulfilled in detail
hundreds of years later, most notably in the life of Jesus Christ.
-
Revelations in scripture about scientific facts
that were not discovered by mankind until recently. As an
example, practices to control infectious diseases that were not
discovered by science until the late 1800's were recorded as laws
given to Moses by God in Leviticus around 1400 B.C. The Quran
also
contains many references to knowledge that was not discovered by
science until many centuries later.
-
The account of the life of Jesus Christ. Many, even
atheists, who have studied the gospels have come away
concluding, based on reason and historical evidence, that the best
explanation is that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Christ, sent by
God to reveal Himself to mankind.
Personal experiences of prayer, healings, spiritual
encounters and changed lives
-
Answers to prayer which go beyond anything that can be rationally
attributed to chance or coincidence.
-
Unexplained medical healings that occur in conjunction with
spiritual experiences.
-
Accounts by rational, mature individuals of hearing a voice
within that is beyond their own thoughts, of seeing angels or of having visions.
-
People whose lives have been dramatically changed through
experiences that they can only describe as having been touched by a
power beyond themselves, or as one of experiencing God.
These are at least evidences of God, are they not? Are these "proofs" of God?
You won't really know until
you explore them for yourself, but, for those who take pride in their
intelligence, the thought of a vastly superior Intelligence can become an
unthinkable barrier to this pursuit. One thing that is certain
though is that just as
you won't find a shred of evidence for polar ice caps and polar bears in the desert, you
won't find evidence for God unless you are willing to go to where He is found.
"There is a
principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against
all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance
- that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
Herbert Spencer "Dogma:
A principle, belief, or statement of idea or opinion, especially one
formally or authoritatively considered to be absolute truth."
The American Heritage Dictionary, New College Edition
(Note: Dogma can thus be not only religious, but also scientific,
social, political, etc.)
"The simple fact that there is a
creature, namely man, that can conceive of the concept of a divine Creator
suggests there must be one. Why would every culture be born with a burning
desire to know Him if He didn't exist and wish for us to earnestly seek
him?"
Anonymous
Do not deceive
yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this
age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom
of this world is foolishness in God's sight.
(1 Corinthians 3:18-19)
For although they knew
God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their
thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they
claimed to be wise, they became fools. (Romans 1:21-22)
"This
is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the
prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never
understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this
people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and
they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would
heal them.' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears
because they hear."
Word of Jesus Christ in Matthew 13:13-16 |
