What is the proper response when asked for “evidence of God”? Secondly, has your answer ever convinced an atheist of God’s existence?
Discussion
36 comments
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When responding to that question its best to first clarify the ff with the Atheist in question:
1) Is this Atheist an Honest Skeptic? Or someone who will never actually listen to the points and evidence provided and will always steadfastly believe that God does not exist and always come up with an alternative explanation for the evidence? Determine that first.
2) Secondly, always ask what standard of proof are they asking for. Is it Scientific Proof that God exists? Logical? Legal? In which case you must always defend in the case of God that the standard of proof should be Legal/Logical/Theological. As by definition there is nothing in our material world that directly proves God (use Science and other Material Observations as Supplementary Proof God must exist.).
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dna programing, like produces like the knowledge has to come from an intelligent source. order does not come into being out of chaos
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Hi Mike! Refer to my paragraphs I posted above as a basis to what you could say.
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THE ANSWER SHOULD BE YOUR CHANGED LIFE AND NO MAN CAN ARGUE WITH THAT
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Yes I wish to ask you the evidence of you know that he doesn’t exist. Your statement is self contradictory.
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Give them the gospel. I’ve seen it work once. The atheist didn’t agree with me but she ran out of things to say real quick and went home. She could argue all day but not with the gospel message.
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I’ve never seen anything convincing in all my 70 years.
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It’s a question based on the prevailing culture of scientism, which is the belief that scientific knowledge is the only form of knowledge. But science explores the laws and behavior of things in the physical universe, so naturally a being that exists outside of time and space does not fall under this category. There is evidence of course, but I think one must be careful not to get trapped by the underlying assumption. Those who do not want to have an honest discussion about this may try to use this framing against you.
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The correct response is that there is no direct evidence of god(s) whatsoever.
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I think God ordained it to be that no human being will be able to prove His existence or non-existance scientifically…Only born again Christians know through faith that He exist….you see God wants faith because if God would show us in such a way that He existed so that everyone would believe then we would not need faith anymore…having faith deserves the ultimate reward.
Let me try to explain in this way…it might not be the best example but bare with me: let’s for example say you and your spouse live alone on an island…it would be easy for both to be faithfull because there is no temptation but if they move to the city there will be temptation and their true character will come to light…if I live with my wife in the city with all the temptations and she still is faithfull to me it means more to me then being on an island where there is no other choice… that is why scripture says “blessed are those who believe without seeing”
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It’s usually a disengenuoius question because they won’t accept any evidence, what they’re usually looking for is a single fact that couldn’t possibly have an alternative explanation no matter how preposterous.
To take an ad abserdium example you could say “the rainbow is a sign of God’s promise” to which they’d reply “it’s simple physics, caused by hippos farting while facing east during a snow storm” and they’d determine that their explanation was more plausible because they’re looking for an explanation that doesn’t hold them accountable for anything. -
I would ask them to define evidence. From my experience, when an atheist or a skeptic ask for “evidence for God” they usually mean scientific
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1) I usually ask if they believe in evolution- and ask how the universe produced cells that produced more cells that made up the complex endocrine, nervous and central body systems that are more complicated than building a nuclear bomb. Could a nuclear bomb randomly appear through evolutionary processes? No.
2) I go on to ask why is there order in nature? Look at the multitude of animal classifications- from the way bees pollinate to the earth’s poles. There’s systemic order. Why? How does order come from chaos?
3) And lastly, I’d ask if they believe in anything they can’t see? Most of the time an Atheist will say no and I’ll say ok- you don’t believe in love? Logic? Molecules? Wind? A virus? Emotions? We operate on a lot of variables we can’t touch or take apart. -
Salvation is a personal issue. Until you are filled with the Holy Spirit and know without a doubt God exists, another person’s experience won’t convince you
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Rafael has a very good response. The answer to his first point sets the tone. Some atheists choose that route not because they really don’t believe but because believing in their mind would make them accountable for things they want to do so they just won’t no matter what proof. But I finished a book not long ago that is really good. Too many facts to state here but the book is “I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist”
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Science has proven time, space and matter came into existence together at the same time. So something to bring them together has to be outside of time, be space less and immaterial. That’s God … something can’t come from nothing
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Christians: What would it take for you to believe in God?
Also Christians: Who are you to demand anything of God?!
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Your testimony.
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We can t convince an atheist or anyone else of God s existence. God must work in a sinners heart.
