The existence of God Flashcards
What is an atheist
Someone who does not believe in God
What is a theist
someone who believes in God
What is an agnostic
someone who is unsure of God’s existence
What is a monotheist
someone who believes in only one God
What is the first cause argument(5)
Supported by St Thomas Aquinas
Everything in the universe is caused
The first entity or event in the universe must have been caused
It must have been caused by something outside/before the universe
-this is God
What are the strengths of the first cause argument(3)
Makes sense to think that there is an initial cause to the universe as it fits with our experience of events within the universe
Most scientists argue that the universe has a beginning, which was the Big Bang (universe started w/ large explosion of matter)
-theists argue God caused the Big Bang
Unlike everything in universe that is contingent (could easily not exist), there must be something necessary (cannot fail to exist)
-God is necessary(cannot fail to exist) and does not need to be caused
What are the weaknesses of the first cause argument(4)
There is contradiction in Aquinas’ argument - “God created ex nihilo(out of nothing)” but “something can’t come from nothing”
Bertrand Russell argued universe didn’t need a cause/explanation but may simply exist as brute fact: “I should say that the universe is just there, and that’s all”.
David Hume questioned Aquinas’ assumption that we can’t have an infinite number of causes
Does not justify the belief that God is omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent being
What is the design argument(5)
universe so complex so it seems to have a purpose or design
you cannot have such a complex design without a intelligent designer
the intelligent designer is God
e. g. William Paley compared the universe to a watch as an example
- just like how a watch requires a watch maker, the complexity in the universe needs a designer, which is God
What are the strengths of the design argument(3)
creation is very ordered
just the right balance of chemicals in air/earth for evolution and development of humans
all of this suggests design
What are the weaknesses of the design argument(4)
J S Mill: natural disasters (tsunami, eq) and terrible suffering in world suggests universe not nicely designed, at least not by a benevolent God
everything in universe can be explained naturally by scientific explanations without using God
evolution suggests life was not created but changed to fit in w/ changes in environment through adaptations
can’t compare something living/organic (Earth) to man-made object made mechanically (watch)
What are some examples of religious experiences(5+4)
The transfiguration
- Jesus took Peter, James, John up a mountain, transfigured before them, clothes dazzling white
- Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking w/ Jesus
- cloud appeared and enveloped them; voice came from cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him.”
- then only Jesus was left w/ them
John Wesley
- went to a society and heard a reading from the Bible
- felt his heart strangely warmed and had faith in Christ
- went on and founded the Methodist Church
What are the strengths of religious experiences(5)
many people have supernatural, religious experiences
-they all point in the same direction, to an existing God
there has to be a God to give a religious experience to a person
experience so powerful that the recipient cannot deny the experience or the God who sent it
have changed atheists(even scientists and educated people) to theists
What are the weaknesses of religious experiences(5)
subjective thus not proof - no evidence that experiences are telling the truth
often have religious upbringings so interpret mysterious experiences as religious
why doesn’t God give everyone religious experiences
difficult to put supernatural experiences into words
individual may be drugged, deluded, imagining things or just wishing themselves into the experience
What is faith(3)
a commitment to something that goes beyond proof and knowledge, especially used about God and religion
a leap into the unknown/unknowable
it is not contrary to facts/evidence/reason
What are some problems with proving the existence of God(4)
as humans we can only prove things with our physical senses
God is beyond proof because he is above the limited, physical universe
so we must rely on faith rather than proof
atheists say no one should be a theist until sufficient evidence to prove existence of God
