Believing in GodBelieving in God(or not)(or not)

THEISmTHEISm – THEre IS a God– THEre IS a God(someone who believes in God is called a THEIST)(someone who believes in God is called a THEIST)

AtheismAtheism – God DOES NOT exist – God DOES NOT exist(someone who doesn’t believe in God is called an (someone who doesn’t believe in God is called an

ATHEIST)ATHEIST)

AGNOsticismAGNOsticism – Not knowing if there is a God – Not knowing if there is a God(someone who isn’t sure / doesn’t know if God exists (someone who isn’t sure / doesn’t know if God exists

is called an AGNOSTIC)is called an AGNOSTIC)

Believing in God: Key wordsBelieving in God: Key words•agnosticism agnosticism not being sure whether God not being sure whether God existsexists•atheism atheism believing that God does not existbelieving that God does not exist•conversion conversion when your life is changed by when your life is changed by giving yourself to Godgiving yourself to God•free will free will the idea that human beings are free the idea that human beings are free to make their own choicesto make their own choices•miracle miracle something which seems to break a something which seems to break a law of science and makes you think only God law of science and makes you think only God could have done itcould have done it•moral evil moral evil actions done by humans which actions done by humans which cause sufferingcause suffering

• natural evil natural evil things which cause suffering but things which cause suffering but have nothing to do with humanshave nothing to do with humans

• numinous numinous the feeling of the presence of the feeling of the presence of something greater than yousomething greater than you

• omni-benevolent omni-benevolent the belief that God is all-the belief that God is all-goodgood

• omnipotent omnipotent the belief that God is all-the belief that God is all-powerfulpowerful

• omniscient omniscient the belief that God knows the belief that God knows everything that has happened and everything everything that has happened and everything that is going to happenthat is going to happen

• prayer prayer an attempt to contact God, usually an attempt to contact God, usually through wordsthrough words

Religious upbringingReligious upbringingas a reason why people as a reason why people believe..believe.. Taken to church – Taken to church –

surrounded by believerssurrounded by believers Sunday school – taught God Sunday school – taught God

existsexists Taught to pray and read Taught to pray and read

Bible at homeBible at home Go to religious school –Go to religious school –

Assemblies & RE lessonsAssemblies & RE lessons All make it natural to All make it natural to

assume assume God existsGod exists

Arguments forArguments for DesignDesign

Paley said no-one would Paley said no-one would believe a watch just go there by believe a watch just go there by chance, it’s too complex (it has chance, it’s too complex (it has purpose and design). purpose and design).

The world too is full of complex The world too is full of complex things, like the human eye and things, like the human eye and DNA.DNA.

These too must have been These too must have been designed by someone i.e. God. designed by someone i.e. God.

Another argument forAnother argument for First CauseFirst Cause

Aquinas said everything that happens Aquinas said everything that happens (every effect) in the universe has a cause.(every effect) in the universe has a cause.

This creates a cause and effect ‘domino This creates a cause and effect ‘domino chain’chain’

If you go back to the start of the universe If you go back to the start of the universe something must have caused it (started it)something must have caused it (started it)

That 1That 1stst cause was God cause was God

Religious ExperiencesReligious ExperiencesInvolve a feeling of God’s presenceInvolve a feeling of God’s presence

A feeling of AWE and WONDER from a religious

place

When someone feels god has

ACTED in their life to change their BELIEFS

An act which breaks the LAWS OF NATURE and

can only be explained by GOD

Religious ExperiencesReligious Experiences

All religious experiences convince All religious experiences convince BELIEVERS that GOD EXISTS because BELIEVERS that GOD EXISTS because only he is POWERFUL enough to do only he is POWERFUL enough to do these amazing ACTS and cause SUCH these amazing ACTS and cause SUCH FEELINGSFEELINGS

Lord, please help my nan get

better.

Oooh, that pain in my back has

gone!

Reasons against believingReasons against believing

Reverse the ‘for’ argumentsReverse the ‘for’ arguments Design explained by Design explained by EvolutionEvolution Design faultsDesign faults First Cause – who made God?First Cause – who made God? Answered Prayer – Unanswered PrayerAnswered Prayer – Unanswered Prayer

Oooh, my back still hurts!! I don’t

believe in God anymore!

PRAYER PRAYER

UNANSWERED PRAYERS UNANSWERED PRAYERS can lead to can lead to atheism or agnosticism because…atheism or agnosticism because…People may not feel God’s presence when People may not feel God’s presence when they pray.they pray.They may think God is not listening to them.They may think God is not listening to them.They may wonder why God answers some They may wonder why God answers some people’s prayers and not others.people’s prayers and not others.All this may lead a person to think that God All this may lead a person to think that God doesn’t exist.doesn’t exist.

‘an attempt to contact God, usually through words’

HOW CHRISTIANS RESPOND TO HOW CHRISTIANS RESPOND TO UNANSWERED PRAYERSUNANSWERED PRAYERS

CHRISTIANS THINK…CHRISTIANS THINK…Sometimes God says ‘NO’ because it’s not Sometimes God says ‘NO’ because it’s not part of his plan for our lives or because he part of his plan for our lives or because he doesn’t answer selfish prayers. doesn’t answer selfish prayers. Sometimes he says ‘WAIT’ because it’s not Sometimes he says ‘WAIT’ because it’s not part of his timing.part of his timing.Sometimes he does say ‘YES’ but not the Sometimes he does say ‘YES’ but not the way we expect. They think God knows what way we expect. They think God knows what is best for them. is best for them.

