Over the past couple of weeks an especially determined atheist has been writing me, offering me $1000 if I can make God appear to Him in such a way that he can see and touch Him. The atheist just finished reading my book What's So Great About Christianity and it disturbed him, because it challenged his assumptions. Still, he demands unquestionable empirical confirmation. If I can only make God show his face, my correspondent sarcastically suggests, he would be happy to join the ranks of the believers.
In some ancient religions, where gods were considered to be made of the same material substance as other matter, this would be a reasonable (or at least a meaningful) challenge. But all the great religions, and certainly the Abrahamic ones, regard God as an immaterial spirit. If the atheist is willing to consider the possibility that such a God exists--as all open-minded atheists must do--then the question becomes: how can we know of the existence of immaterial things?
Scientists believe in immaterial things. How about gravity? I should write back my betting friend, offering him $1000 if he can make gravity appear to me in such a way that I can see and touch it. But of course he would indignantly reply that gravity is a force, and the existence of forces cannot be verified through direct sensory experience. Rather, their existence must be inferred through their effects. We know that something is making objects plummet to the earth. We know that something is causing the light from the sun in certain cases to bend. That something we call gravity.
Or consider dark matter and dark energy. I haven't seen them, and I bet you haven't either. In fact, no one has. The reason they are called "dark" is because they don't emit light. So how can we reasonably believe in such invisible, immaterial things? The existence of dark matter is inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter. The existence of dark energy is inferred from the accelerated rate at which galaxies are flying away from each other. Scientists reason that something is holding galaxies together, and something else is causing them (and space itself) to fly apart. These somethings we call dark matter and dark energy. Interestingly scientists believe that dark matter and dark energy make up more than 90 percent of all the matter in the universe.
Applying the same mode of reasoning, I would argue that some immaterial force caused the universe to come into existence. Here is the proof: a) All material things that have a beginning must have a cause, b) We know from the Big Bang theory that the universe (not just matter but space and time itself) had a beginning, c) Therefore the universe has a cause.
Now that cause can be natural or supernatural, but we can rule out a natural cause since the universe encompasses all of nature. It is simply ridiculous to say that nature, which once did not exist, somehow caused itself to come into existence. Some people like to talk about "multiple universes" or even an infinity of universes but they have to admit that they are just making those up: there is no empirical evidence whatsoever that any universe exists except our own. Much of this kind of talk seems to be a desperate way of trying to get around the idea of God. It's faith-based atheism.
It's must more reasonable--and, invoking Occam's razor, much more intellectually parsimonious--to believe that the universe came into existence because of a non-natural or (as theists would say) supernatural cause. That cause we call God.
Reader Comments ( Page 7 of 33)
91. Good day, a born atheist... I feel very formal today.
Maybe we can't know with our 5 senses, but perhaps outside of the experience of our 5 senses.
Shannie at 4:23PM on Jan 28th 2008
92. Now I'm br'er Jesus?
Well Clif, as you know, you're no bunny till some bunny loves you...
Jesus Christ Himself at 4:23PM on Jan 28th 2008
93. In a Feynman diagram what leaves is equal and opposite of the other particle that leaves not necessarily equal to what went in.
a born atheist at 4:24PM on Jan 28th 2008
94. Well then, Good day Miss Shannie. Should I be wearing a tux? (not appropriate for what I am doing at the moment) I can't argue that there are things I can't explain, but I can't attribute them to a particular deity either.
a born atheist at 4:32PM on Jan 28th 2008
95. Fair enough... I can't argue with that either. I think this is the beginning of a peace accord between the theists and the atheists. I try and broker peace whenever possible unless my pride gets in the way...I must confess I am a perfectionist at heart. I dislike that about myself.
Shannie at 4:42PM on Jan 28th 2008
96. Just because something may be imperceptible to our senses, it doesn't make it immaterial.
Mokele-Mobembe at 4:45PM on Jan 28th 2008
97. I think to broker peace you have to have a full understanding of both sides. Few people do that. Why would you dislike being a perfectionist? Isn't that a good trait?
a born atheist at 4:48PM on Jan 28th 2008
98. ATHEIST
Reply to: 95. Fair enough... I can't argue with that either. I think this is the beginning of a peace accord between the theists and the atheists. I try and broker peace whenever possible unless my pride gets in the way...I must confess I am a perfectionist at heart. I dislike that about myself.
___________
You're missing the point.
I don't want "peace" between atheists and Christians.
I want atheists to scream, "Enough with the nonsense."
Christianity is based on:
DEMONIC SPIRITS
EXORCISM
GHOSTS OF MOSES AND ELIJAH
LEVITATION UP TO CLOUDS
A VIRGIN CONCEPTION
LIFE ON EARTH LESS THAN 10,000 YEARS OLD
GLOBAL FLOOD
Christianity is complete, utter NONSENSE.
Atheists need to unite to STOP THE NONSENSE.
Not sign a peace treaty that allows our children to be HURT by this nonsense.
Read Dinesh's comments about "multiple universes," which was Shermer's answer to one of Dinesh's silly questions.
Catholics like Dinesh who encourage children to learn BAD SCIENCE.... need to be FOUGHT.
William Hays at 4:58PM on Jan 28th 2008
99. I don't think so... you get less done and tend to place more emphasis on things rather than people. I think there is a subtle difference between perfectionism and quality.
Shannie at 5:01PM on Jan 28th 2008
100. ATHEIST
Oh, yeah...
A DAY OF JUDGMENT
when
ALL WHO REJECT CHRIST WILL BE CONDEMNED TO A FIERY PIT FOR ETERNAL TORMENT
No responsible parent should let their children think Christianity is credible.
Sick, evil people... make up STORIES that anyone who rejects THEIR religion will be tortured by the Creator of the Universe.
William Hays at 5:03PM on Jan 28th 2008
101. Multiple universes doesn't actually explain "The Beginning".
Mokele-Mobembe at 5:04PM on Jan 28th 2008
102. William, you are the definition of consistent and I like that about you. Anyway, I think what appears to be nonsense on the surface may be quite the opposite from another point of view....
Shannie at 5:08PM on Jan 28th 2008
103. I think what is important is to try to find happiness. It is what you would want for your children and for your parents, why not you? If trying to make things around you perfect is what does it then why not?
a born atheist at 5:09PM on Jan 28th 2008
104. Hmmm... I wasn't anticipating that angle. Let's see, I do want happiness for my child and parents..and myself too. It just can be VERY frustrating to achieve..
Shannie at 5:22PM on Jan 28th 2008
105. 46. As ususal, nobody listens to the Christ. Just like the last time.
(sigh)
Jesus Christ Himself at 1:26PM on Jan 28th 2008
xxxx
It's not so wise to do the same things again expecting a different outcome, yer 'oliness.
till some bunny loves you? well, it was a rabbit fire comeback, at least. not like those krishas with the receding hare lines..
Clif Kuplen at 5:23PM on Jan 28th 2008