RE - the existence of God

What is a theist?

A person who believes in the existence of God

What is an atheist?

A person who believes that there are convincing reasons and arguments to conclude that God does not exist

What does agnostic mean?

A person who has not made up their mind about the existence of God or who cannot decide one way or another

What is a humanist?

System of thought that does not rely on belief in any gods or the teaching of any religious books. Humanists believe that the answers to questions such as ‘what is the purpose of life?’ come from what human beings have investigated or figured out themselves.

Outline the First cause argument

AQUINAS

1 - everything has a course nothing can make itself happen but must be caused by something else. There must be an uncaused cause which we call God.

2 - nothing can be moved by itself but must be moved by something else. This cannot go back to infinity otherwise there would be nothing moving therefore there must be an unmoved mover which we call God.

3 - Aquinas calls this first cause the ‘uncaused cause’ the uncaused cause is God.

4 - the domino analogy is often used to describe the first cause argument. There must be an outside force to cause the first domino to fall over to start the chain reaction. Likewise God was the first cause who set the universe going.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the first cause argument?

STENGTHS

• The argument is simple. A simple explanation is often the correct one.

• The argument is logical

• This argument is scientific for example The Big Bang Theory can support this if God is behind the Big Bang then God is the first cause the brought the universe into existence

• Rejecting this argument requires something more complicated logic states that things exist because something or someone has brought them into existence

WEAKNESSES

• Science is able to explain the origin of the universe without recourse to God

• This argument raises the question ‘who or what caused God?’ to say that God is eternal and has always been an existence is not sufficient to prove God‘s existence to atheist or agnostics

• Some people would say that the universe could be eternal and does not require a cause if the first call can be eternal then why can the whole chain of cause and effect not be?

• We only know that things have a cause because we have experience of the conjunction of cause and effect

Bertrand Russell (atheist) argued that ‘the universe is just there and that’s all there is to say’ just because other things have a cause doesn’t mean the universe does too

Who made the design argument?

William Paley

What does the Sun have to do in relation to the design argument

If the Earth was any closer or further away from the Sun, it could not create a sustained life

What are things that back up paleys analogy?

The watch and the eye

What did Isaac newton argue

He used the thumbprint as evidence of the existence of God because each person has an individual and unique thumbprint. He argued at this pointed to designer rather than random chance.

Outline the design argument

1 - if you were in the countryside and ponder a watch on the grass, you would be impressed by the complex complexity of its workings

2 - you might notice how all the coils and springs work together each movement depending on the one before

3 - it would be natural to ask ‘who made this?’ the complexity of its workings imply an intelligent designer

4 - the watch clearly has a design on purpose to achieve the purpose. It clearly had a maker. It’s ridiculous to say that the watch came out by chance.

5 - Paley claims the same is true about the universe it’s too incredible and complex the complexity points to intelligence designer God

give some strengths and weaknesses about the design argument

STENGTHS

• it is simple and straightforward to follow ie. It moves from something within human experience.(a watch)

• it is compatible with evolution and The Big Bang Theory, as both of these could be part of the design of the universe

• The concept of God as designer reinforces the idea that God is involved in the history of the universe

• It it gives a purpose to the universe rather than having bland nature moving in a random direction. This gives the universe meaning.

WEAKENESSES

• some argue the universe doesn’t always seem so well designed for example, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and tsunami implying that there is no designer

• Darwin’s theory of evolution presents a serious challenge to the argument by saying that living things were not designed but have adopted to the world to survive

• Philosopher David Hume argued there were big flaws as there were assumptions in the design argument for example just because the universe is complicated doesn’t mean that there was just one designer. The design argument could prove that there is many gods. Even if we agree that God designed the universe how do we know that God is still there? Pointing out examples of design like the human eye doesn’t necessarily mean that our God designed these things the world is often faulty and imperfect

Do you think there is evidence in favour of an intelligent designer?

• I agree - theists would agree with this statement

• A creator called leaves clear evidence and imprint of his design upon creation

• The world seems to show evidence of an intelligent design

• Laws patterns and sequences found in the universe point to an Intelligent designer for example the Sun physics etc.

• Creationist support this evidence from creation narratives in Genesis. On the other hand atheism rejects the idea of any form of divine creation and therefore any form of intelligent design

• The Big Bang Theory and evolution may mean there’s no need for a divine designer it was made in a natural disaster.

Some argue that they have experienced God so therefore he may exist. This may be through incident such as:

Answered prayer

A miracle being performed

God speaking to them in a dream or vision

Feeling God’s presence while worshipping

Who came up with the argument from religious experience

Richard Swinburne

What is the principle of credulity

• refers to our ability to believe something is true or real

If we normally trust our senses to tell us if every day experiences are true, we can just our senses of religious experience ‘we ought to believe things are as they seem to be until we have evidence that we are mistaken’

• Swinburne says we may not trust our experiences as credible when ‘ special considerations’ apply such as being under the influence of drugs or alcohol we’re having a history of experiences of hallucinations that are proven not to be real.

