There is more than a scintilla of evidence, whether or not conclusive, and belief in God is quite reasonable. The cosmological argument has never been refuted, it has only been weakened. If we were to find a complex mechanism, like a clock, on a beach, we would not conclude that it had come into being by incremental changes, but reasonable assume that it had been fashioned by an intelligent creature. Even were the existence of God inconclusive, it would still be a rational belief. I will give you some possible approaches:
Message 12986114
1. The Big Bang Theory: there is ample evidence that the universe had a discrete origin. Creation ex nihilo makes more sense than the sudden eruption of time/space from a "virtual vacuum";
2. Evolution: the mechanism of natural selection is supposed to be statistical variation and the competition for resources, creating various niches in which distinct species may flourish. However, it is not clear why the earth is not populated by variations on unicellular organisms, which continue to flourish, and are adapted to a wide number of environments; and, since evolution is incremental, it is strange that there should be not only the differentiation of cell functions, but the existence of complex structures that do not work unless they are put together, such as the eye. As far as I can see, evolution cannot plausibly explain those things, and God must have had a hand in shaping the world that we know;
3. There have been a number of things that I have observed in my life that would reasonably be interpreted as providential unless one excluded the concept. I have taken some pains, in the past, to show the analogy with inferring that someone is following one, where the observed phenomena could be explained by chance, but it is more reasonable to suppose intent;
4. Kant thought that morality precedes belief in God, but creates a moral interest in belief, so that, as long as it is not irrational, it is good to believe, on the grounds that only God can vindicate morality in the long run. I think that our comprehension of morality comes first, and that it enjoins belief in a universe that reflects, in some manner, our moral concerns, which means a belief in God...... |
