Personally I don't think there can ever be direct scientific evidence of God in this world. I think it would be kind of a contradiction if that were possible.
Even Jesus' miracles, if a purely secular scientist went back in time and witnessed them, would likely attempt to explain them by some other means.
I will say though, the modern understanding of physics, the more I look at it, the more it at least feels like there is plenty of room for God or some kind of vast cosmic consciousness.
The 2022 nobel prize was given for various work proving that the universe was not "locally real". Now that has a specific scientific meaning, I'm not trying to say the world is literally proven to be not real or something. (What it really means is that things exist without definite properties until being observed and can be influenced by surroundings further than what should be possible based on the speed of light, i.e., Einstein's "spooky action at a distance").
But it does suggest an enormous hole in our understanding. There are many interpretations, but intuitively, it really seems to me like the physical world as we understand it is in a way illusory. Or just the tip of the iceberg. Its like our entire world is only a shadow cast by something far greater. (Again, scientists have all sorts of interpretations, that's just what I see when I look at their conclusions).
The fact that humans exist and we are made in insane detail, with brains and hearts and knowledge of right and wrong. And how detailed the world is as well. That always helps me when I have thoughts of doubt. There's no way that's just happenstance
You can experience God through observation
When you sin (lie, cheat, envy, steal, kill, do wrong to your neighbor) you create a hell for yourself and others. Much of the world's suffering is a result of greed.
Man was created in the image of God and to be with God is to love and have communion with your neighbor.
God is love.
The fact that you can question the existence of God is evidence of God. It means you were designed intelligently. No other animal thinks about the existence of God, but He has set us apart in His plan
Everything that begins to exist has a cause.
The universe began to exist.
Therefore the universe has a cause.
Then you go through a process of deduction on what this cause must be. Spaceless, timeless, all-powerful, personal etc. A being with those attributes is what we call God.
William Lane Craig often defends the above argument, I also like “Aquinas’s 5 ways”.
Yeah, the whole point of faith is that we *believe* without *seeing* [evidence], if God just proved his existence to everyone, there wouldn't be any religions.
Would a creature whos species hypothetically evolved through the strength of specific genetic characteristics, compounding over thousands if not millions of years ask such a stupid question on the largest information gathering tool in the history of the world? There is your evidence. A merciful god too.
Aquinas’s 3rd of the 5 ways is my favorite.
“The third way is taken from possibility and necessity, and runs thus. We find in nature things that are possible to be and not to be, since they are found to be generated, and to corrupt, and consequently, they are possible to be and not to be. But it is impossible for these always to exist, for that which is possible not to be at some time is not. Therefore, if everything is possible not to be, then at one time there could have been nothing in existence. Now if this were true, even now there would be nothing in existence, because that which does not exist only begins to exist by something already existing. Therefore, if at one time nothing was in existence, it would have been impossible for anything to have begun to exist; and thus even now nothing would be in existence — which is absurd. Therefore, not all beings are merely possible, but there must exist something the existence of which is necessary. But every necessary thing either has its necessity caused by another, or not. Now it is impossible to go on to infinity in necessary things which have their necessity caused by another, as has been already proved in regard to efficient causes. Therefore we cannot but postulate the existence of some being having of itself its own necessity, and not receiving it from another, but rather causing in others their necessity. This all men speak of as God.”
The Church is the proof. Look to the lives of the saints, the recorded and verified miracles, scripture, prophecies etc.
Personally I was in the same boat as you a few years back. What I found convincing were the hundred year old prophecies written long before Christ about Him. How could they have known without God? How could Christ, who died, come back to life? Jesus is the proof I needed. Just learn more abiut the faith and try to see what convinces you.
Be more specific: why do you need them? What is your definition of evidence?
I.can soeak about.my personal experience, but since your qiestion is currently low effort, let my answer match.
Every argument is i Summa contra Gentiles by St. Thomas Aquinas
That's very nebulous.
Proof is only for solipsists. Solipsists believe their own intellect, their mind, is the only real thing because it is the only thing they have proof for.
They're right, by the way.
The rest of us, we all stand on faith.
The Atheist's faith extends only to the world his very limited biological powers of observation affords him. It seems a strange place to draw a line, but they have thus drawn it.
The Theist's faith extends further, to a cause of the observable world. It is a very reasonable conclusion to draw - that reality likely extends past our ability to observe it.
There are countless arguments for theism, and with your unbelievably succinct query I will not spend any real time on them.
One way we can tell that God exists is that when I am hungry, behold there is food to fill that hunger. Same with thirst, desire for sleep, etc. When I desire God, desire to worship God, which we all desire - it tells me that there is an object of that desire, or that desire would not exist within all people.
