AudreyNicole
Member
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2010
- Messages
- 313
So I'm in college and I really love philosophy so I take a lot of philosophy classes. And generally, these classes aren't filled with a bunch of Christians, so it becomes interesting when we discuss the topic of God.
So far this semester that's all we've talked about. But I'm not complaining. I think it's interesting that centuries ago science and philosophy, even astrology, all had to do with religion and God. All the great thinkers and philosophers developed theories and calculations around the existence of God. Now we use all this stuff to disprove His existence. But I suppose it is just a sign of the times.
Anyway, we just finished our study of Luther and Montaigne, now we are reading Descartes Meditations in which he forms an argument to prove the existence of God. Now, I know that it is impossible to use reason to prove God... that's what faith is for. But I do think it is highly possible to provide a strong case for His existence using the brain that He blessed us with (we have reason and logic, we ought to use it for God's glory). So, even though I don't think Descartes is going to change any hearts, and it might even be a helpless cause, I do think he is right in at least trying to do so.
I just recently learned about the way God hardens hearts and closes the eyes of the wicked to His light and truth, and now I see that at work in my philosophy class. Its funny how people will get so fired up and closed minded when the issue of God is brought up, but that just further proves His existence for me. But its so funny sitting there in class watching all these people try to understand God and trying to understand the ways of the world, as I just sit there smiling because I understand it all... it's also difficult because I know they're are not going to ever understand it unless they are saved. So then you try and explain this to them, and they get kind of brazen and arrogant and decide they must not be saved because they don't understand, and they think they never will, therefore they will never try to....
It's kind of a futile circle argument trying to get these people to understand... but again, that just goes to prove what the bible says. There is one guy in my class in particular whom I'm concerned about. I recently just did a bible study on blasphemy against the spirit and I do think he models this quality well unfortunately. I overheard him saying the other day that he thinks any argument that has 'God' in it is automatically wrong or discredited. To people like this it is so hard to try and explain because their minds are already closed to the idea, just like the bible says, their hearts are hardened.
But fortunately not everyone in the class is like this. Many will at least try to follow the argument of Descartes and remain open to his claims. But, like I said, I notice a growing sense of uneasiness the stronger the arguments for God get. Some of them are quite logical, and make reasonable sense, and I think people get very agitated and defensive at these claims because of just how logical they are. And that is what ultimately gets their minds closed off.
So anyway, I suppose the moral of this little life experience is that we cannot prove the existence of God simply by reason or logic, that the only way people will ever 'see' the truth is through the way we live our lives. We, as children of God, must live the truth so that they can see it right before their eyes and, hopefully, find the evidence they need. This means that we must be "on our game", fully living out the truth of God in His spirit in everything we do, everyday of our lives so that through us His spirit can reach out to find others.
So far this semester that's all we've talked about. But I'm not complaining. I think it's interesting that centuries ago science and philosophy, even astrology, all had to do with religion and God. All the great thinkers and philosophers developed theories and calculations around the existence of God. Now we use all this stuff to disprove His existence. But I suppose it is just a sign of the times.
Anyway, we just finished our study of Luther and Montaigne, now we are reading Descartes Meditations in which he forms an argument to prove the existence of God. Now, I know that it is impossible to use reason to prove God... that's what faith is for. But I do think it is highly possible to provide a strong case for His existence using the brain that He blessed us with (we have reason and logic, we ought to use it for God's glory). So, even though I don't think Descartes is going to change any hearts, and it might even be a helpless cause, I do think he is right in at least trying to do so.
I just recently learned about the way God hardens hearts and closes the eyes of the wicked to His light and truth, and now I see that at work in my philosophy class. Its funny how people will get so fired up and closed minded when the issue of God is brought up, but that just further proves His existence for me. But its so funny sitting there in class watching all these people try to understand God and trying to understand the ways of the world, as I just sit there smiling because I understand it all... it's also difficult because I know they're are not going to ever understand it unless they are saved. So then you try and explain this to them, and they get kind of brazen and arrogant and decide they must not be saved because they don't understand, and they think they never will, therefore they will never try to....
It's kind of a futile circle argument trying to get these people to understand... but again, that just goes to prove what the bible says. There is one guy in my class in particular whom I'm concerned about. I recently just did a bible study on blasphemy against the spirit and I do think he models this quality well unfortunately. I overheard him saying the other day that he thinks any argument that has 'God' in it is automatically wrong or discredited. To people like this it is so hard to try and explain because their minds are already closed to the idea, just like the bible says, their hearts are hardened.
But fortunately not everyone in the class is like this. Many will at least try to follow the argument of Descartes and remain open to his claims. But, like I said, I notice a growing sense of uneasiness the stronger the arguments for God get. Some of them are quite logical, and make reasonable sense, and I think people get very agitated and defensive at these claims because of just how logical they are. And that is what ultimately gets their minds closed off.
So anyway, I suppose the moral of this little life experience is that we cannot prove the existence of God simply by reason or logic, that the only way people will ever 'see' the truth is through the way we live our lives. We, as children of God, must live the truth so that they can see it right before their eyes and, hopefully, find the evidence they need. This means that we must be "on our game", fully living out the truth of God in His spirit in everything we do, everyday of our lives so that through us His spirit can reach out to find others.
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