Introduction- Why Is God's Existence So Important?
One of the most heated debates in any setting is the existence of God. If God exists, then He is the foundation for objective morality. One's view of morality governs their thinking in everything from politics to workplace interactions, from scientific research to everyday behavior. If God exists, then there are objective behavioral boundaries which should never be crossed. If God does not exist, then no such objective boundaries exist, and anyone may behave however they wish in any situation without concern for the violation of some objective standard (that is not to say that relative/cultural/legal standards cannot be violated- but that is a topic for another time). If we do not examine this question carefully, we risk believing what is false about reality and morality, and such false beliefs will necessarily lead to behaviors that are not in keeping with reality and morality. This means that many of the political and ethic debates opposing people have come down to whether or not God exists.Presenting A Cumulative Case for God's Existence
Numerous lines of evidence and philosophical arguments have been presented over the centuries for God's existence. All of them come together to create a powerful cumulative case. Much like a detective's case for the guilt of an accused murderer, multiple independent lines of evidence are presented that all point to the guilt of the accused. If such a method is valid for discovering the truth behind the claim that a murder took place and for the specific identity of the murdered, then the same method is also valid in determining the truth behind the claim that God exists and the identity of this God.God's Crime Scene
One of my favorite books that takes some of these arguments and presents the cumulative case comes from cold-case homicide detective J. Warner Wallace. In his book "God's Crime Scene: A Cold-Case Detective Examines The Evidence For A Divinely Created Universe." Wallace presents seven independent lines of evidence that all point to God's existence in the same way that he would present multiple lines of evidence to a jury for the guilt of an accused murderer. The lines of evidence he presents are summarized in these quotes from the book:
1. The Beginning- "The Standard Cosmological Model accepted by physicists today is grounded on the foundational premise that the universe came into being from something beyond the space, time, matter, and energy of our universe."
2. Signs of Design- "The totality and interconnected nature of our galaxy's unique backstory, along with its rare circumstances and unlikely conditions, overwhelmingly indicate design."
3. Consciousness- "In order to think rationally about our thoughts, we must have the freedom to do so, but this freedom is unavailable if the laws of physics and chemistry are controlling our thoughts."
4. Law and Order (Morality)- "Naturalism cannot adequately explain the existence of objective moral truths or objective, transcendent personal obligations."
5. The Origin of Life- "With each passing year, the level of complexity and interaction at the cellular level has become more apparent and more difficult to explain."
6. Free Will- "Choice is a feature of design and a reflection of intelligent agency. Designers make conscious choices between options. Their designs often reflect these decisions, especially when other options are available."
7. Evidence of Evil- "True evil requires a source of transcendent righteousness, a source for goodness that transcends the universe and everything in it."
Wallace concludes by stating that as a detective, who must follow the evidence where it leads, "I believe God exists because the evidence leaves me no reasonable alternative." If the objective standard of morality exists (God), then that standard is what must be used to judge ethical and political positions.
Conclusion- Prepare For Your Ethical Discussions With Objective Evidence For God's Existence
If you find yourself involved in discussions of an ethical or political nature or just want to be able to more critically evaluate the political and ethical claims of others, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Wallace's book to help establish a foundational point on which to begin evaluation and discussion. While not comprehensive on the case for God's existence, it is one of the most accessible and engaging books on this topic, and it should not be passed up by anyone serious about investigating the truth of reality and morality.For more great books on God's existence, check out the many books that I have reviewed on this blog, and for the topic of ethics and politics, specifically, please check out my Top 5 Recommended Books for diving into those details.
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