Posted on 06/14/2014 2:34:27 AM PDT by markomalley
Radical atheists love to ridicule believers. They mock our “talking snake” in Genesis but really show their own lack of sophistication in understanding the nature of allegory or symbol in human language. But since I do understand allegory I will let them off the hook when it comes to their own “God-particle” and the language and “blind evolution” (as if a process could have eyes and see or not see).” For, unlike some of them (not all), I attended high school grammar class and understand the nature of allegory, symbol, hyperbole, and metaphor when it comes to human parlance.
But I do have this question: Why is it more rationale to believe the universe created itself than to believe God created the universe?
To quote my own brother George, who is a smart fellow: I’ve always been puzzled why most atheists seem hostile to religion. I guess I would expect a more or an attitude of condescension or superiority because they’re “not so stupid as to believe in God.” And yet they usually feel threatened by religion which usually provides a civilizing aspect they should appreciate. Well said Bother George. Religion has its place in human culture, whether nonbelievers like to admit it or not. It is true, religion has not been without its sins (for human beings are involved). But so has atheist materialism had its sins and bloodbaths: (e.g. Mao, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot and other “unpleasant” materialist escapades).
Can we agree that sin is the universal condition of fallen humanity and move beyond silly attributions for which we are all responsible?
Back to the question: Why is it more rationale to believe the universe created itself than to believe God created the universe? Am I not being asked to ascribe to dumb luck a world that shows forth multivariate, multilevel and intricate order? Am I not being asked to “believe” that a tornado or some other chance event happened tore through the “junk yard” of the world’s elements and produced a fully functioning (at every level all at once) universe with all its moving parts? Why is this “more rational” than to believe that an intelligence (we call “God”) intelligently ordered all this matter? Why is it more rationale to believe the universe created itself than to believe God created the universe?
I would ask concise answers from any atheist who chooses to answer. I realize that science cannot “prove God” using its physical tools. Fine. But why must materialists refute God, a position that cannot be verified using the scientific method? Again the question: Why is it more rationale to believe the universe created itself than to believe God created the universe?
Remember, the key word is “rational” a word to which Atheists do not have full ownership. Stephen Colbert humorously notes that atheists too can have rather irrational reactions to lit win this world. To our atheist interlocutors just this question: Why is this “more rational” than to believe that an intelligence (we call “God”) intelligently ordered all this matter?
If the question is “why is it more rational”? Then the simple answer is because you are explaining the existence of something complex and infinite, by having been created by something infinitely more complex and infinite, which naturally leads to the question of “well, where did that come from”? So the rational is that if the universe created itself, you are only stuck with one level of unexplainable infinity, whereas with god creating it you add at least one and possibly infinite levels of infinity, as how did god get here, how did he get his powers, what kind of realm does he exist in, what created that realm, ad infinitum
My take: Then they don’t have to believe in God to explain the universe happening.
Good homily/article by Msgr. Pope
Wouldn’t that make the universe God?.
Your post #21 is very good.
Well, if he allegedly wrote it more than 20 minutes before my post, then he didn’t write it because He wrote it instead when He made the universe about 20 minutes before I posted.
Here’s how I’ve boiled it down: A self-created universe is an absurdity, while a God-created universe is a mystery. I prefer mystery to absurdity.
Thanks for the ping. Good question. Materialistic science does not address it.
Short answer: it isn’t. Any science worthy of the name depends on empirical observation and verification. Whenever science deals with time, the further away they get from the present, the less scientific it is.
Good point.
For me, God's creativity is no mystery. It is simply awe inspiring.
I stand back and admire all created beauty, artistry in all its forms. That created beauty is from our God-given intellect.
That He gave us an eternal soul is simply generous.
That He gave us free will is scary but logical.
Thank God I'm old and now KNOW that the "straight and narrow" is the ONLY path to take.
Heck I was quoting Msgn Pope. His brother seems to think most atheists are hostile to religion and I disagree with the Monsignor’s (or his brother’s) opinion that most atheists Are hostile to religion.
I think you will find that most atheists as most believers keep a low profile and like the old saw, ‘don’t discuss religion or politics’ they keep their opinions to themselves. It is the loud mouth atheists ( like the load mouth faithful) who get the attention and cause those who are live and let live theists and atheists to be painted with a broad brush of their faith or lack there of.
Yep, that’s it.
Don’t quote me on this .......
Carl Sagan was involved in a scientific discussion with a worthy peer. After a while, Sagan asked his fellow, “if you are so smart, how can you believe in “God”. The fellow scientist replied, “if you are so smart, how can you not?”
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