Belief in God See this unit in 3 parts… Part 1 – Reasons to believe in God Part 2 – Reasons not to believe in God (and how Christians would respond to these) Part 3 – Media and belief in God

Belief in God Keywords Conversion – when your life is changed by giving yourself to God Miracle – something which seems to break a law of science and makes you think only God could have done it Numinous – the feeling of the presence of something greater than you Prayer – an attempt to contact God, usually through words Theism – believing that God exists Agnosticism – not being sure whether God exists Atheism – believing that God does not exist Free Will – the idea that human beings are free to make their own choices Moral Evil – actions done by humans which cause suffering Natural Evil – things which cause suffering but have nothing to do with humans Omni-benevolent – the belief that God is all-good/ all-loving Omnipotent – the belief that God is all-powerful Omniscient – the belief that God knows everything that has happened and everything that is going to happen (all-knowing)

Part 1 – Reasons TO believe in God What are the 4 Arguments FOR believing in God?

Having a Christian Upbringing Features of a Christian Upbringing Infant baptism- parents promise to bring up children as Christians Taught to pray to God Taken to worship God in church Go to Sunday school to learn about Christian faith Might be sent to church school to learn National Curriculum in Christian environment May be confirmed- involves lessons from priest/minister about Christianity and God May have religious experience during confirmation How these features could lead to belief in God Parents tell children about God – children believe parents Will believe God is listening See others praying – think God must exist Learn why Christians believe in God God and Christianity a part of everyday school life Learn more about God and may have religious experience during confirmation

Religious Experience The Numinous – a feeling of the presence of God Conversion – an experience of God which is so great that person wants to change life and commit to God. OR an experience which causes someone to change their religion. Miracles – an event which seems to break a law of science and only explanation is God Prayer – feeling that God is listening to the prayer – e.g. prayer is answered.

Arguments Against Religious Experiences Proving God’s Existence? Coincidence (miracle/answered prayer) Imagination (numinous) Lying (numinous/miracle) Science which hasn’t been discovered yet (miracle)

Design Argument William Paley Paley’s watch - If you came across a watch in an uninhabited place, you could not say it had been put there by chance. The complexity of its mechanism would make you say it had a designer… The universe is a far more complex mechanism than a watch, and so, if a watch needs a watchmaker, the universe needs a universe maker. As the only being that could design the universe would be God, it follows that God must exist. Evidence of Design - Laws of science – e.g. Gravity, DNA, Evolution, Beauty of nature

Arguments for and against the Design Argument leading to belief in God For Anything that has been designed needs a designer Plenty of evidence of design in the world (previous slide) Only possible designer of something as beautiful and complex as the world is God Therefore, appearance of design proves God exists Against Argument ignores lack of design (volcanoes, earthquakes, disease etc.) Science can explain all evidence for design Argument doesn’t refer to dinosaurs Argument only proves there is a designer, may not be God – many Gods, evil God, a trial run.

Causation Argument Cause and effect – whatever we do has an effect. Science says every effect has a cause and any cause has an effect For If we look at things in the world, we see everything have a cause Anything caused to exist must be caused to exist by something else – to cause your own existence you would have to exist before you exist You can’t keep going back with causes, every causal chain must have a beginning – so the universe must have a beginning (a First Cause) The only possible first cause of the universe must be God God must exist Against Why should the causes stop at God? If everything needs a cause, God must need a cause The universe is eternal so causes go on forever (no start) The First Cause (if it exists) could be any type of creator

Part 2 – Reasons NOT TO believe in God What are the 3 Arguments NOT to believe in God?

Scientific Explanations - The Big Bang and Evolution Matter is eternal – can’t be created or destroyed, only changed 15 billion years ago – matter of the universe became so compressed it exploded – Big Bang As the matter of the universe flew away from the explosion, forces joined some of the matter into stars – solar system formed 5 billion years ago Gases on the Earth’s surface produced primitive life forms – amoeba Genetic structure of life forms produce changes (mutations) Any change better suited to the environment will survive and reproduce Over millions of years new life forms produced leading to vegetation, then invertebrate animals, then vertebrates, then humans (2.5 million years ago)

Arguments for and against scientific explanations of the world leading to agnosticism/atheism Scientific explanations leading to agnosticism/ atheism Major differences between what Science tells us and the account of creation in the bible – how long ago the world was created and how long it took Science explains where the world and humans came from with no reference to God Agnosticism - For some this means God may not exist as the argument that you need God to explain why we are here is no longer valid. Atheism – For some this means that God must not exist as if he exists he must have made the world and the scientific explanation is proof that God does not exist. Christian responses 1.Scientific explanations are true and prove God created the universe – it all required very specific circumstances which could not have been chance – God must have ensured it happened. 2.Creationism - Science is wrong and the Bible is right. Evidence for Big Bang and Evolution can be explained by the effects of Noah’s flood. Apparent Age Theory – God made things to appear millions of years old when they weren’t 3.Science and Bible correct. Main parts of Bible story fit with science – 1 of God’s days could be millions of years. “Let there be light” is a direct reference to the Big Bang. Order that God created things is the same as theory of evolution

