theme c- the existence of God and revelation Flashcards
1
Q
why might people believe in God?
A
- to seek comfort from a higher power
- to gain advice
- to feel less alone
2
Q
for what reasons might someone not believe in God?
A
- they dont know about God
- they may believe God isnt helping/ listening to them
- they may believe that there is no proof of God so therefore He cant be real
3
Q
what was Aristotle’s theory for the existence of God?
A
- Aristotle said that the universe must have been made by something- e.g. paintings only exist because someone painted them
- someone must have created the world (God)- Aristotle said that the one thing that was not created by something else
4
Q
what is Anselm’s theory for the existence of God?
A
- God was the greatest thing ever- so great that nothing else could possibly be greater
- part of the reason that something is the best is that it actually exists- e.g. an imaginary cake is not as good as a real cake
- if God is the greatest thing ever, he must exist
5
Q
what was Thomas Aquinas’ theory for the existence of God?
A
- everything in the world is so amazing and complex- shells have beautiful designs
- looking at the world proves that a great, supremely intelligent being must have made everything in the world (God)
6
Q
what is Blaise Pascal’s theory for the existence of God?
A
- either God exists or he does not
- if we cannot prove God exists, we are better off believing in Him
- if we believe in God, we will go to Heaven- if there is not a God, then it does not matter
- if we do not believe God exists and it turns out that he does, we will then have a lot of explaining to do when we meet our creator
7
Q
what is the Design Argument?
A
everything in the universe is so intricately made, it must have been created by God- therefore God exists
8
Q
what is an example of the way the world works that shows God must exist?
A
- the way humans grow from a tiny blueprint of DNA
- the way the complex mechanism of the eye allows humans to see
9
Q
what would atheists believe about the creation of the world?
A
the universe was not created but evolved naturally
10
Q
what do agnostics believe about the creation of the universe?
A
there is not enough evidence that God exists or not, or that God created the universe or not
11
Q
what is the Design argument also known as?
A
the Teleological Argument
12
Q
what does Aquinas say about the laws of nature?
A
- the laws of nature determine what happens in the natural world
- however, there must have been an intelligent designer to establish these natural laws
- the laws of nature function regularly & predictably
13
Q
what is Newton’s theory of the Design argument?
A
- the thumb allows humans to be precise and have delicate movements which are only found in humans
- every thumbprint is different
- the design of the thumb is enough evidence of God’s existence
14
Q
what is William Paley’s theory of the Design Argument?
A
- if we found a watch and did not know its function- its intricate workings would show that it was put together for a purpose- someone must have designed it and made it just right for the purpose- that designer is God
15
Q
what is F.R Tennnant’s theory towards the Design Argument?
A
- God designed the world so everything in it was just right for human life to develop- if everything was just a tiny bit different, life would not exist
16
Q
why might some people object to the Design Argument?
A
chance, evolution, people suffering
17
Q
what is the First Cause Argument?
A
there must be an uncaused cause that made everything else happen
18
Q
what is the logical chain of reasoning for the First Cause Argument?
A
- everything that exists/ begins to exist must have a cause
- as the universe exists & had a beginning, it must also have a cause
- there must be something existing with no cause to cause everything else to exist
- that eternal first cause must be God
- this means that God must exist
19
Q
what is the First Cause Argument also known as?
A
the Cosmological Argument
20
Q
why can God not have a cause?
A
He is supreme and a higher power
21
Q
what is Figgerson’s argument to the Cosmological Argument?
A
- perhaps nothing caused the universe to exist- perhaps its existence is just a brute fact
22
Q
what is the argument for miracles proving God’s existence?
A
these actions cannot be explained by science so therefore they must be the result of God’s intervention
22
Q
what do Theists believe miracles are?
A
the action of God and prove His existence
22
Q
what do miracles show?
A
God’s love and help to strengthen a believer’s faith
23
what do Atheists believe about miracles?
they are no more than happy coincidences and they can be explained by science or people being delusional and lying
24
what do Theists believe about miracles?
- if there is no scientific explanation for an event, it must be caused by something outside nature
- God is the only thing that exists outside nature
- these events must be the result of God's intervention in the world
- therefore, God must exist
25
what would Atheists and Agnostics believe about miracles?
- miracles are no more than luck coincidences
- they may have scientific explanations we don't know about yet
- miracle healings could be the result of mind over matter or misdiagnosis
- some miracles are deliberately made up for fame or money
- therefore, what appears to be a miracle has nothing to do with God- therefore they cannot prove God exists
26
problem with miracles: (mistakes)?
- all miracles require you to believe in eyewitnesses
- people can be mistaken about what they have seen and heard
- some people will tell lies if it is to their benefit
27
problems with miracles: suffering?
if God performs miracles, why doesn't he use a miracle to feed all starving people?
27
problems with miracles: science?
science can now explain many miracles so perhaps in the future, it will be possible to explain all miracles
27
how might miracles affect a religious believers attitude towards God?
- they may be more devoted to God
- devote their life to God
28
what criteria do miracles have to follow?
- time span
- severity
- making sure the preexisting conditions beforehand was diagnosed
- evidence (medical) to show the evidence of the heal
29
what are Muslim responses to miracles?