Most Christians think that God answers all prayers but not always in the way people expect…

Scientific Explanations for the World…Scientific Explanations for the World…

The matter in the universe became so compressed that it produced a huge explosion (the Big Bang)

As the matter flew away from the

explosion, it formed stars and the solar

system.

The gases on the earth’s surface

produced primitive life forms.

Through the process of evolution new

life forms came about.

2.5 million yrs ago humans evolved.

EVIDENCE FOR SCIENCE…EVIDENCE FOR SCIENCE… The evidence for the BIGThe evidence for the BIG BANG is the BANG is the RED SHIFTRED SHIFT in light from other galaxies in light from other galaxies shows that the universe is shows that the universe is expanding.expanding.

The evidence for evolution isThe evidence for evolution is FOSSILSFOSSILS that have been that have been found showing new life forms found showing new life forms that have evolved.that have evolved.

SOME PEOPLE THINK THESE SOME PEOPLE THINK THESE EXPLANATIONS DISPROVE EXPLANATIONS DISPROVE GOD’S EXISTENCE.GOD’S EXISTENCE.

RELIGIOUS RESPONSE TO SCIENCERELIGIOUS RESPONSE TO SCIENCE HOW DO CHRISTIANS RESPOND TO THE SCIENTIFICHOW DO CHRISTIANS RESPOND TO THE SCIENTIFIC

EXPLANATION FOR THE UNIVERSE?EXPLANATION FOR THE UNIVERSE?

1.1. Many Christians think the Many Christians think the scientific explanations are scientific explanations are TRUE TRUE and God created the universe and God created the universe this way.this way.2.2. Some Christians say science is Some Christians say science is WRONGWRONG and the world was made and the world was made just like it says in the bible because it is God’s just like it says in the bible because it is God’s

word.word.3.3. Some Christians believe that Some Christians believe that BOTHBOTH the bible and the bible and

science are science are TRUETRUE as one of God’s days of as one of God’s days of creation could be billions of years!creation could be billions of years!

More reasons against believingMore reasons against believing

Evil and Evil and SufferingSuffering

The Problem of Evil and SufferingThe Problem of Evil and Suffering

Christians believe God is Christians believe God is omnibenevolent omnibenevolent (all good)(all good)

so he must want to stop so he must want to stop evil and sufferingevil and suffering

He’s omnipotent He’s omnipotent (all powerful)(all powerful)

so he must have the power so he must have the power to stop it.to stop it.

The fact that he The fact that he doesn’tdoesn’t means he means he mustn’t exist.mustn’t exist. He’s also supposed to be He’s also supposed to be OmniscientOmniscient, which , which

means he must have means he must have knownknown that creating the that creating the world would result in all this evilworld would result in all this evil

Christian ReponsesChristian Reponses Free Will – God wanted Free Will – God wanted

people that would follow people that would follow him out of CHOICE, not him out of CHOICE, not robots. Some people use robots. Some people use their FREE WILL to their FREE WILL to disobey him and do disobey him and do moral evil.moral evil.

Christ understands our Christ understands our pain, because He pain, because He himself suffered on the himself suffered on the crosscross

Reponses - contReponses - cont

The world was created The world was created perfect, but evil entered it perfect, but evil entered it when Adam and EVE when Adam and EVE chose to sin and go chose to sin and go against God’s rulesagainst God’s rules

Christians try to help out Christians try to help out by setting up charities to by setting up charities to relieve suffering, like relieve suffering, like Christian Aid.Christian Aid.

Explain how a programme about religion Explain how a programme about religion could affect a person’s attitude to belief could affect a person’s attitude to belief in God.in God.

Programme: Programme: Bruce AlmightyBruce Almighty

Summary: Summary: Bruce Nolan is Bruce Nolan is

discontented with almost everything in lifediscontented with almost everything in life

and at the end of the worst day of his life, and at the end of the worst day of his life,

Bruce angrily ridicules and rages against God and God Bruce angrily ridicules and rages against God and God responds. God appears in human form and gives responds. God appears in human form and gives Bruce all of his powers, challenges Bruce to take on Bruce all of his powers, challenges Bruce to take on the His job to see if he can do it any better. There’s just the His job to see if he can do it any better. There’s just one rule, he can’t mess with free will.one rule, he can’t mess with free will.

How does the programme How does the programme encourage people NOT to encourage people NOT to believe in God?believe in God?

I’ve also had I’ve also had unanswered unanswered prayersprayers = God doesn’t exist. = God doesn’t exist.

If God existed he wouldIf God existed he wouldstop the stop the evil & sufferingevil & suffering..He doesn’t so he He doesn’t so he doesn’t exist.doesn’t exist.

I have not I have not witnessed a witnessed a miraclemiracle like like in the film or spokenin the film or spokento God so therefore Godto God so therefore Goddoesn’t exist.doesn’t exist.

How does the programme How does the programme encourage people TO believe in encourage people TO believe in God? God?

The film explains why it The film explains why it

seemsseems like God doesn’t like God doesn’t answer prayers. He does but answer prayers. He does but we don’t always realise it.we don’t always realise it.

The film explains that God The film explains that God

can’t mess with can’t mess with free willfree will so so

evil and suffering isn’t evil and suffering isn’t God’s fault.God’s fault.

The film says that if we want to The film says that if we want to make difference to the world we make difference to the world we should ‘be the miracle’. We can see should ‘be the miracle’. We can see miracles every day when God miracles every day when God works through humans.works through humans.