Does God Exist?

14th November 2005 The question Does God Exist concerns a great many people. A Google search on "Does God Exist" (including quotation marks) returns, at the date of writing, 297,000 pages (without quotation marks there are over 20 million pages). Does George Bush exist? This question doesn't seem to cause so many people a problem. A Google search on "Does George Bush exist" returns 14 pages. However, the first of these pages isn't really an article about the existence of George Bush, but a debate about whether God exists. Using George Bush as an illustration, the article suggests that, in 2,000 years, most of the population of the world might not accept that George Bush existed.

Does God Exist? If He does, why can't God go on TV to show He exists?

Theis argument is not realistic. In 2,000 years time George Bush's existence is not likely to be challenged. Academic historians have developed various techniques to establish the authenticity of historical data, and in George Bush's case there would be a plethora of evidence.

God is not a historical character

There are very simple ways of proving whether someone exists today.

If anyone doubted the existence of George Bush all they need do is turn on their television and, sooner or later, they would be able to see with him with their own eyes. If there were untrue rumours about his demise, he would be able to go on television and make a live broadcast talking about current events. Evidence could be found to satisfy even the most hardened sceptics.

God (if he does exist) is in the present, with us here and now (although Jesus 'died' 2,000 years ago he was resurrected 3 days later). So Jesus could reveal Himself in the same way that George Bush appears on television.

In fact, at one point in time Jesus was willing to provide irrefutable evidence to at least one sceptic. Thomas said that unless he saw Jesus' hands, the holes made by the nails, and was able to put his own hands in those holes, then he would not believe that Jesus had been resurrected. Eight days later Jesus visited Thomas and provided the evidence that he sought (John 20:24-29).

Why does Jesus not do the same today that He did for Thomas 2,000 years ago, and provide the clear, undisputable, concrete evidence for God's existence?

There are two possible answers to this question, but both of them mean that you are never going to find concrete proof to help you find the answer:

1. God doesn't exist, therefore He can't prove it
   
   
2. God does exist, but His declared intention and apparent practice is to deny concrete proof to those who seek it.

Who Moved The Stone?

God said he would provide one piece of proof: the death and resurrection of Jesus. The question Does God Exist hangs upon this one event. No one can provide you with the answer, because your spiritual development requires that you search for the answer yourself.

If you want to examine the evidence for Jesus' death and resurrection, a book worth reading is "Who Moved The Stone?" by Frank Morison. He was a skeptic who set out to disprove the resurrection but found the evidence too compelling. You will still have to decide for yourself, but you will have taken the first step in exploring the meaning of God's silence.

© S P Myers.