Makagutu, a blogger from Kenya, recently wrote a post entitled Atheism and other random stories. As I was reading it, this comment stood out to me:
That it is in the bible does not make it true.
Non-believers have undoubtedly uttered these very words more than once in their conversations with believers. And I would venture to say that much of the time, it was to no avail because … “The Bible” was written by none other than “God” him/her/itself … and who are we mortals to question “God?”
Which brings me to the point of this posting.
Since leaving the Christian faith, I’ve thought long and hard about the existence of “God.” Of course, like other believers, my vision of such a being was centered around the entity described in “The Bible.” It took many years of extensive research (and deep thought) before coming to the conclusion this “Bible God” simply does not exist.
But what about … GOD?
More than once, I’ve heard/read this statement (or something similar) from atheists: “I can’t say with absolute certainty there is no god (or gods), but I have not come across any tangible, concrete evidence to support the existence of such a being.” Many who feel this way often call themselves “agnostic atheists.”
I suppose there is the remote possibility a supernatural being does exist. And there’s even the potential this being created the universe and all that goes with it.
However, the question that comes to my mind is … if such an all-powerful entity does exist, why would it be interested in the minutiae of human life?
As I’ve indicated elsewhere on this blog, I do believe in a “Universal Presence.” But this is not the same as a god. It is more of a feeling, a sense of awe at the grandeur of the cosmos. Carl Sagan said we are all “star stuff.” In other words, we are made up of the same atoms that make up the stars. Neil deGrasse Tyson added to this when he said: “We are not simply in the universe. The universe is in us.”
In answer to the usual question from Christians regarding how everything got started … I don’t know. And I really don’t care. I’m here now and I intend to enjoy every moment of my existence. If others want to believe a metaphysical entity lives somewhere “up there” and is interested in the “sinfulness” of humankind, that’s their prerogative.
What say you? What’s your view/perspective/position about GOD?
I would love for my Christian readers to share their thoughts about the existence of GOD as well, but from a personal standpoint, not just quotes and/or references from the bible. 🙂
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