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The non believer does not need evidence they presuppose logic and reason which are not possible since they are transcendent. The non believer cannot account for reason with positing God. So there very argument against God proves him.
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As an atheists, I’d advise not talking to “lack-atheists” (lack a belief). In main stream atheist shows that’s how atheism is typically defined, it’s all a tactic to flip the BoP unfairly back on the theist so the atheist can be vague as possible and never have to work on defending their positions and focus on berating theists.
And I’d just say if they ask for evidence, ask what evidence do they want. Most atheists don’t even really know what they’re asking when they say this. You being a Christian doesn’t mean you have to provide evidence for a god, you can provide reason why you believe which is good enough unless you’re making declarations or epistemological claims.
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Fine tuning argument
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How committed are you to the person? (This will show with how invested you are in the conversation)
1. If Christianity were true, would you be a Christian?
2. Does truth exist?
3. The resurrection. The minimal facts argument. Use Paul and a key witness.
4. Have them answer, how did Christianity spark in Jerusalem? Why did the Jews claim the grave was empty? Why were the women important witnesses? Why did the apostles die?
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Great questions! Evidence includes (among other things) the beginning of the universe, the universe’s fine-tuning for intelligent life, and the existence of objective moral values and duties.
And I can’t say that I’ve ever convinced anyone, and I don’t think we should expect to, especially over FB. But I pray that God has used the exchanges to plant a seed that may germinate into something more later. ?
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God is obvious.
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I start the conversation by asking if the believe in some sort of higher cosmic power of some kind. Whether it be “God” or something by some other name. If they answer “no” than there is no point continuing the conversation, because they are not willing to have an honest conversation about the issue. It is simply impossible to NOT believe in God on some level. It is ENTIRELY possible to believe that God is a concept that cannot be known. (Agnostic). To be honest, agnostics are correct. It IS impossible for us in our human understanding to know and understand God. This is what separates Christianity from all other religions. Other religions are about man seeking God, which is impossible. Christianity,on the other hand, is God seeking man. So, when confronted by an “atheist” I determine whether or not they are actually willing to admit to the possibility of God. All people believe in God. Atheists are merely angry at God and therefore, deny his existence. There really isn’t much point in trying to persuade someone with that much anger in their heart. Agnostics on the other hand can we reason with, because they not only are willing to admit to the existence of God, they are also essentially correct in their assessment of God being unknowable to man. With an agnostic, you have a base to work from. You need to show them how the unknowable God revealed himself to Man.
If you choose to pursue the atheist, you need to realize that you are dealing with someone who is angry to the point of severe psychological trauma. You will need to Wade though a whole ocean of hurt before you can possibly even approach the subject of God. The Atheist, unlike the agnostic, has an agenda. Misery loves company. They want you to be just as angry at God as they are. So their whole agenda is to get you to deny God’s existence with them.
But “atheist” is a more familiar term than “agnostic”. Therefore many agnostics claim to be atheist either because they don’t want to explain what an agnostic is, or they don’t know the term for themselves.
So I determine right from the start of they are willing to acknowledge the possibility of a Divine Force. If they say yes, I pursue. If they say no, you are highly unlikely to make any headway without LOTS of effort. Much of which may require training in dealing with psychological trauma.
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I mean, Romans 1: there is evidence from God all around us, from displays of nature to moral laws and codes in place, to the design of the universe. If one cannot see God, it is not because He doesn’t exist; it is because that one is blind.
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I’m more agnostic then atheist. When it comes to religion. You can not prove or disprove. If you could prove it then why is there more then one religion?
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Proof that the Bible prophesied of the coming of Jesus over 700 years before HIS birth, hundreds of eyewitness accounts of Jesus risen from the dead after HIS crucifixion, the proof of the Bible being the infallible written word of GOD by the writers who many times did not know each other and lived in different parts of the world writing about the same GOD.
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ray comfort says they actually believe in god but are just denying it
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well Paul said the same thing in romans 1
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My argument is the fact that It is such an argument. Think about it there are many people who believe in big foot but we don’t see huge debates about it.
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No direct evidence sadly.
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Atheism is willful ignorance. The only Atheist that can be convinced is an Agnostic.
One must first acknowledge the possibility of any god before One will accept the One True God.
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I have never convinced anyone. We must be ready to defend the faith. Convincing is above our pay grade.
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