Arguments for and against unanswered prayers leading to agnosticism/atheism Unanswered Prayers leading to agnosticism/ atheism Not Feeling God’s Presence Many religious people claim to feel God’s presence when they pray. If someone doesn’t feel his presence this is likely to make them feel something is wrong – not praying correctly or no God listening Prayers Not Being Answered Christians believe – God is their loving heavenly father who will answer prayers Some Churches tell congregation about people whose prayers have been answered If their own prayer is unanswered, may begin to wonder about a God who only answers some people’s prayers If prayers continue to be unanswered, this can become evidence that God does not exist Christian responses Selfish prayers God has different plans God may be answering our prayers by giving us what we need rather than what we asked for God is omnipotent and benevolent and knows us better than we know ourselves, so trust God to answer prayers in best possible way Jesus – must have faith to have prayers answered

Arguments for and against evil and suffering leading to agnosticism/atheism Evil and suffering leading to agnosticism/ atheism Natural Evil A benevolent God would not have designed the world with natural evils in it These features must be a result of earth evolving by accident from the big bang. Moral Evil If omnipotent He must be able to remove E&S from the world If omnibenevolent He must want to remove E&S from the world If omniscient He must have known the suffering that would happen If God exists there should be no E&S and as there is either God is not omnipotent, omnibenevolent or omniscient, or God does not exist. Christian responses 1.God wants us to help those who suffer – like Jesus did (we should emulate Him) and pray for them 2.E & S not God’s fault – humans misusing their free will 3.Those who suffer in this life will be rewarded by eternal paradise when they die 4.God has a reason for not removing E & S – we cannot understand – God is divine and humans can’t understand the workings of a divine mind

Part 3 – Media and belief in God

Arguments for and against Bruce Almighty encouraging belief in God FOR When Bruce acts selflessly he gains inner happiness. Morality is the central focus of many religious beliefs, and this is what brings happiness in the film. When Bruce says “yes” to everyone’s prayers it creates havoc. Could explain why people don’t get everything they pray for as God acts in a balanced and fair way. God tells Bruce that He gave people free will. This could explain why we have the freedom to make decisions and people could believe that God gave us this ability. God brings Bruce back to life – miracle. This could explain other things that happen but cannot be explained by the laws of science. AGAINST Could question how an omnipotent being could not influence free will. Film shows God’s responsibilities such as answering prayers – might think it is impossible for one being to carry out all of these responsibilities. Bruce asks if God has ever taken a break from His responsibilities. God replies “remember the dark ages?”. People could question why an omnibenevolent God would take a break from responsibilities. If God existed and was omnipotent, He would have come up with a way of giving everyone what they want without causing chaos, rather than saying “no”.

Arguments for and against Bruce Almighty encouraging belief in God FOR When Bruce acts selflessly he gains inner happiness. Morality is the central focus of many religious beliefs, and this is what brings happiness in the film. When Bruce says “yes” to everyone’s prayers it creates havoc. Could explain why people don’t get everything they pray for as God acts in a balanced and fair way. God tells Bruce that He gave people free will. This could explain why we have the freedom to make decisions and people could believe that God gave us this ability. God brings Bruce back to life – miracle. This could explain other things that happen but cannot be explained by the laws of science. AGAINST Could question how an omnipotent being could not influence free will. Film shows God’s responsibilities such as answering prayers – might think it is impossible for one being to carry out all of these responsibilities. Bruce asks if God has ever taken a break from His responsibilities. God replies “remember the dark ages?”. People could question why an omnibenevolent God would take a break from responsibilities. If God existed and was omnipotent, He would have come up with a way of giving everyone what they want without causing chaos, rather than saying “no”.

Arguments for and against The Simpsons (Homer the Heretic) encouraging belief in God FOR – Suggests importance of worshipping in a building with other belief in order to explore and extend faith. God acts in different people – people of multiple faiths are portrayed as all willing to help regardless of belief of the individual. Flanders’ home is saved from burning as “reward” for his faith. Links to Religious Upbringing – impact of the practices of parents (for or against religion) has an influence on their children. AGAINST During a conversation with God in a dream, the point is made that often religion starts off as an idea against accepted traditions. Suggests that a person may be more interested in seeking pleasure rather than committing to a religion. When the question is raised, many characters struggle to provide a satisfying answer on what makes a good life to live.

Arguments for and against The Simpsons (In Marge We Trust) encouraging belief in God FOR – Despite the challenge to his belief, the Reverend finds the strength to overcome it. Many people will turn to the church or ministers in their time of need. Ultimately, whatever the challenge is that people face, it is faith that will help them to overcome it. AGAINST Personal setbacks often discourage faith and force people to question their belief. Advice can be given by a normal churchgoer, not just a minister of a religion. People will seek the advice that helps them overcome their problems, regardless of where it comes from.