As we discussed the Reason-Giving Style of Faith Sharing today, Susan shared the two questions unbelievers often have below.
Is the universe highly complex? Absolutely! Take a look around. Since our universe has amazing precision, could it have resulted from an explosion? William Paley gave a great example when he said that every watch requires a watchmaker. Imagine you're taking a walk through a forest near your home. Halfway through your walk you look down and you see a beautiful gold watch lying near a tree stump. Immediately you wonder how it got there. Do you think, "did the wind and rain come together to form such a beautiful piece of art?"
No, you would never think such ridiculous thing! You would think something like, I wonder if someone dropped this beautiful watch. You know that the watch was designed by a very talented watchmaker. It didn't result from the wind, rain, erosion, or an explosion. It has clear marks of design. It has a purpose, it conveys information, and it is specifically complex.
The universe is much more precise and awe-inspiring than that watch. The same characteristics we use to recognize design and something like a watch are the characteristics we use to recognize design in nature. When Isaac Newton studied our solar system he said, "this most beautiful system of the Sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being."
One of the most powerful arguments that the universe has an Intelligent Designer is the anthropic principle, which states that the earth is perfectly designed for life. For instance if the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere was only slightly higher, materials would too easily catch fire. If the carbon dioxide levels were slightly higher, Earth would have a super-hot environment like Venus. If they were lower, plants would not be able to survive.
There are also more than 100 precisely defined constants describing the structure of our universe. One is gravity. If the strength of gravitational force were altered by the tiniest fraction (1 x 1036 or 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000001%), our sun would not exist, and we wouldn't either! Other constants, such as the strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force, and electromagnetism have to be exactly balance, otherwise life anywhere would be impossible.
If God created the world, why does evil exist? Did God create evil?
This is a question that has plagued many people through the history of mankind. It is important to realize that evil was not created in the sense that a rock or a tree was created. Rather, evil is something that occurs and exists. Evil is the absence of good. For example, consider a plot of dirt that is ready to be planted with vegetables. The gardener digs holes in preparation for planting the seeds. What are those holes? In reality the holes are just the absence of dirt. In the same way, darkness is the absence of light and cold is the absence of heat. Evil is the absence of good. When God created the universe, all that existed was good. God gave humans the freedom to choose good. In order for them to choose good, He allowed another choice - evil.
Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?
Natural disasters kill thousands of people, a father hurts his children, cancer plagues a child. We often ask, "why do these things happen?" When God created the first humans, He allowed Adam and Eve the freedom to choose right or wrong. They chose wrong and evil entered the world. Often, bad things happen as a result of evil in the world. Sometimes bad things happen as a result of someone's bad decision. For example, someone driving drunk kills an innocent person. God's creation of that person did not cause him or her to drive drunk. It was a wrong choice that the driver made. In our circumstances, remember that God has a greater good, a good bigger than ourselves. The best person who ever lived, Jesus, suffered greatly for God's greater good.
No matter what situations we face, we can be certain that God is in control of the ultimate outcome whether we are there to witness it or not. God will bring about a greater good from a desperate situation.
Why Believe by Investigate Evidence for Faith By: Melissa Houdmann