What are the principles of testimony?

• Relates to trusting the testimony of other people in relation to religious experiences that we have claimed to have had

• Swinburne says it’s reasonable to trust their religious experiences as we do on our own

• Special considerations - if someone is approving liar drug user or if they have had something to gain by fooling you.

Outline the argument for the existence of God from religious experience

• many different types of people claimed to have had an experience of God

• Experiences may include answered prayers, conversion experiences, visions, and miracles (Richard Swinburn’s argument)

• Such experiences support the existence of a deity

• We should accept our testimony as valid

• Experience of God is testified across multiple cultures

What are strengths and weaknesses of the argument of religious experience?

STENGTHS

• The Bible tells us of people having experiences of God (Moses and the burning bush)

• Swinburn’s principle of credulity would suggest we should accept a person’s experiences until we can be proven otherwise

• Well, some experiences may be an illusion that is not always the case

• In the uni of Nottingham, they concluded that more than 60% of people interviewed claimed they had a religious experiences for example Martin Luther King Junior.

  WEAKNESSES

• unverifiable - very little evidence as it could be someone’s imagination and not actually God.

• Unproven - we should only accept observed proofs and not rely on unproven testimony’s

• Unfair - why do some people get to experience god and others don’t

• Untrue - atheists would reject this as they reject every belief in god

• Untrustworthy- some may be deluded or lying or hallucinating

Outline Moses and the burning bush ( experiencing god)

Moses was looking after sheep and goats when he came to Sinai (holy mountain). There was a bush on fire but it was not being burnt up. God spoke to Moses from the bush telling him to take off his sandals as he was on holy ground. God to,d Moses to go and rescue the Israelites and bring them to the promised land. God told him to go to the pharaoh and tell him to set the Israelite slaves free. God reassured Moses he would be with him.

Outline the moral argument

1- the immortal argument was popularised by Thomas Aquinas

2- the argument states that the vast majority of humanity has an awareness of both good and evil despite cultural differences

3- in order to know/distinguish the good we need an absolute standard of good this in built moral law (compass) is evidence for God

4- there must be a source of this goodness God alone provides an absolute standard of good.

5 - people make bad choices and act in the wrong way but they usually realise this was not the right way to behave from both humans are programmed with an inbuilt moral law

6 - we can sense what is right and what is wrong but the sense must have come from someone or something outside us

Who said the first call argument and the argument of design were invalid?

Immanuel Kant

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the moral argument?

STRENGTHS

• This argument appeals to a common sense of right and wrong

• The moral argument is consistent with beliefs about God and Christianity

• Our guilty conscience is gods voice in our head

• Every person’s obligation to do to the right thing comes from an outside source - god

• We have common sense of injustice

WEAKNESSES

• For some people establishing that there are common ideas of right and wrong does not prove the existence of God

• Atheist would say that they can act in a moral way without it coming from God

• Edward Osborne Wilson’s moral knowledge comes from evolution not God people have learnt to cooperate to survive

Why do some people not feel that proofs for the existence of God are necessary?

• if God is completely outside human experience and logic than any human made argument is flawed

• If a proof for God‘s existence was undeniable, this would essentially remove free will. The lack of definitive preserves human moral responsibility

• Many believe that it is in there own personal experiences that they should be proven

Explain why arguments for the existence of God are important for believers

1 the argument support the existence of a deity

2 the arguments, may sustain a believers Faith in terms of questioning and doubt

3 the arguments stem from real human experiences and lead to the God of classical theism

4 the arguments so that goal chooses to reveal his presence to his people

Theists may argue:

• without belief in god life would have no meaning or purpose. Universe could not have just been started by itself as it’s carefully designed.

• Belief in god brings a spiritual peace or satisfaction. Brings them comfort in difficult circumstances

• A child growing up in a religious household might not be able to say why they believe in god, only that he exists. Some would say this is blind faith but others would say the reason the faith has been passed though the family is because it’s true and is gods work.

atheists may argue:

• there is a lack in real evidence that god exists

• Belief in god belongs to a lee-scientific era when there were many things in the universe that could not be explained

• There’s too many examples of meaningless suffering in the world. If god exists then why doesn’t he stop evil and prevent natural disasters

how did god create the world in Genesis?

1 - light and darkness

2 - separated water and sky

3 - separated water and land. The land produced vegetation.

4 - sun moon and stars

5 - birds of the air fish of the sea

6 - land animals and humans

7 - rested and called it holy