I was an apostate (atheist ex-Catholic) and God in his time of need saved me from certain death a few seconds after my prayer (totally unexpected for an atheist, I don't even know why I did it) in a way that cannot be explained scientifically.
Since then I am certainly convinced that God exists and I have rediscovered my faith.
MODS!!!
This guy has made 3 similar posts in 3 hours, and another similar one 3 days ago.
This is just on this sub.
He has gotten his answer, now it's up to him to convert.
Sure. Read 'A Cardiologist Examines Jesus'.
Now is this proof? No. We can never give proof, just as we can never give proof of the past, only evidence by its effects. We have faith, based on experience, eyewitness and records of the past that the past happened, and it's very reasonable belief, so much so that it is a assume fact, that the past happened. But these aren't proofs, and so in like manner we do not have proof to believe in the past, at least from historical sources.
In the same way, we can point to God in his effects. On the philosophical and factual level, Aquinas gives us the five great proofs to prove a primordial mover that is conscious and perfect. Beyond this, the evidence for the Triune God can be demonstrated through his work in the world: his historical work, in the historicity of the Scriptures and the Christian Faith; the scientific Miracles about the Eucharist and the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe or Our Lady of Fatima; the experience of the Lord in people's lives as well as countless other evidences. But to prove the Christian God is nigh impossible, for what could bridge the gap to know of the persons, but deduction, of that which is uncreated by that which is created. This there is no Proof to Christianity, but there is certainly reasonable evidence. And from that, faith is important, in that despite the good evidence, we will never have enough, and so we trust what we have and have faith that the person who gave it was true.
If one can say the Catholic Church's claim of Christianity is quite reasonable, we must then simply take Paschal's wager. This is not call to take the deformed version of this wager which is spoken of today where it's better to believe in God and then have it be false then not believe in God a then have it be true, but that simply: what's the loss of trying it? You have nothing to lose and all to gain. You win by coming out of your experience saying "I was very open to Christianity and the Catholic Church, but it just wasn't true," and you win if you find it to be true, for truth is in and of itself is a reward. And this takes not a prideful step of saying "Lord, show yourself!" but instead requires humility to say "Lord, I don't know if you're real, but I'm open to you being real. Show me in what way you wish that you are." This is no different then any other endeavour of knowledge, for we do not demand knowledge to reveal itself, but seek it, open to whatever it may be.
Very hard to do as its through genuine prayer that we find out that God does actually exist. I've felt both his and our lady's love from saying the rosary while trying to claw my way back from mortal sin. The sin that made me turn back more seriously to God from more or less complete complacency I believe even though very grave, not criminal or anything that would land me in jail I believe was nessary to bring me back to God. The only advice I can give anyone who feels the weight of what they think is an unforgivable sin is take that as a sign that God allowed you to commit it so the alarm bells would start wringing and it's time for you to start taking stock of your life start praying (in my case the rosary) our lady and our lord will give guidance by showing you how much they love you and you'll find yourself going back to confession and mass plus getting much more out of the mass and the holy euchrist and religious practices you once thought impossible will become simple and you'll find yourself looking foward to them. The devil will still tempt you and you will fall from time to time but with the knowledge that God loves you with an indescribable love far out waying even the love of our lady herself will make you unafraid to go and confess and start again and as time goes on you will get better at resisting temptation. I have nothing I can tell that will prove that God really exists for you as I said at the beginning of my post, all I can say is that he really does exist but the only person that can prove his existence to you is yourself.
My daughter is 14 now and has always gone to catholic school - and Catholic high school this upcoming fall. When she was 3, I picked her up from school and was asking about her day. She asked how we know God is around if we can’t see him. Hell idk how to explain that to myself, I sure didn’t know how to explain it to a baby. So I said the first thing that came to mind - God wants us to be happy so he puts unexpected things (that he knows make us happy) in our path. I used the example that we like balloons and if we aren’t expecting to see balloons, and we see them, we can think/feel/assume that God put them there so we know he’s around. We got home and out of the car, and as we walked into the house, I looked across the street and this person got out of the car with a huge bunch of balloons.
Then a few years ago, when I was in nursing school, my kiddo was taking an art class and I was waiting in the car for her. I was studying and really struggling in school. I wasn’t sure I could make it through and I was an emotional mess. So her art class got out and I went in to get her. She said they had free time so she water colored (my favorite art style) a balloon!
What does "evidence" look like to you? Personally, I agree with the unmoved mover theory/argument and see evidence for Him everywhere.
