Updated for clarification: Not long ago, I had an interesting conversation with a friend while talking about the "predicted" rapture, as it quickly moved to his beliefs as an anti-theist. Having no immediate reaction when he said it, I just looked at him in silence, tilted my head, squinted my eyes and smiled in disbelief, not because I was angry, but because (not believing in religion is one thing, but...) I cannot fathom NOT believing in GOD.
His statement, "you cannot prove there is a God, nor can you prove that there isn't one", is what struck me. As I look around at different people and perfectly imperfect trees, breathe, hear the flow of the ocean or the laugh of an entertained child, and experience the smell of a rose or a freshly baked cake, (I could go on and on…) I embrace what I consider "hard" evidence that there MUST be a God.
No God?! Can't even image feeling the void it would leave me. It's also a little frightening to believe in only me. What an enormous weight to carry. As wonderful as I think I am (and I do think I'm a pretty cool person), I cannot, in no way, take credit for entire shaping of the world. I own my role in and connection to it, but no God? Just thinking about the intricacies of the brain and physical body, not to mention the creation of life, makes the notion seem odd...inconceivable. One theory could be that God used evolution to create what we see. I don't know for sure, of course. I wasn't there, but can't God do anything?
Much like God, you can't see or prove "love" either. You just know it when you feel it. Isn't God love? Clearly, my friend and I disagree. Still, I wasn't disturbed by his opinion or even upset because of it. Heck, there are so many people in the world who think like he does. Who am I to invalidate their feelings? He's a pretty smart guy. If someone does challenge him, they need to be prepared. (I'm just sayin'...) Some may have screamed and called my friend names or tried to make him feel like he is evil or unworthy (...and then wonder why people think Christians or people of faith are hypocritical). I didn't. I couldn't. This one admission didn't stop me from caring about him. I simply received his opinion with ALL love and no judgement. You see, I meet people where they are. I think it's just the God in me.
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