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| Rene Descartes famously said, "Cogito ergo sum." |
Thursday of the week is devoted to airing out religion and religions. The column's title, "Thor's Day," comes from the etymology of the word Thursday, literally "Thor's Day."Proofs for the existence of God include the argument from design, which is probably the most popular of the commonsensical arguments. The world appears to have been designed, so it must have had a designer, and who could that have been?
The proofs include several others as well. They can be categorized in various ways. We don't need to survey them here; Wikipedia does a creditable job. You can go deeper in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Proofs for the non-existence of God have also been constructed. The Wikipedia article has a section on those.
The thing is, though, the underlying proof for God's existence is simply something like this:
I believe in God. Therefore, God exists.Almost all (if not literally all) of the others began the same way. People started with their given belief and, for whatever reason, sought an argument that would establish the belief as 100% true.
The main use for such proofs has been to attempt to convert people who didn't believe—people, that is, whom it wasn't easier to just frighten into believing with fantastical horrors about eternal punishment or actual horrors provided by means of the rack or other instruments of torture.
Not many people started from a position on non-belief and actively sought to prove that they were wrong.
You left out an important proof, Morris — the Particle Physicist's Proof. One way to define God is "that force/power/entity (pick one) that can make something out of nothing." Perhaps you've heard that a particle has been discovered that creates a field that brings "stuff" (mass) into existence where there was no "stuff." We can now posit that God is this particle or — more gratifying — that the particle is the means by which God creates. The latter alternative gives rise to the question, If God can pull off this trick, what else can this force/power/entity do?
ReplyDeleteKen, this particle that brings "stuff" into existence where there was no "stuff" -- is that what enabled Kim Kardashian to make $18 million last year? In the case of Kardashian and many others like her, what conclusion should we reach about God being proud of pulling off that trick?
ReplyDeleteMoto, in the case of Kim Kardashian the Argument from Design comes to the fore. One look at her and we know for a certainty that God created solid geometry. We can also deduce that God is not a showoff. If He were, He would have added brains or talent to the package.
ReplyDeleteI am I think therefore God exists
ReplyDeleteKen, you may have outdone yourself in the brilliance of your theory. So this omnipotent force that can create anything, and therefore has the power to craft anything perfectly, chooses to add imperfection to the design to avoid being a showoff? And maybe to set an example for maintaining one's humility? Your theory could explain not only Kardashian, but Tim Tebow as well. After all, why else would God go to the trouble of creating a man who is a star athlete, a scholar, a leader, and by many accounts apparently the modern Christian ideal, yet he is a pro quarterback who throws a football only marginally better than the average high school lineman. Your theory could also explain how Limbaugh got hooked on prescription drugs, why several radical right "family values" people have turned out to be gay, why J Edgar Hoover was a cross dresser...
ReplyDeleteOr maybe God is a failed intergalactic stand-up comedian who left his solar system because he was always second to that realm's Seinfeld, and went in search of a place where he could create his idea of perfection, yet show his sense of humor in the process.
Your comment touches on an interesting point, Moto. The ancients knew all sorts of fascinating things about their gods, but what do today's Bible thumpers know about theirs? That he sees all, knows all, and is everywhere at the same time? Booooring! They're totally in the dark about Jehovah's fine qualities, His skills, His hobbies. How many know that He's an exceptional athlete? I've heard He has the best backhand in tennis. They can't even clock His serve! In the kitchen, He's a wonder. He can bake a lasagne that rivals anything at Olive Garden. His skill at blackjack is the stuff of legends. MGM Grand has closed its doors to Him. And to top it off, I hear he's great in the sack! This is the kind of stuff you need to know if you really want to be in awe of your god.
DeleteKen, your in-depth and very humanizing description of Jehovah reminded me of something I read back in high school about man creating God in his own image. Despite having read and studied much of the old and new testaments by then, this was the first bit of writing about the man/god relationship that actually sounded reasonable.
ReplyDelete"In the beginning Man created God;
and in the image of Man
created he him.
And Man gave unto God a multitude of
names,that he might be Lord of all
the earth when it was suited to Man
And on the seven millionth
day Man rested and did lean
heavily on his God and saw that
it was good."
- from the Jethro Tull "Aqualung" album notes, 1971