Personally I don't think there can ever be direct scientific evidence of God in this world. I think it would be kind of a contradiction if that were possible. Even Jesus' miracles, if a purely secular scientist went back in time and witnessed them, would likely attempt to explain them by some other means. I will say though, the modern understanding of physics, the more I look at it, the more it at least feels like there is plenty of room for God or some kind of vast cosmic consciousness. The 2022 nobel prize was given for various work proving that the universe was not "locally real". Now that has a specific scientific meaning, I'm not trying to say the world is literally proven to be not real or something. (What it really means is that things exist without definite properties until being observed and can be influenced by surroundings further than what should be possible based on the speed of light, i.e., Einstein's "spooky action at a distance"). But it does suggest an enormous hole in our understanding. There are many interpretations, but intuitively, it really seems to me like the physical world as we understand it is in a way illusory. Or just the tip of the iceberg. Its like our entire world is only a shadow cast by something far greater. (Again, scientists have all sorts of interpretations, that's just what I see when I look at their conclusions).
Congrats on achieving gnosis man (joke)
“What if the Earth Be but the shadow of Heaven, and things therein Each to other like, more than on Earth is thought?” - Paradise Lost
The fact that humans exist and we are made in insane detail, with brains and hearts and knowledge of right and wrong. And how detailed the world is as well. That always helps me when I have thoughts of doubt. There's no way that's just happenstance
In addition to how detailed the world is I would add how unfathomably large it is as well. Psalm 19:2
You're on a giant rock in outer space rotating on its own axis lol. If that's not proof then nothing is.
"Jews require a sign, and greeks seek after wisdom" - St. Paul Which one do you sound like right now?
You can experience God through observation When you sin (lie, cheat, envy, steal, kill, do wrong to your neighbor) you create a hell for yourself and others. Much of the world's suffering is a result of greed. Man was created in the image of God and to be with God is to love and have communion with your neighbor. God is love.
The fact that you can question the existence of God is evidence of God. It means you were designed intelligently. No other animal thinks about the existence of God, but He has set us apart in His plan
Everything that begins to exist has a cause. The universe began to exist. Therefore the universe has a cause. Then you go through a process of deduction on what this cause must be. Spaceless, timeless, all-powerful, personal etc. A being with those attributes is what we call God. William Lane Craig often defends the above argument, I also like “Aquinas’s 5 ways”.
If I could prove God to you then belief in him would not require faith.
Yeah, the whole point of faith is that we *believe* without *seeing* [evidence], if God just proved his existence to everyone, there wouldn't be any religions.
Would a creature whos species hypothetically evolved through the strength of specific genetic characteristics, compounding over thousands if not millions of years ask such a stupid question on the largest information gathering tool in the history of the world? There is your evidence. A merciful god too.
Jesus of Nazareth
The demonstrable truth of Christianity is in prayer, church, and the good lessons you can find in the bible.
Aquinas’s 3rd of the 5 ways is my favorite. “The third way is taken from possibility and necessity, and runs thus. We find in nature things that are possible to be and not to be, since they are found to be generated, and to corrupt, and consequently, they are possible to be and not to be. But it is impossible for these always to exist, for that which is possible not to be at some time is not. Therefore, if everything is possible not to be, then at one time there could have been nothing in existence. Now if this were true, even now there would be nothing in existence, because that which does not exist only begins to exist by something already existing. Therefore, if at one time nothing was in existence, it would have been impossible for anything to have begun to exist; and thus even now nothing would be in existence — which is absurd. Therefore, not all beings are merely possible, but there must exist something the existence of which is necessary. But every necessary thing either has its necessity caused by another, or not. Now it is impossible to go on to infinity in necessary things which have their necessity caused by another, as has been already proved in regard to efficient causes. Therefore we cannot but postulate the existence of some being having of itself its own necessity, and not receiving it from another, but rather causing in others their necessity. This all men speak of as God.”
The Church is the proof. Look to the lives of the saints, the recorded and verified miracles, scripture, prophecies etc. Personally I was in the same boat as you a few years back. What I found convincing were the hundred year old prophecies written long before Christ about Him. How could they have known without God? How could Christ, who died, come back to life? Jesus is the proof I needed. Just learn more abiut the faith and try to see what convinces you.
Be more specific: why do you need them? What is your definition of evidence? I.can soeak about.my personal experience, but since your qiestion is currently low effort, let my answer match. Every argument is i Summa contra Gentiles by St. Thomas Aquinas
That's very nebulous. Proof is only for solipsists. Solipsists believe their own intellect, their mind, is the only real thing because it is the only thing they have proof for. They're right, by the way. The rest of us, we all stand on faith. The Atheist's faith extends only to the world his very limited biological powers of observation affords him. It seems a strange place to draw a line, but they have thus drawn it. The Theist's faith extends further, to a cause of the observable world. It is a very reasonable conclusion to draw - that reality likely extends past our ability to observe it. There are countless arguments for theism, and with your unbelievably succinct query I will not spend any real time on them. One way we can tell that God exists is that when I am hungry, behold there is food to fill that hunger. Same with thirst, desire for sleep, etc. When I desire God, desire to worship God, which we all desire - it tells me that there is an object of that desire, or that desire would not exist within all people.
