Ive been atheist for a while now, but I’m just realizing that I haven’t really heard both sides of the argument. No disrespect to Alex O’Connor, but I feel like sometimes the sources I’m getting this stuff from can be a little one-sided, and what better place to hear the other side, than right here?
The question of God is not really that hard. There are lots of arguments for and against God. No one will be convinced who doesn't want to be convinced about the existence of God.
Most people deny the existence of God at least because they haven't been persuaded by any evidence put forward to them. That's a matter for them I suppose. Many of these people have grown up and been educated in public schools and universities where the philosophy is secular.
Many others deny the existence of God because it suits them not to believe in God because of some personal traumatic experience they had as a child or at some time in their past.
Others have come from other cultures and religions and deduced rightly that their religion makes no sense and therefore because of that - they have thrown out the baby with the bathwater.
Others like yourself - have never really given it a lot of thought.
Some have given it a fair bit of thought and concluded from their own arguments that there is no god.
On the other hand - many people are theists because of culture, tradition, they grew up in a particular place etc and have believed such from a time they were old enough to appreciate it. Others have come to a theistic position out of a desperate need to have someone love them or want them or because they were in a middle of a crisis and they cried out to what they thought was God and they were delivered.
Others have converted to God since they have been convinced of the truth of God.
Others have come from other cultures and religions and seen the difference and reasonableness of another God.
Some have looked at the world about them and had the insight to question other's positions and realised that there was God.
For me, the question is not about the existence of God. That part is not too difficult for those who have looked at the creation around us. It's the question of who is God that is a complex question.
The Christian religion - at least the Reformed part of that religion says it is impossible for someone to become a true Christian. For me, that is one of the strongest arguments for the existence of the Christian God. We say that people only become Christians because God reveals himself to them by revelation. Hence, it is impossible to prove his existence.
The non-Reformed part of Christianity has a different take on this. They suggest that all people can come to God and reconcile themselves with God. That anyone can become a Christian simply by believing. That's why they rely so strongly on faith. The Reformed part of Christianity agrees that faith is intrinsic, yet, the faith to believe is itself a gift from God. God gives faith to people to believe. IT's a matter of his choice. Not a matter of how good or bad we are. The non-Reformed Christian finds this position unpalatable. They say that's an arrogant thing. Whereas the Reformed person would say that saying there was somehow something a person to do to come to God is arrogant.
Hence, there are all sorts of arguments for God. And his or her existence. Most atheists I find rely upon very sophisticated arguments of the highest order. Yet they wouldn't do this for other objects. They also try and rely upon scientific arguments - as opposed to the many other types of arguments that exist. Philosophical arguments are rejected for a variety of reasons.
In my view - Atheists as a general rule haven't yet considered the type of evidence they would accept as being suitable to prove God's existence. They typically run around in circles - they ask - what is God what is God like. Tell us - so that we can prove God doesn't exist. Although they don't put it that way - they spin it. They say - tell us - so that we can consider the sort of evidence that will satisfy us. It never works that way though.
Yes, there are some sincere atheists. And many ignorant ones who are half sincere. Yet there are also many militant atheists - who don't want to discuss - they just want to attack and pull down others.
I hope you are one of the sensible and sincere ones - searching for answers. All the best.
