Rick’s Rants and Raves

Tomorrow we’re meeting with our soon-to-be-former pastor to explain why we’re leaving the church. In anticipation, I’ve been attempting to clarify in my mind why I no longer believe in god. At best, my belief was tenuous even while going to church. But as I started to pay more attention to the words of the verses, and the hymns  and the sermons, the words had less and less meaning for me. I couldn’t even fake out belief by asserting that it was all a metaphor, with wonderful life lessons to be learned. So, what are the various arguments for belief in god? I went looking, despite my wife’s humorous “why not?”

I recently finished Irreligion, and decided to do some searching on the opposite side. If I ask, what do the religious say about believing? So, I asked the seemingly omniscient Google, why believe in god? The first result was less than inspiring. It has six reasons:

1. The complexity of our planet and universe prove God exists. Sorry. Just because I was once dealt a perfect “lay down loaner” in euchre doesn’t mean that god gave me that hand. Our planet is special and unique, and the universe is amazing, but that doesn’t mean there’s a god.
2. The complexity of the human brain proves God exists. Sorry, there are perfectly natural processes that have lead to the human brain. No need for god.
3.  Random chance can’t explain it all, so God must exist.”… life cannot arise from non-life. Where did human, animal, plant life come from?” Certainly believing in god will prevent you from taking a job as a scientist, looking at a very interesting question. Claiming “God did it” is to ignore the possibility that there ARE natural causes.
4. Lots and lots of other people believe in God, so God must exist because they can’t all be wrong. Yes. They. Can. I’m sorry, but I’m simply not impressed by the “everyone else believes it” argument. We human beings have been known to be wrong on very large scales.
5. “We know God exists because he pursues us.” I’ve got to admit, this is the first I’ve heard this argument.  “I have come to find out that God wants to be known. He created us with the intention that we would know him. He has surrounded us with evidence of himself and he keeps the question of his existence squarely before us.” If he wants to be known, why doesn’t he make it more obvious so that he could rest a bit and not pursue us? How do you know that God wants to be known?
6. Jesus said he was divine, so therefore he is. I’m not making this up. I’m amazed.

Look throughout the major world religions and you’ll find that Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius and Moses all identified themselves as teachers or prophets. None of them ever claimed to be equal to God. Surprisingly, Jesus did. That is what sets Jesus apart from all the others. He said God exists and you’re looking at him.

Well that settles it. I’m God. Therefore Jesus is no longer anything special. Two people have claimed to be God. Therefore god doesn’t exist.

One final quote from the page: “God does not force us to believe in him, though he could. Instead, he has provided sufficient proof of his existence for us to willingly respond to him.” Then why didn’t god influence Google to give me more convincing arguments? If god is pursuing me, why aren’t the answers a bit more clear?

Maybe I’ll find something more convincing on another page. Maybe not. I once read someone’s logic for disbelief this way:

If there is a God, he made me with an analytical mind. For me to not use that mind would be a sin against God. Therefore it is a sin for me to believe in God.

Today, I don’t believe. If there is a god pursuing me, your evidence will have to be more compelling. But after you’re done convincing me you exist, it will be much tougher to convince me to worship you.