Existance Of God And Revelation

Question 1

What are some of the reasons for being religious:

Answer 1

• people want to find out why life is as it is. Some people are convinced the ‘design’ and ‘causation’ arguments explain this.
• some are drawn to the purpose, structure and comfort religions provides or simple by desire to have something to believe.
• people brought up by religious parents or in a religious community are more likely to believe in God.

Question 2

Why do some people not believe in religion?

Answer 2

• no proof there’s a God.
• religion causes too much strife between people.
• evil in the world shows there’s no God.

Question 3

What are the differences between atheists and agnostics?

Answer 3

Atheists: to reject the idea if a divine being
Agnostics: believe it is impossible to know either way for certain.

Question 4

What is the design argument?

Answer 4

The universe must have a designer. The universe is proof of God existence and it shows some of his characteristics (e.g omnipotent).
This is the the design argument. The idea is that the intricate workings of the universe can’t have come about by chance. Everything has a designer.

Question 5

Quotes that support the design argument:

Answer 5

“In the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day…and…the winds and the clouds…are signs for a people who use reason.” Qur’an

“God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis

“Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.” Bible

Question 6

What evidence is there for the design argument?

Answer 6

• some think aspects of nature support this idea. E.g snowflakes form complex shakes that are unique to each individual snowflake.
• William Paley’s watchmaker argument. Every watch has a designer it is complex and doesn’t just appear. Same must be true about complex structures in nature.
• scientists say the conditions that led to the creation of the universe and life in it were extremely specific.

Question 7

Arguments against the design argument:

Answer 7

• Charles Darwin theory of evolution by natural selection. ‘Survival of the fittest’.
• Some Christians, Muslims and Jews believe evolution doesn’t contradict evolution. God must have designed evolution.
• some believe that God created the universe but had no further involvement.
• there’s no evidence if this. If everything had a creator who created God.

Question 8

What is the First Cause argument?

Answer 8

Also known as the cosmological argument.
Everything that happens is caused by something else. If you trace this chain back in time, there are 2 possibilities:
-that chain goes back forever (i.e universe has always existed, eternal).
-you eventually reach a starting point - the ‘First Cause’
Some think the first cause was God.

Question 9

Similar arguments to the First Cause argument that have been influential in Christianity. They also prove God exists:

Answer 9

• nothing can move by itself- everything needs something to move it. The first move was God.
• nothing can create itself. There can’t have been a chain reaction happening forever. There must have been a First Cause.
• contingent beings are beings that are caused to exist, it’s necessary for there to be a being which has created these. This being is God.

Question 10

What are the differing opinions of the ‘First Cause’ argument?

Answer 10

• argument contradicts itself. If everything as a Cause then what caused the ‘first cause’?
• no evidence there is a First Cause, it has to be a divine being-God.
• even if a God was the first cause doesn’t mean they still exist now.

Question 11

Evidence (quotes) that show God created the world?

Answer 11

“Allah constructed it” Qur’an referring to Allah creating world.

Question 12

What is a miracle?

Answer 12

Seemingly inexplicable events, such as people who are incurably ill and then are healed.

Question 13

How do miracles provide evidence for the existence of God?

Answer 13

They go against the laws of nature. Only God has the power to do so. Shows God as benevolent and omnipotent as he helps people by healing them (etc).

Question 14

What kind of miracles did Jesus preform?

Answer 14

Jesus preformed miracles to show the power of God and show the importance of faith.
E.g
Healing a blind man, healing lepers and feeding the 5000.
Christians believe the births and resurrection of Jesus were miracles.

Question 15

Islamic beliefs about the Qur’an?

Answer 15

• Muslims believe the Qur’an is a miracle. Qur’an says “If mankind…gathered…to produce the likes of the Qur’an, they could not” impossible to copy or recreate.
• many Muslims believed the prophets preformed miracles in order to show they had been sent by God.

Question 16

What do atheists believe about the miracles?

Answer 16

• some believers prefer to focus on God and living their life in a moral way rather than on miracles.
• atheists and humanists don’t believe in miracles. They believe there are scientific explanations or miracles are fakes or misunderstandings.
• people being cured from incurable diseases are miracles but people may have been misdiagnosed.

Question 17

What is a revelation?

Answer 17

When God reveals his presence.

