Existence of God

Question 1

Problem of evil

Answer 1

God is omniscient and omnipotent but doesn’t stop events such as rape, murder or floods. So how can this perfect man exist if he doesn’t help us?

Question 2

Free Will Defence
1st reason for evil

Answer 2

God created the universe as good and gave us the option of free will although we misused it and created this evil
- Although this doesn’t explain how natural evil occurs

Question 3

Ireanaean Theodicy
2nd reason for evil

Answer 3

Allowing us a deeper appreciation of what is good by acquainting us with what is bad and painful
Created the world with these challengers to help us develop our moral character

Question 4

Limited Understanding
3rd reason for evil

Answer 4

Earthly understanding of this concept, shouldn’t interfere

Question 5

Religious Skepticism

Answer 5

The existence of so much suffering in the world indicates that god does not exist

Question 6

John L Mackie

Answer 6

Unorthodox
Orthodox

Question 7

Unorthodox

Answer 7

• God might be angry rather than loving, who creates sufferings around the world
• God is loving but not perfect, he might not have the strength to prevent sufferings

Question 8

Orthodox

Answer 8

• Accepted by other people
• Preserve traditional characteristics of god

Question 9

Augustine of Hippo

Answer 9

• Justification of God
• Earth as a brief journey on the way to heaven
• Happiness will be better next lifetime
  TRUE PURPOSE = LOVE GOD
• No solution for suffering

Question 10

The Ontological Argument

Answer 10

• Accepting what God is
• A being which a greater cannot be thought, not having the physical ability to think of anything more powerful than him

Question 11

Descartes Argument on God’s Existence

Answer 11

• Existence is a property of God
• If God is perfect then he must exist as existence of God is essential as 3 points to a triangle

Question 12

Descartes P1:

Answer 12

P1: I cannot conceive of a God without the property of existence
P2: His existence cannot be separated from his essence
C: Therefore God exists

Question 13

Descartes P2:

Answer 13

P1: My conception of God is such that he has every sort of perfection
P2: Existence is perfection
C: Therefore God exists

Question 14

Counter Argument to Descartes:

Answer 14

You can imagine a perfect Island not existing therefore you must be able to imagine a God not existing,
What if existence isn’t a property

Question 15

Immanuel Kant

Answer 15

EXISTENCE IS NOT A PROPERTY
- Reinforces what you already believe
- Existence is not a real predicate because it doesn’t add anything to God

Ontological argument isn’t going to convert people to believing, only those who already believe are going to be dissuaded

Question 16

The Cosmological Argument

Answer 16

CAUSE AND EFFECT

Question 17

St Thomas Aquinas

Answer 17

1st way - there must be a first mover
2nd way - there must be a first cause
3rd way - there must be a necessary being
4th way - there must be something perfect / greatest

Question 18

Problems to Cosmological Argument

Answer 18

• Modern physics suggests the universe is just as likely was caused by itself as it was by a supreme being
• Mathematics no longer consider the possibility of infinite regress as absurd

Question 19

The Teleological Argument

Answer 19

• Purpose and design
• Designed for a reason
  Someone must have designed us, someone powerful

Question 20

Counter Arguments

Answer 20

• Aliens creating us, intelligent aliens
• Flawed designer, “It was marvellous that God gave us noses so that we could wear classes”
  Seeing purpose where there is none and is our designer all that good?
• Evolution gives us an account of how things are

Question 21

Pascal’s Wager: Betting on God

Answer 21

ARGUMENT ON WHY YOU SHOULD BELIEVE
- Tossing a coin, heads or tail, god or no god
- Benefiting from believing in God such a Heaven and nothing is lost if he doesn’t exist

Question 22

Pascals Wagers Problems

Answer 22

1. Don’t compare gambling to religion
2. Not taking into consideration of having multiple other Gods such as in Buddhism. Are there many Gods?
3. Problem of evil, but not all is bad

Question 23

Some quote

Answer 23

Deeds of house, false or not you investigate. Do the same with religions and Gods