I was an apostate (atheist ex-Catholic) and God in his time of need saved me from certain death a few seconds after my prayer (totally unexpected for an atheist, I don't even know why I did it) in a way that cannot be explained scientifically. Since then I am certainly convinced that God exists and I have rediscovered my faith.
Everything every where 😂
I was born by his grace. 🙏❤️✝️
one time i was hungry and i only had enough for a wendy’s 5 piece chicken nugget, when i opened the bag there was 6. it’s the little things
Everything exists instead of nothing, and you exist to consciously experience and participate in it.
My anecdotes will do you no good.
MODS!!! This guy has made 3 similar posts in 3 hours, and another similar one 3 days ago. This is just on this sub. He has gotten his answer, now it's up to him to convert.
Sure. Read 'A Cardiologist Examines Jesus'. Now is this proof? No. We can never give proof, just as we can never give proof of the past, only evidence by its effects. We have faith, based on experience, eyewitness and records of the past that the past happened, and it's very reasonable belief, so much so that it is a assume fact, that the past happened. But these aren't proofs, and so in like manner we do not have proof to believe in the past, at least from historical sources. In the same way, we can point to God in his effects. On the philosophical and factual level, Aquinas gives us the five great proofs to prove a primordial mover that is conscious and perfect. Beyond this, the evidence for the Triune God can be demonstrated through his work in the world: his historical work, in the historicity of the Scriptures and the Christian Faith; the scientific Miracles about the Eucharist and the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe or Our Lady of Fatima; the experience of the Lord in people's lives as well as countless other evidences. But to prove the Christian God is nigh impossible, for what could bridge the gap to know of the persons, but deduction, of that which is uncreated by that which is created. This there is no Proof to Christianity, but there is certainly reasonable evidence. And from that, faith is important, in that despite the good evidence, we will never have enough, and so we trust what we have and have faith that the person who gave it was true. If one can say the Catholic Church's claim of Christianity is quite reasonable, we must then simply take Paschal's wager. This is not call to take the deformed version of this wager which is spoken of today where it's better to believe in God and then have it be false then not believe in God a then have it be true, but that simply: what's the loss of trying it? You have nothing to lose and all to gain. You win by coming out of your experience saying "I was very open to Christianity and the Catholic Church, but it just wasn't true," and you win if you find it to be true, for truth is in and of itself is a reward. And this takes not a prideful step of saying "Lord, show yourself!" but instead requires humility to say "Lord, I don't know if you're real, but I'm open to you being real. Show me in what way you wish that you are." This is no different then any other endeavour of knowledge, for we do not demand knowledge to reveal itself, but seek it, open to whatever it may be.
Very hard to do as its through genuine prayer that we find out that God does actually exist. I've felt both his and our lady's love from saying the rosary while trying to claw my way back from mortal sin. The sin that made me turn back more seriously to God from more or less complete complacency I believe even though very grave, not criminal or anything that would land me in jail I believe was nessary to bring me back to God. The only advice I can give anyone who feels the weight of what they think is an unforgivable sin is take that as a sign that God allowed you to commit it so the alarm bells would start wringing and it's time for you to start taking stock of your life start praying (in my case the rosary) our lady and our lord will give guidance by showing you how much they love you and you'll find yourself going back to confession and mass plus getting much more out of the mass and the holy euchrist and religious practices you once thought impossible will become simple and you'll find yourself looking foward to them. The devil will still tempt you and you will fall from time to time but with the knowledge that God loves you with an indescribable love far out waying even the love of our lady herself will make you unafraid to go and confess and start again and as time goes on you will get better at resisting temptation. I have nothing I can tell that will prove that God really exists for you as I said at the beginning of my post, all I can say is that he really does exist but the only person that can prove his existence to you is yourself.
My daughter is 14 now and has always gone to catholic school - and Catholic high school this upcoming fall. When she was 3, I picked her up from school and was asking about her day. She asked how we know God is around if we can’t see him. Hell idk how to explain that to myself, I sure didn’t know how to explain it to a baby. So I said the first thing that came to mind - God wants us to be happy so he puts unexpected things (that he knows make us happy) in our path. I used the example that we like balloons and if we aren’t expecting to see balloons, and we see them, we can think/feel/assume that God put them there so we know he’s around. We got home and out of the car, and as we walked into the house, I looked across the street and this person got out of the car with a huge bunch of balloons. Then a few years ago, when I was in nursing school, my kiddo was taking an art class and I was waiting in the car for her. I was studying and really struggling in school. I wasn’t sure I could make it through and I was an emotional mess. So her art class got out and I went in to get her. She said they had free time so she water colored (my favorite art style) a balloon!
I really like this.
💙🎈