Monday, April 4, 2011

A Great Opportunity-- Does God Exist?


As I wrote earlier, I was given the opportunity to write three short blurbs for the Smart Faith Apologetics conference.  I had an amazing time writing these, and have said I would post them here.  The second one is on the question Does God Exist?  Here is my response to that question:
Does God Exist?
I can fully understand why it is hard to know if God exists.  We can’t see, smell, touch, or hear God. This makes it hard for us to be as certain about God’s existence as we are about the existence of our family, friends, or other people.  It may seem that it would take a lot more evidence to believe in the existence of God.
Can I prove God exists?  I don’t think I can prove it with 100% certainty, but I do think I can show it is completely reasonable to believe in God.  In fact, I think I can show it is more reasonable to believe in the existence of God rather than not believe in Him.
Imagine a huge, very complicated Lego castle.  If you were to come across this castle and wanted to know where it came from, what question would you ask?  You would probably ask, “Who built this?”  Castles don’t build themselves.  They are the sort of things that need creators or designers.  In fact, if we destroyed the castle, and put all the pieces in a box, do you think a castle would ever be created without outside influence?  Even if we shook the box, I don’t think a Lego castle will ever be made without a mind/personality creating it on purpose.
The universe is much more complicated than a Lego castle.   If something as comparatively simple as a Lego castle requires a designer, how much more would something as complicated as the universe need a designer?  The universe is designed in just the right way.  All of the laws of physics are arranged perfectly in order to promote the existence of life and the universe.  These laws were designed by something more powerful and bigger than the universe itself.  In other words, God!
Similarly, life is so complicated only God could have created it.  This is because even the most basic forms of life contain a lot (and I mean A LOT) of information.  Even the simplest cell is many times more complicated than our Lego castle.
The existence of morals also suggests the existence of God.  There are certain things that are just wrong.  Murder, rape, and torturing babies are examples of things that are just wrong.  Anyone who commits these acts has broken a moral law.  But laws need lawgivers.  Just as we saw earlier the existence of the laws of physics is best explained by a designer, so also the existence of the laws of morals is best explained by the existence of a lawgiver.  This lawgiver is God.  Only God has the power and knowledge to create these kinds of laws.
These are only three of the many different arguments for the existence of God.  All of these arguments can give us a confidence that it is completely reasonable to believe in the existence of God.

2 comments:

daglad said...

I just found your blog Mr. Pagel and I enjoy your comments. I found in through the Smart Faith web-site. I thought you would enjoy a blog by Marty Clapp who is a very thoughtful writer like yourself. Here is the link:
http://renewedthoughts.com/

Take care,
Danny

Gabriel Pagel said...

Thanks Danny, I really appreciate your comments.