- miracles are not significant/important today
- the most important miracle is the Revelation of the Qur'an
29
what would Christians and Muslims respond to the existence of God being challenged by evil & suffering?
- there does not need to be conflict between religion & science
- evil and suffering exist because of free will
29
what is the Inconsistent Triad?
1) God is benevolent- but if God is good, why does he want evil & suffering in the world?
2) God has the power to do anything (omnipotent) but if God is powerful, he must be able to get rid of evil & suffering
3) there is suffering in the world so either God is not good, or all-powerful or God does not exist
30
what would some Christians believe about the problem of evil & suffering? q
- the Garden of Eden- Adam and Eve's mistakes have caused human suffering & death
30
how can religion and science coexist: different spheres of human life?
- religion- feeling
- science- knowledge
30
how would Christian's respond to the problem of evil & suffering?
- evil & suffering helps people to grow develop
- we would not know what good is if we do not experience evil
- free will
31
what are some reasons why science & religion can coexist?
- science is one of human's greatest achievements- God's greatest gift given to humans
- religion & science can make a great partnership
- science & religion should work together
32
what would some Muslim responses be to the problem of evil and suffering?
- same as Christians (not Garden of Eden)
- suffering is a test from God to see if you will give into the Devil/ stop believing in God
32
what would an Atheist approach be to humans having thumbs?
- humans evolved from chimps- hands to fingers/ thumbs
- happened naturally
32
science & religion coexisting: the world?
science helps Christians to reach a more complete understanding of the universe that God created
33
science & religion coexisting: the Bible?
the Bible talks about the same reality as described by science, history, politics & other social sciences
33
what would an Atheist approach be to everything is just right for human life to develop?
humans have developed to match the Earth
34
what reasons might God have to interact with people?
- to help people if they are struggling
- God can give advice
35
what is special revelation?
a form of revelation where God reveals themselves through remarkable experiences usually only open to one or a small group of people- often through a religious experience
35
what are Muslim beliefs around special revelation?
- Muslim's have no concept of special revelation
- divine revelations are only for the prophets and messengers- the last of which was Muhammad
- Muslim's believe it is possible for God to send angels as a spiritual experience but nobody can claim to be a prophet/ messenger
35
what are some forms of special revelation?
visions, dreams, miracles or hearing God's call directly
36
what is general revelation?
God making himself known through ordinary experiences
36
what is a vision?
seeing something that shows something about the nature of God or the afterlife
36
what might be the alternative explanations for special revelation and visions?
- hallucinations/ dreams
- drugs/ alcohol
- mental health issues
37
what is enlightenment?
- how to end suffering and achieve happiness
- this will ultimately allow Buddhist's to escape the cycle of birth, death & rebirth
37
what might the natural world tell us about God?
the world is so large that it shows how powerful God is
38
what is general revelation closely linked to?
the Design Argument
39
what are 4 ways in which Christians can get general revelation?
1) seeing God's presence in nature
2) when they worship God
3) read the scriptures- Bible
4) through the lives and work of religious leaders
40
how might Christians believe that nature reveals the divine?
- the beauty & order of the natural world
- nature gives believers an insight into God
- by looking at the world, believers might think that God is creative, powerful etc
41
how might Muslims believe that nature reveals the divine?
the Qur'an has many verses that speak of the natural world as a sign of God's power and his love for his creation
42
what do Christians and Muslims believe about scripture?
- scripture shows what God is like
- how God acted in the past
- how God wants people to live
43
what are some examples of special revelation?
- receiving a prophecy from an angel
- seeing Jesus during a near death experience
- experiencing a healing miracle
44
what do Christian's and Muslim's see God as being?
- omnipotent
- omniscient
- omnibenevolent
- personal
- impersonal
- immanent
- transcendent
45
what does omniscient mean?
all knowing
46
what does personal mean?
God is an individual whom people are able to have a relationship or feel close to
47
what does omnipotent mean?
almighty, having unlimited power
48
what does omnibenevolent mean?
all- loving, all-good
49
what does immanent mean?
God is present and involved with life on Earth and in the universe
50
what does transcendent mean?
God is beyond and outside life on earth and the universe
51
what does God being impersonal mean?
God has no human characteristics, is unknowable and mysterious
52
what are some of the 99 names of Allah?
- the All Mighty
- the Protecting Friend
- the Most Just
52
can God be present in the world & separate from the world at the same time?
Yes- God is God so can do anything & everything
52
should God act within the world?
yes- if He created the world he should be able to act within it
53
can God be both personal and impersonal, immanent and transcendent? (Christianity)
- God is not bound by human constraints
- God can be everything
- God can be many different things at once- (The Trinity)
54
can God be both personal and impersonal, immanent and transcendent? (Islam)
- the 99 names of Allah- all apparent differences in God's personality/ nature- explains the diversity & differences of Allah
55
why might revelations be hard to prove?
they are subjective, personal experiences
56
how might Christians and Muslims respond to the claims of people making up religious experiences?
they may believe it is sinful as it is lying and not being truthful to God- which you should not do
