Evidence

[luigi]

Is there evidence for god?

It depends on what your definition of evidence is.
Does an expanding universe materializing from an infinitesimally tiny singularity constitute evidence?
By faith, I understand this to be evidence.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

 

[Lucy-Pevensie]

I was in church for 30 years until I figured out that I needed to start thinking for myself and not just believe what I heard from men.

What did you go to church for? Was it a habit you acquired from your parents?
For the record I believe thinking for yourself is a good thing.

It does make me wonder why you are currently asking people for evidence if you don't want to believe what people tell you though

 

[KingdomBrat]

Truth

The [Truth] about what?

 

[timps]

It depends on what your definition of evidence is.
Does an expanding universe materializing from an infinitesimally tiny singularity constitute evidence?
By faith, I understand this to be evidence.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

I think I see our problem: it is the definition of faith. Faith to me is believing in something without good evidence.

 

[luigi]

I think I see our problem: it is the definition of faith. Faith to me is believing in something without good evidence.

Something from nothing as elaborated in Hebrews 11:3 accredited to God is more plausible to me than is something from nothing without any known reason.

 

[timps]

Something from nothing as elaborated in Hebrews 11:3 accredited to God is more plausible to me than is something from nothing without any known reason.

I agree that based on what we know now it is more plausible. So at best you are saying that this is the best explanation we can come up with right now. It would be more honest to say that we don’t know. We used to think that lightning was the gods being angry with us before we actually knew the real cause.

 

[Roughsoul1991]

I was in church for 30 years until I figured out that I needed to start thinking for myself and not just believe what I heard from men.

Good. But many of us have tried to have a conversation related to evidence and you seem to want something else. If science only deals with the natural realm. How long will you wait for science to figure out how the universe came out of nothing before you realize it has to have a supernatural response. Would that be God? gods? Alien? Some massive computer simulator? Can you know if it was God? Or specifically the God of the Bible?

 

[Roughsoul1991]

I think I see our problem: it is the definition of faith. Faith to me is believing in something without good evidence.

The book of hebrews definition of faith includes confidence and assurance. Confidence and assurance is having evidence.


Hebrews 11
New International Version
11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

 

[timps]

Good. But many of us have tried to have a conversation related to evidence and you seem to want something else. If science only deals with the natural realm. How long will you wait for science to figure out how the universe came out of nothing before you realize it has to have a supernatural response. Would that be God? gods? Alien? Some massive computer simulator? Can you know if it was God? Or specifically the God of the Bible?

I think your mistake is in assuming that there is a supernatural. There are things that we just don’t know and if we are honest we will just admit we don’t know. It is a leap to say it Hass to be supernatural, why does it have to be?

 

[timps]

The book of hebrews definition of faith includes confidence and assurance. Confidence and assurance is having evidence.


Hebrews 11
New International Version
11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

I know the Bible definition but it doesn’t make any sense because we can’t have confidence in something that we have not had repeated verification personally. When I get in my car I know that when I turn the key 99.9% of the time the car will start. That is not faith that is confidence in a prior experience. I don’t need to hope that it starts I expect it to start

 

[Dino246]

I think I see our problem: it is the definition of faith. Faith to me is believing in something without good evidence.

Read Hebrews 11:1. There, "faith" is defined for you. It is not "believing without good evidence", but being certain of what you cannot see. There's a massive difference between those two definitions. The first is foolishness; the second is what pleases God.

I had many conversations with someone who flatly refused to accept dictionary definitions for common words, but instead, injected their own 'cultural" definitions. This person would not understand what I was saying, and consistently argued that I was saying something that I wasn't.

In the same way, holding on to your own definition, while reading a book that uses the term in a very different sense, is rank stubbornness. Even if you don't agree with the definition given in Hebrews, reading the Bible with a non-biblical definition of faith will result in you not understanding what you read.

 

[Dino246]

I think your mistake is in assuming that there is a supernatural. There are things that we just don’t know and if we are honest we will just admit we don’t know. It is a leap to say it Hass to be supernatural, why does it have to be?

It sounds like you hold to the scientific approach to discovery.

If so, consider this: Does your mother love you? Can you demonstrate it scientifically?

Some things are outside the realm of scientific discovery. Absence of scientific evidence is not evidence of absence.

 

[timps]

Read Hebrews 11:1. There, "faith" is defined for you. It is not "believing without good evidence", but being certain of what you cannot see. There's a massive difference between those two definitions. The first is foolishness; the second is what pleases God.

I had many conversations with someone who flatly refused to accept dictionary definitions for common words, but instead, injected their own 'cultural" definitions. This person would not understand what I was saying, and consistently argued that I was saying something that I wasn't.

In the same way, holding on to your own definition, while reading a book that uses the term in a very different sense, is rank stubbornness. Even if you don't agree with the definition given in Hebrews, reading the Bible with a non-biblical definition of faith will result in you not understanding what you read.

Can you name one thing that you are certain of that you have not experienced with your five senses?

 

[timps]

It sounds like you hold to the scientific approach to discovery.

If so, consider this: Does your mother love you? Can you demonstrate it scientifically?

Some things are outside the realm of scientific discovery. Absence of scientific evidence is not evidence of absence.

This is a good one: I know that my mother loves me because she has told me and I can see it in her actions.

 

[Dino246]

Can you name one thing that you are certain of that you have not experienced with your five senses?

Yes; the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

 

[Dino246]

This is a good one: I know that my mother loves me because she has told me and I can see it in her actions.

Nurses care for their patients with actions that can be described as "love". What differentiates your mother's actions toward you?

 

[RomanticRevolutionary]

Man is the best proof because man is made in the image of God. Even how man interacts with the world around him is like that of a god.

 

[timps]

Yes; the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

The fact that it is debatable means that we can’t know for sure. Let’s assume it did happen. There were many resurrections reported back in that time, were they all supernatural and where they all the son of God?

Nurses care for their patients with actions that can be described as "love". What differentiates your mother's actions toward you?

I would say that they are different forms of love, yes.

Man is the best proof because man is made in the image of God. Even how man interacts with the world around him is like that of a god.

How do you know what a God acts like if you never met one personally?

 

[RomanticRevolutionary]

How do you know what a God acts like if you never met one personally?

I've met several personally. Besides that point though, just look how man is quite unlike the animals, quite unlike anything in the creation. Man can create and destroy, man can cultivate and domesticate, even the way the animals and plants respond to and are influenced by man indicates man is a godlike being.

 

[Dino246]

The fact that it is debatable means that we can’t know for sure. Let’s assume it did happen. There were many resurrections reported back in that time, were they all supernatural and where they all the son of God?

You may not know for sure; I do.

You're taking a non-scientific subject (your question) and trying to challenge my response from a scientific perspective. Rethink that one.

I would say that they are different forms of love, yes.

Explain that scientifically.

How do you know what a God acts like if you never met one personally?

I have met the One personally.