Do you know why God exists? I do, and I'll share the reason with you. It's all about a kid's stereotypical 'why-chain'. ie) when they ask why, then ask why to your answer, then ask why again, and so on. God exists as a way to stop the 'chain'.
Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? "Because God says so". Why? "Don't question God, He's got lightning bolts for people like you".The whys don't stop when we grow up though. We can't stop asking, wondering, trying to find out the answer to why everything is the way it is - or why it is at all - so we invent God. In different parts of the world it's a different God, it's the Sun, it's an Alien, it's John-the-cult-leader, it can be anything - but it's always going to be something. Our species can't handle not knowing, and most people can't seem to handle the idea of a finite existence. So when I say God exists, I mean the idea of God exists. The idea of God exists in the minds of a LOT of people, and isn't that just about as good as actually existing?
My problem is that the answer of "an all powerful being which you can never comprehend said so" is not any more comforting than "we can't possibly know".
Why is there life on Earth?God was brought about as an answer to never-ending stream of questions, but are the (1) answers really any more comforting than the (2) answers? In the end, isn't comfort the point? We're uncomfortable with the unknown, so we made up an answer to every question.
(1) 'Because God put us here'.
(2) 'Because there is. We can't really know why, but probability dictates it would happen sooner-or-later'.
What is the meaning of life?
(1) 'To be good. Life is infinite, and the meaning of [this] life is to make sure you spend eternity in the right place'.
(2) 'There is no meaning of life. We're here because we are, so make the best of it'.
Why do people die? Why do bad things happen?
(1) 'Because it is God's will. He has a plan, and rape/disease/murder is all a part of it'.
(2) 'Because they do, and always will. From the perspective of the universe, there is no good/bad. There just is'.
I am not uncomfortable with the unknown. I cannot be so arrogant as to assume humans understand the meaning of life, the origin of the universe, and what happens after death.
The idea of 'eternal life', and the notion that our time on earth is little more than a test before eternity - a waiting room if you will - do not comfort me. Does it you? If life lasts for eternity, then the 80 years I spend on earth is literally an infinitely small portion of that life - ie) nothing. If my 80 years are nothing, then what the hell am I doing? If my time on earth is a waiting room, why don't I sit down and read a magazine? I prefer to believe that life matters - that this is all there is, so it had better be good.
If you're comforted by pretending you have all the answers, then that's great. As I have said, I am not. I believe we don't have the answers. I believe that even if there is a god, even if the universe was created by an 'all-powerful-being', there's no way we could even begin to comprehend It. There's no way we could go so far as to say we have the answers. Ending the 'why-chain' with God only serves to stop the pursuit of knowledge. Why not ask 'why' one more time? I will.
March 17, 2009 11:48 PM
They do have facts and evidence apparently.
March 19, 2009 10:44 AM
Nope ... 'They' don't have any facts or evidence to prove the existance of God.
April 6, 2009 11:37 AM
Creationists have only but flawed logic trying to prove the existance of god. Basically they manipulate things to make them seem true. Every "factual proof" creationists have made is all flawed and has always and will always be disproven. I believe in superior beings somewhere in the universe in a parallel universe, just not a god who created the universe.