arguments for the existence of God Flashcards
What is a revelation?
A revelation is God revealing or showing something of himself to humans.
Why do Catholics believe that Jesus is the culmination of God’s revelation?
Catholics believe that Jesus is the culmination of God’s revelation because he is the final and complete revelation of God; he as not shown himself since and this was him not speaking at a distance, but as a person.
Give examples of when qualities of God were revealed.
- omnipotent - calming of storm, feeding of the 5000
- benevolent - healings, sacrificed Jesus
- omniscient - Jesus knew Judas would betray
- power over life and death - resurrection
What is the difference between corporeal and imaginative visions?
- corporeal visions - physically seeing something
- imaginative visions - seeing in dreams
What are examples of Biblical visions?
Biblical visions:
- Abraham visited by God and promised protection and reward
- imaginative for Joseph
- Jesus appeared on Road to Damascus
What are examples of non-Biblical visions?
non-Biblical visions:
- 1424, Joan of Arc instructed by saints to force the English to leave France
- Mary to Bernadette at Lourdes
Why might visions prove the existence of God?
- powerful, personal experiences that give great strength and faith
Why might visions not prove the existence of God?
- lack of proof
- could be hallucinations, misunderstandings or drugs
- even if it is true, not proof of God
- subconscious wish fulfilment
What are examples of Biblical miracles?
Biblical miracles:
- Moses parting the Red Sea
- water to wine
- healing of blind man
What are examples of non-Biblical miracles?
non-Biblical miracles:
- Mary in 1531 to Mexico, caused immunity to fire and bomb damage
- Mary to Bernadette in 1858 in Lourdes, 70 miracles
Why might miracles prove the existence of God?
- no scientific explanation
- feel spiritually enlightened
Why might miracles not prove the existence of God?
- coincidence
- science is still developing
- does not mean it is God
- lying or mistaken
What is a religious experience?
A religious experience is a feeling of the presence of God.
Why might religious experiences not be proof that God exists?
- the laws of nature
- lack of evidence
- use of stimulants
- hallucinations
- wish fulfilment
What are some Catholic responses to the question of proof for religious experiences?
- omnipotence can break the law of nature
- faith doesn’t require proof
- don’t disagree with drugs, hallucinations etc.
What is the design (teleological) argument?
The design argument suggests that there appears there appears to be design in the world, so there must be a designer who is God.
Who came up with the design argument?
William Paley used the watch analogy. If you found a watch in a field, you would not assume it was there by chance, it would have a designer.
What are the strengths towards the design argument?
- based on our experience of design
- compliments a Christian view of the nature of God
- encourages scientific examination of the universe
What is evidence against the design argument? What are Catholic responses?
- just an appearance of order - science and evidence support order
- evolution is explanation of order - evolution must have been designed
- evil exists - learn from this, a result of free will
What is the cosmological argument?
The cosmological argument follows the belief that everything has a cause and an effect, so God must have been the first cause.
Who came up with the cosmological argument?
St Thomas Aquinas.
What are the strengths of the cosmological argument?
- it is based on our experience of the world
- it is more logical than any alternative
- it is compatible with science
What is evidence against the cosmological argument? What are Catholic responses?
- impossible for total explanation - rejection of infinite causes so it is possible
- universe doesn’t need a first cause - everything has a cause
- first cause didn’t have to be God - omnipotence
What is the issue in the existence of suffering for Catholics?
- if omnipotent, then has the power to stop evil
- if omniscient, then aware of suffering
- if omnibenevolent, would want to stop it
