Transcript The-Case-for-God-2 - Evidence for Christianity

The Case for God: Knowing
God Exists
Kedron E. Jones
Apologetics Research Society
www.evidenceforchristianity.org
A Brief History of Philosophy
• The question of God’s existence is a
question of interest not only to religion but
also to philosophy.
A Brief History of Philosophy
• Questions about Metaphysics (What is the
origin of the universe?).
A Brief History of Philosophy
• Questions about Epistemology (i.e., How do
we know what we know is true?).
A Brief History of Philosophy
•
Questions about Ethics (i.e., What is good
and what is evil?).
A Brief History of Philosophy
• Everyone has a philosophy of life called a
worldview.
What Is A Worldview?
• A Worldview is a lens through which we see
the world.
• All Worldviews have axioms.
1st Axiom of Atheism: Metaphysics
The Universe Exist
1st Axiom of Atheism: Metaphysics
God makes sense of the origin of the universe
1st Axiom of Atheism: Metaphysics
The Cosmological Argument
1. Whatever begin to exist has a cause.
2. The universe begin to exist.
3. Therefore, the universe has a cause.
2nd Axiom of Atheism: Epistemology
• Science is the sole source of knowledge and
the sole arbiter of truth.
• “Science proves everything eventually, and your
denying that is just funny and sad at the same
time.”
http://forum.thatfatatheist.com/topic/8913172/1/
2nd Axiom of Atheism: Epistemology
Ways of Knowing
1. Empirical Knowledge (e.g., Science)
2. Reason (e.g., Square Circles are contradictory)
3. Intuition (e.g., John, Mary & Tom)
4. Authority (e.g., people, books, a supreme being,
etc.).
2nd Axiom of Atheism: Epistemology
What Science Cannot Prove
1. Logical & Mathematical Truths
2. Metaphysical Truths
3. Ethical Beliefs
4. Aesthetic Judgments
5. Science Itself
2nd Axiom of Atheism: Epistemology
Atheism & Truth Claims
• Atheism cannot account for laws of logic.
• Atheism cannot account for the uniformity of
nature.
• Ultimately, there is a tremendous amount of
uncertainty!
2nd Axiom of Atheism: Epistemology
God is the best explanation for truth claims
3rd Axiom of Atheism: Ethics
Ethics (i.e., What is good and what is evil?).
“Right and wrong are a matter of opinion, and
as a result, at the end of the day, their
intentions are the only thing that matters.”
http://www.fighunter.com/index.php?page=com
ment_single&c=52473
3rd Axiom of Atheism: Ethics
“…ethics arises from the pressures of the community
on the individual. Man…does not always
instinctively feel the desires which are useful to his
herd. The herd, being anxious that the individual
should act in its interests, has invented various
devices for causing the individual’s interest to be in
harmony with that of the herd. One of these…is
morality.”
3rd Axiom of Atheism: Ethics
“I appreciate that when somebody says ‘Love thy
neighbor as thyself,’ they think they are referring
above and beyond themselves. Nevertheless, such
reference is truly without foundation, Morality is just
an aid to survival and reproduction…any deeper
meaning is illusory.”
3rd Axiom of Atheism: Ethics
What is the Basis of Our Values?
1. Social Convention?
2. Personal Preference?
3. Evolution?
4. God?
If God does not exist then all we are, are accidental
by-products of nature.
3rd Axiom of Atheism: Ethics
God Makes Sense of Objective Moral Values in
the World
3rd Axiom of Atheism: Ethics
The Moral Argument
1. If there is no God then objective moral values do
not exist.
2. Objective moral values do exist.
3. Therefore, God exist.
The Christian Axiom
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your
faith” – 1 Corinthians 15:14
Historical Case for the Resurrection
The Two Step Process
1. Determine what is the evidence to be explained.
2. Inferring which explanation of the evidence is the
best explanation.
Historical Case for the Resurrection
The Evidence
1. Jesus’ empty tomb.
2. Jesus’ appearances alive after His death.
3. The origin of the disciples’ belief in His
resurrection.
The best explanation of these facts is that God raised
Jesus from the dead!
Historical Case for the Resurrection
Evidence #1: Empty Tomb
• The Disciples stole Jesus’ body (Matt. 28:11-15). If
true then they died for what they knew was untrue.
• Jewish/Roman authorities moved the body.
Romans wanted to keep peace and the Jews
wanted a guard (Matt. 27).
• Christ did not really die, he was mistakenly
reported as dead.
Historical Case for the Resurrection
Evidence #2: Appearance of Jesus
• Jesus appeared to over 500 people during a 40
day period at different places.
• Jewish or Roman authorities could have simply
paraded Jesus’ body around the city? That would
have stopped the spread of the Christian message
before it even started!
Historical Case for the Resurrection
Evidence #3: Belief in His resurrection
• Jews had no conception of a Messiah who, instead
of triumphing over Israel’s enemies, would be
shamefully executed as a criminal.
• Either people were lying, hallucinating or they were
telling the truth.
• The most reasonable explanation is that they were
telling the truth.
Why It Makes a Difference that God Exist
1. If God does not exist then life is ultimately
meaningless.
2. If God does not exist then we must ultimately live
with no hope.
3. If God does exist then not only does life have
meaning and hope, but we can know Him
personally.
Questions & Answers
Answering the Fool
Proverbs 26:4-5
“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or
you will be like him yourself.”
“Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will
be wise in his own eyes.”
Answering the Fool