Fools say in their hearts: There is no God Psalm 14:1

Prepared by: Richard G. Pazcoguin UST-IR

St. Augustine once found himself in search for a deep sense of joy. Though he was extraordinarily intelligent, he realized that his brilliant mind could not give him satisfaction for anything. He lived a life of vices and carnal pleasure, thinking that happiness can be found in the world, but he found himself mistaken. He searched for meaning in different religions and philosophies, only to be disappointed, until he finally became Christian, and realized that the only one who could give satisfaction to mans search for joy and meaning is this Person we call

Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee

 There are many things that are beyond the capacity of reason. Confronted by things beyond human control (e.g. death, calamities), man looks for meaning in a higher power often called GOD History proves that people everywhere have a sense of Divine Longing i.e. an innate desire to know God. Every innate human desire has a real object to meet the need (e.g. thirst-water) Every natural desire has a real objective means of being fulfilled (e.g. quenching of thirst-drink) Since the human craving for God is a natural need, then there must really be a God to satisfy this need

Clive Staples Lewis

IF GOD DOES NOT EXIST:

Our world came about without any cause or source. Everything just happened The laws governing the universe developed without guidance or direction Life on earth is just a product of randomness in a hostile universe Man is without spirit, death terminates existence There is no master plan for mankind, human existence is an accident Morality is societal in origin, therefore no one can make value judgments on others- no universal good, no universal evil

FILIPINO EXPERIENCE: In the University of the Philippines, there is an organization called UP Atheist Circle. In one of their gatherings, the members placed an empty coffin on the stage and draped it with a streamer, on which is written the famous line of Nietzsche:

GOD IS DEAD
Think about this: Isnt it to say that God is dead is also to affirm his existence? How can God be dead if in the first place he does not exist? Even non-believers BELIEVE that they do not believe anything.

ARGUMENT ON MOTION ARGUMENT ON CAUSALITY ARGUMENT ON CONTINGENCY ARGUMENT ON GRADATION ARGUMENT ON DESIGN AND GOVERNANCE

 Objects are in motion Something that is moving cannot move by itself and thus requires a mover A mover is also moved by another mover, otherwise it cannot cause movement There can be no infinite chain of movers There must be a first mover existing before all movement The first mover acts on his own will, not moved by any other mover The unmoved mover is GOD

 A thing cannot cause itself Its cause is outside of itself There can be no infinite chain of causes and effects There must be a first cause which is not caused by anything The uncaused cause is GOD

 Something that exists was first non-existent If everything exists then everything was nonexistent If everything was non-existent, nothing will cause existence There must be a being who is not contingent (does not fail to exist) The non-contingent being brings existence out of non-existence This necessary being is GOD

 Characteristics of objects come in greater or lesser extents If an object has lesser degrees of one characteristic, then there must be someone who has a greater degree, and ultimately the maximum possible degree Therefore, there is someone who has all characteristics in the maximum possible degree This absolute being is GOD

 A conscious mind brings a being to its end or purpose Not all beings have minds but even beings without minds are able to reach their end or purpose There must be an intelligent mind who designs and governs those without minds such that they reach their end or purpose This designer and governor is GOD

 God is the greatest being thinkable The greatest being thinkable cannot exist only in the mind; he must also exist outside the mind If he existed only in the mind, he would nopt be the greatest thinkable being for there are other beings which exist both inside and outside the mind Therefore God must exist inside and outside the mind

Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, as they journeyed back home from the moon, beamed a TV program to earth, during which Aldrin quoted verses 3-4 of Psalm 8: When I look at thy heavensLord, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou has established, I cry: what is man that thou art mindful of him

The Astronauts, out there in the vast space, chose God, not chance.

The Apollo 8 astronauts: Borman, Lovell, and Anders, attributed to God the success of their mission to go beyond the moon, which meant that they would be out of contact from earth for a full forty-five minutes. On December 24, 1968, the three astronauts gave a moving testimony of faith when they read in turn the story of creation in Genesis, to which Borman added this prayer: Give us, O God, the vision which can see thy love in the world in spite of human failure. Give us the faith, the trust, the goodness, in spite of our ignorance and weakness. Give us the knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts.

To me, science and religion are very similar. If we compare how great scientific ideas arrive, they look remarkably like religious revelation viewed in a nonmystical way. The great scientific discoveries, the real leaps, do not come from so-called scientific method but by revelations which are just as real. Dr. Charles Townes
Nobel Prize Winner for his work on the Laser and Maser

While science is not religion, it is a religious activity by its presuppositions, its methods of working, and its search for truth. Dr. Wernher von Braun
Leading U.S. Space Expert

Perhaps we shall end by perceiving that the great object unconsciously pursued by science is nothing else than the discovery of God. Rev. Teilhard de Chardin
Jesuit Priest-Scientist

Science is helping us put a face on God. Charles Coulson

Theoretical Chemistry Expert Coulson believed religious faith was essential for the responsible use of science

Click to play song

Maranatha! Singers - A s the Deer.mp3

As the deer panteth for the waters So my soul longeth after Thee You alone are my hearts desire And I long to worship Thee
You alone are my strength my shield To you alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my hearts desire And I long to worship Thee.

AQUINAS and ANSELMs Arguments http://www.regent.edu ARGUMENT FROM DIVINE LONGING http://www.apologetics.johndepoe.com CROSSING THE BRIDGE http://www.gospelcom.net Mark Link

TAKE OF YOUR SHOES

1972, p.55 Edmond Barbotin

FAITH FOR TODAY

1973, p.13 Erlinda Bragado and Arnold Monera

KALOOB: Interweavings on the Christian Story

Manila: De La Salle University Press, 1998