Category: Think & Discuss

Thought Guide Posts

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Does Earth Reveal Anything About God?

Most people who believe in God or a higher power believe that God’s power has been revealed through the intricacies of the world we live in and the creatures who inhabit it, humans included! However, some scientists argue that evolution is responsible for the world as we know it. So what’s true?

Here’s what we know:
1. The theory of evolution refers to a process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth.
2. An estimated 8.7 million species live on earth (read the article for yourself here). There are 5,416 different types of mammals, 228,450 types of sea animals, 9,000-10,000 types of birds, 391,000 types of plants (369,000 being flowers), and 60,000 types of trees.
3. Science does not, in fact, disprove the existence of a creator God.

Science and the earth are both so vast and complex that it is possible to make a case for many different theories. It all boils down to a person’s premise, i.e. whether or not that person believes in God, because that’s the lens that person will be interpreting evidence through. If you don’t believe in God, there are arguments to be made for why our existence can be explained without relying on a creator. And if you do believe in God, there are arguments to be made for why our existence as we know it would not be possible without intervention from a higher power. The important thing to remember is that your opinion should be evidence-based and even though your evidence may not be enough for someone else, that’s okay.

What, if anything, do you believe creation reveals about God and why? Why do you think so much diversity exists and do you think humanity’s diversity reflects the diversity found in other species? What, if anything, does that diversity say about God? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Who Do You Say God Is?

Last week, we discussed whether or not God exists. If you don’t believe that God exists, that discussion kind of just ends there lol But for those who do believe that God exists, the next logical question is, “Who do you say God is?”

Again, the answer may seem obvious, but is it? Because the importance of asking that question is less about trying to define who God is and more about setting a foundation for the rest of your ideological framework. Why? Because everything you believe rests on who you believe God to be.

Here’s what we know:
1. Every culture has had a unique experience with what they consider to be some version of a higher power, and that experience is reflected in their religious ideologies.
2. It’s impossible for any one person or group to have a monopoly on knowledge regarding a higher power because we are all limited.
3. Whatever you believe about a higher power should be worth believing in and it should make sense.

Knowing who you believe God to be is imperative for establishing a clear line of reasoning from “point A” (who you say God is) to “point B” (your beliefs regarding your responsibilities to God, yourself, and others) to “point C” (how you interact with the world around you). That might seem pretty straightforward, but it’s super easy for those points to disconnect. For example, it’s easy to say that you believe God is (insert characteristic here), but if your beliefs regarding your responsibilities to God, yourself, and others don’t reflect that… if you’re not representing a God who is (insert characteristic here) in your interactions with the people around you…do you really believe that God is (insert characteristic here)? Or are you saying it because it sounds good while your actions communicate something else?

It’s also important to remember that your mindset about who God is should make sense. Believing that God has qualities that create contradictions within God’s character could create inconsistencies in your belief system . . . which turns into inconsistencies in how you treat people and how you interact with the world around you. Our actions are what give insight into who we are and the beliefs that make us that way and people are going to be turned off from you and your beliefs if they can’t count on you (and whatever God you are representing) to be consistent.

Those are some points to consider as you take some time this week to think about who you believe God is. Who DO you say God is? And what makes you believe that about God? Share your thoughts below!

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Does God Exist?

The answer seems obvious, right? If you do believe in God, God’s existence isn’t even a question. And if you don’t believe in God, God’s non-existence isn’t even a question. So how do we figure out what’s true?

Here’s what we know:

  • If there is a God, no one living today has seen God in the same tangible way we can see and interact with each other.
  • No one living today has ventured beyond our solar system, so no one can definitively say what is or is not out there.
  • We’re all limited and we only utilize about 10% of our brainpower, so there’s a lot out there lurking beyond what we’re currently capable of understanding.

That said, understanding the power of believing is a game-changer. To believe something is to “accept [it] as true; feel sure of the truth of.” Believing does not mean that something is, in fact, true. Believing means that you accept and feel sure that something is true, even if you can’t tangibly prove it. So when we ask the question, “Does God exist?”, it’s less about what’s actually true (because that can’t be definitively proven one way or the other) and more about what you believe to be true and why you believe it. Another word for that belief is faith.

The definition of the word “faith” is having “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” When it comes to both believing (and sometimes not believing) in God, faith is a necessary element. However, what is not necessary is unsubstantiated (i.e. blind) faith, and it’s important to know what your faith, or lack thereof, is based on. Evidence-based belief is subjective because the type of evidence that is good enough for one person may not be good enough for someone else, but that’s okay because that’s kind of the point. Your faith or lack of faith in something shouldn’t be based on what’s good enough for someone else. In order to have faith in something, you have to be able to have complete trust in it, and what each of us needs to feel confident in doing that varies. If you know what you believe or what you don’t believe and why, that’s amazing, and we’d love to hear the reasons why you’re so confident. But if you don’t have that confidence, that’s okay, too, because it means you’re thinking and you have questions, which means you’re open to finding the answers you need to nail down what you believe, and that’s what’s most important.

Do you believe in God? Why or why not? What evidence do you base your belief on? Let us know in the comments below!