Philosophy Essay - Miracles and the Existence of God

E) There is a lot of evidence to prove that there is a ‘God’

I personally believe that no; there is not a lot of evidence to prove that God exists. If we look at the famous philosopher Rene Descartes, who said ‘I think therefore I am’ which means you doubt everything in order to figure out what you know with absolute certainty. Although you could be wrong about what you’re thinking, you were thinking it and therefore it exists. If we get rid of everything from what we think is true and what we know is true, how much do we really know? We do not know if God exists, people are brought up from a young age with parents that are religious and will teach the practice of their beliefs to their children and therefore we do not question what authority figures such as our parents tell us. What people deem as ‘evidence’ is questionable, for example in ‘Lourdes, France’ people claim to have been healed of diseases such as cancer and other things. This can be down to an incorrect diagnosis from a doctor. 1/8 Women will get cancer in their life and millions are tested every year, surely there will be mistakes when diagnosing for it. We can not see God, we can not prove God, and so is God really here at all? I can see myself? Others can see me? So I am here. A Christians believe that God is Omnipresent and is everywhere, if so why can I not see him? If he is Omnipotent why can he not stop War, pain, grief and other things we endure? If God is Omni benevolent why do people go to hell? All of the Christian beliefs on God are idealised on the ideal PERSON, we think of what we want, when we need it, when we’re cold we imagine wearing a jumper, when we are a child and are lonely we have imaginary friends, when we are suffering and there is nobody to help we imagine God, this all powerful being that is all loving, all knowing and can help you through your time of need. Christians can use the Cosmological argument that ‘What caused the big bang theory?’ and that everything has a cause but if we look at God, Christians believe that he is the only ‘Uncaused cause’ which contradicts the whole theory. If a Christian uses the Teleological argument that we are all designed and made unique by a creator. But this is contradicted by the question ‘Who created God then?’ it is also disproved by Charles Darwin’s work on the Galapagos islands where he saw that animals of the same species varied due to their living conditions and the challenges they faced in day to day life, this is a perfect example of evolution and how design can be natural.

To conclude, what is evidence? Is it actual evidence or is it what others such as authority figures consider true, we should each come to our own view, just as Christians hold there’s (that there is substantial evidence for the existence of God). My own view is that we are a miracle in ourselves, a miracle of chance, creation and wonder, we should decide our own views and if God is comforting we should believe in it, but this quote manages to sum up nicely. ‘Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing.’ If we are taught something, question it and leave no stone unturned.

-Josh Smith 11E