Question 18

What is a special revelation?

Answer 18

Special revelations are revelations to specific people. E.g Allahs revelation of the Qur’an to Muhammad.
The include revelations through prophethood, vision and miracles. They are direct and powerful but hard to prove.

Question 19

What is a general revelations?

Answer 19

Revelations available to everyone. They’re more indirect and therefore have to be interpreted. E.g some think the world is a general revelation. Proves God exists.

Question 20

Examples of holy books that are considered as revelations:

Answer 20

Orthodox Jews believe the 5 books of the Torah were directly revealed to Moses by God. Progressive Jews tend to believe it contains God’s message but the text was written by people.

Allah revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad through the angel Jibril.

Question 21

Revelations show Gods nature and characteristic. He is…:

Answer 21

• omniscient
• infinite
• omnipotent
• transcendent
• immanent
• eternal
• benevolent
• Person and impersonal.

Question 22

Quotes that show the characteristics of God:

Answer 22

“He is with you wherever you are,” Qur’an
“Lord…you know me” Psalm

Shows he’s personal.

Question 23

What does nature show about God’s nature? (Christians)

Answer 23

Shows he’s transcendent. He created it but isn’t present in it.
“The beauty of creation referents the infinite beauty of the creator.”
Nature is often cruel which is hard to explain. Some believe this happened after the fall once Adam and Eve sinned. No longer shows fully what God is like.

Question 24

What does nature show about God’s nature? (Jews)

Answer 24

Jews see the universes existence as proof God exists. Jews beloved all of nature comes from God, even the negative parts. “I bring prosperity and create disaster” Isaiah Jews have responsibilities to look after nature.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm

Question 25

How can God be revealed through personal experiences?

Answer 25

This is a form of special revelation, a personal experience. They can take many forms a vision, dream, a voice, a feeling of ecstasy or peace.

Question 26

How is a vision an example of a religious experience?

Answer 26

This is when a person sees something sacred - such as an angel.
The usually tell the receiver about God and his will. They often change how a person lives their life. They strengthen people’s face and can convince people God exists.

Question 27

Examples of visions:

Answer 27

Noah had a dream/vision telling him to make an arc.

The disciples saw a vision of Moses and Elijah with Jesus who were covered in light.

Question 28

What does the Qur’an says about visions?

Answer 28

-the Qur’an includes the story of Jibril appearing to Maryam, the mother of Jesus. He told her she would bear a son even though she was a virgin.
Jibril revealed the Qur’an to the Muhammad.

Question 29

What other ways can religious experiences be interpreted?

Answer 29

• they want to experience it so much that there subconscious makes it happen. Religious people tend to have visions of only their own religion not others. Casting doubt.
• person involves may be lying or have misinterpreted the experience.e
• seeing the light and hearing voices can have scientific explanations,

Question 30

Why do atheists and humanists argue there is no evidence?

Answer 30

They don’t believe God exists because they don’t honk there is any evidence.
They believe visions and miracles have a straightforward scientific explanation. E.g some scientists believe that the 10 plagues in Egypt.

Question 31

What do people believe about the Big Bang?

Answer 31

That it caused creation. The universe suddenly expanded from an initial state of very high density and temperature, chichi caused the Big Bang. This formed the stars, planets and everything else.

Some Christians and Muslims believe God causes the Big Bang. This also fits the First Cause argument.
“…the heavens and the earth were a joined entity…We separated them and made from water every living thing..

Question 32

What do Christians believe about the causes of suffering?

Answer 32

• Believe that the original sin can explain suffering.
• God gave people free will. This is why they hurt each other,
• St Augustine said that suffering was the price of fee will.

Question 33

What do Jews believe about the causes of suffering?

Answer 33

• believe suffering is a test from God.
• many beloved evil needs a response (e.g help those suffering) not an explanation.
• some find it hard to explain suffering due to the holocaust. They struggle to understand why God would let it happen. Psalm says “thee Lord’s love is with those…who keep his covenant.”

Question 34

What do Muslims believe about the causes of suffering?

Answer 34

• suffering is a test from Allah.
• everything is part of Allah’s plan and there are good reasons for it even if we can’t see it.
• evil gives people the chance to do good and help those in need.
• Qur’an says: “good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah’”.