Why do you believe in God?
In my estimation this question gets answered poorly in our Christianized and religious society. Most Americans grow up in the church or grow up surrounded by the assumption that God exists. After all, we see “God bless America” on bumper stickers, “In God we trust” on our money, and hear “One nation under God” in our pledge. As a result, it seems that most people do not debate the existence of God and instead reserve their arguments to the nature of God or which God seems most likely to be Creator and this question goes unanswered.
And yet, the answer to this question seems pretty fundamental to faith and is more complex than simply assenting to the existence of a deity. When most people ask this question I think what they mean is, “Why do you feel the need to believe in a Savior, specifically Jesus? Why do believe in and follow the expectations of organized religion (specifically Christianity)?”
It is an interesting question or even series of questions, which calls for reflection and consideration. Too often the answer turns into an exercise in apologetics. Christians use logic (often twisted logic or ignoring other aspects of logic) to prove the existence of God. However, I do not believe that God can be proven empirically. Even the exercise of reducing God to an equation or a syllogism diminishes God and makes me not want to believe in such a God. In addition, I have found that taking a hard line in the Big Bang vs. Creationism or Evolution vs. Intelligent Design debate yields very little fruit as the use of science seems stretched on both ends and the use of the Bible as a scientific textbook ignores the original intent.
I also hear Christians cite Romans 1 which states that God has been revealing God’s power and nature since the beginning of time. So I ask, “In what specific ways has God accomplished this revelation?” It would be nice to just point to a sunrise, rainbow, newborn baby, or other act of creation to convince people of God. But such proofs only serve to bolster the faiths of those who already believe. It would be nice to use the Bible as proof, but to those who don’t agree on the authority of the Bible, the evidence is just based upon made up stories. It would be nice to point to providential history as proof, but what you and I call God’s hand/will others might attribute to coincidence or manipulating facts by Christians.
So I am left with the question(s) - Why do I believe in God? Why do I try to live a disciple’s life? Why do I conform to the expectations of a man made religious system (denominationalism)? Is there some proof beyond a shadow of a doubt? If so, why don’t I convince others with that proof?
I don’t know that I have a good answer to the question. When it comes down to it, God is not supposed to be proven, but rather experienced and enjoyed. God is not an equation to be solved but a Deity with which to wrestle. Why do I believe? Because I have wrestled. Because I have experienced. Because I have tasted and have seen that God is good.
So why do you believe in God?
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2 comments:
Good thoughts, Sam.
While you and I disagree on lots of things, I think your perspective would be much more persuasive with my atheist scientist younger brother than the arguments I have tried to present. Of course, when I'm discussing something with my baby brother who has way more in common with me than either of us like to admit, I get a little bossy and slip into "older, smarter sister" habits so we have a hard time debating anything civilly for very long;)
I too beleive because of personal experience. I have known him too well to deny him.
I would add that I beleive because of others experiences too. After all, I never would have approached him to wrestle, never would have tasted without the testimonyand persuasion of others.
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