Tough Questions: Is there really no evidence for God’s existence?
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INTRO
I. Question
A. Is there really no evidence 4 God’s existence?
a. Some would say that God, if there is such a being, is invisible & cannot b seen, heard, touched, or smelled
1. God’s existence is untestable because of this.
b. Or the evidence against such a being far outweighs any circumstantial evidence.
c. It’s up to personal decision
B. I’d like to share a video by cold-case homicide detective J. Warner Wallace
a. who uses his skills & experience to weigh in on the question:
Is there really no evidence for God’s existence?
II. Video:
A. What stuck out to me:
BODY
I. Direct evidence
Gospel according 2 Mk about 20yrs after the resurrection
Gospel according 2 Matt was written about 30yrs after the resurrection
Gospel according 2 Lk also written around 30yrs post resurrection
Gospel according 2 Jn written around 50yrs after resurrection
Jn & matt were disciples o Jesus w/jn being the closest o all the 12 apostles
Mk’s account was recorded by Mk frm Peter’s description o Jesus’ earthly min. about C.E. 30-33(ish)
Lk’s account was gathered by interviews o eye-witnesses
why these gospels instead o others??
Gospel o Thomas written about 100yrs after the resurrection (unlikely by the titled author)
Gospel o Judas written about 280 C.E. 150yrs after the resurrection (unlikely by the titled author)
II. Indirect Evidence in Science
The Magis Center wrote scientific articles “Scientific Evidence for God (Insights and Explanations)” oct 26, 2020 & “Scientists Say the Universe is Fine-Tuned: 4 Thought-Provoking Examples” Oct 18, 2020 on the subject o physical evidence pointing to a God who created the universe
scientific theory is to make a hypothesis (educated guess) about something, then test & observe the results to attempt to prove/disprove the hypothesis in 1’s search for scientific truth
There is no scientific experiment because God is supernatural & not part of the physical world in front of us.
also, no one was around to observe what happened…so, ya know, there’s that.
the same is said for the big bang theory (not the sitcom), macro evolution, and more.
the data that is needed over the amount o time proposed is impossible and that data we have is filled w/holes…so, I guess we are all believing things on faith, huh
over 51% of scientists believe in a transcendent being or power — 2009 Pew research study
If there can’t be a scientific experiment to prove God’s existence, can there be scientific evidence for God?
you can have evidence for something even if you don’t have an experiment for it.
For ex. imagine someone asks you, “Do you believe that I love you?” You might believe them / you might not. Either way, your belief would not depend on an experiment that had proved that the person loved you. Your belief would depend, however, on your observations of that person, & those observations would serve as evidence on whether or not you should believe that person.
In the same way, while science may not be able to design an experiment to prove the existence of God, it can provide numerous observations that point to His existence.
Something from Something
nothing comes from nothing —Philosophical principle first argued by ancient philosopher Parmenides
That is to say, If the universe has a beginning (which science seems to point to) then it had to come from something.
Furthermore, if the universe had a beginning, it had to come from something other than itself. Self-evidently, the universe itself couldn't have existed before its own beginning. Something else must have.
The universe is the sum total of all natural, physical things. Thus, the “something else” that existed prior to the universe could not have been a natural, physical thing. If it had been such a thing, it would be part of the universe, not separate from it.
latest theory of the universe’s beginning: Big Bang:
the universe is moving away & slowing down as it goes
and appears 2b moving from an origin point…that had 2 start at some point in space & time
there is also evidence o fine-tuning
that is to say, In order for any complex life form to arise in a universe, certain conditions are necessary. When scientists examine these conditions, they agree that they are exceedingly improbable to have just happened...Their improbability is so large, in fact, that we cannot reasonably attribute their existence to pure chance.
So it is more likely that there is intelligent design
The principle known as Ockham’s Razor states that, all things being equal, simple explanations are preferable too complicated ones.
III. What other Authors o the bible have to say:
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
24 O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.
27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
These Authors’ point is, no 1 looks at a painting and says DID some1 create it…they simply ask WHO created it
when we look at this coffee cup we don’t ask DID some1 create it…we ask WHO created it.
If that’s so, why do we look at an intricate, complex universe and ask DID something create it? Wouldn’t a better question be Who created it?
it is like Mickey Mouse looking up at Walt Disney & saying, “u did not create me” I came from nothing
IV. Tract argument 4 intelligent design
V. Here’s Jesus’ closest friend’s understanding o the evidence of God
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—
2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
From nearly 2,000yrs ago, Jn argues he experienced all of who God is through his Son Jesus & the msg he brought…and that he continues to fellowship w/God the Son & Father to that day…some 40yrs after Jesus died, was came back 2 life, & ascended in2 heaven