Word List
Theist: A person who believes in God.
Atheist: A person who believes that there is no God.
Agnostic: A person who believes we cannot be sure whether or not there is a God because
there is insufficient evidence for his existence.
Creation: the act by which God brought the world into being
Cosmological argument: A proof for the existence of God based on the idea that there
had to be an uncaused cause that made everything else happen, cosmological: to do with the
nature of the universe
Aquinas: Either:
1) argued that there was a First Cause of the universe
2) said things can only e kept in regular order by an intelligent being. Said planets, sun,
moon and stars rotate in the universe in a set pattern because God keeps them in this place.
Teleological Argument: The argument that God designed (made) the Universe because
everything is so intricately made in its detail that it could not have happened by chance.
Miracle: a seemingly impossible occurrence, usually good.
Religious Experience: an experience that is outside normal experience, usually involving
the supernatural.
Paley: a philosopher who argued the world was designed by God.
Newton: used the fact that we have opposable thumbs and unique fingerprints as evidence
of design by God.
Evolution: Scientific belief that life forms have changed over time, developing from simple
to complex creatures.
Darwin: naturalist who developed the theory of evolution.
Morality: a system of ethics which distinguishes between right and wrong.
Conscience: the inner feeling you are doing right or wrong
Big Bang: the beginnings of the universe according to many scientists took place when a
singularity exploded and from this explosion, all the matter that makes the universe came
into being
How do we prove things exist?
1. Personal experience
2. Reliable evidence
3. Using a chain of reasoning to reach a conclusion
 Can you apply these ways to prove God exists?
Arguments
First Cause (cosmological argument)
Aquinas argued that everything that exists, was caused to exist. The universe exists, so it
must have a cause. There had to be something eternal that was not caused by anything. The
eternal first cause is God. Therefore God exists.
Remember the domino rally?
How does the measurement of time support this theory?
Problems
Argument contradicts itself. If things exist because they are caused to exist, what caused
God? Theists reply only applies to God because God is outside time and space and eternal.
Universe could be infinite.
If universe does have a beginning, can we prove that it was God?
Atheists use the Big Bang theory to reject God, random event.
(Theists argue God could be the First Cause of the Big Bang.)
Design (teleological argument)
William Paley argued if we found a watch, even if we did not know its function, we would
know that there is evidence of design as the parts have been put together for a purpose. In
the same way, if we look at the natural world, we can tell that there is evidence of design.
Sir Isaac Newton, one of the founders of modern science, said "In the absence of any other
proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence." Newton believed that such
intricate designs as the human thumb, unique to each individual, must have had a designer.
He also used the fact that we have opposable thumbs as evidence of design. Thumbs are
called opposable because they can be moved around to touch the other fingers, which give
people the ability to grasp things. The way in which the thumb can be used to grasp things
is a movement only found in humans and primates, and this is regarded by theists as
evidence of God's design.
Can you think of examples of design?
Problems
Even if the world was designed we can’t prove its God.
Many atheists use Darwin’s theory of evolution to account for apparent design in the world.
Theists reply the fact that humans can write books and create music shows we are designed
by God, why would this happen through natural selection?
Miracles
There are two types of miracles 1) Events that break the laws of nature and cannot be explained by the sciences e.g. Jesus is
said to have turned water into wine at the marriage in Cana
intervention e.g. miracle of Stairwell B
Remember we also looked at Lourdes – why is this linked to miracles?
Theists argue as there is no natural explanation for what happened, then it must be a
supernatural event. The miracle must have been caused by something outside nature and, as
only God is outside nature, then it must be the result of God's intervention. Therefore, God
exists.
Problems
What appears to be a miracle may be something that science can’t explain yet
Theists want miracles to happen, so they give miraculous claims to ordinary events
The cure of an illness may be the result of mind over matter
It maybe that doctors wrongly diagnosed an illness and the person was cured naturally
Some ‘miracles’ are fakes or made up by individuals wanting fame or money
Is God picking and choosing whom is helped?
Some theists don’t believe in miracles as they argue that if they occur, then God is
picking and choosing who is helped e.g. Stairwell B, why did God save 16 people and
allow thousands to die? Shows God is not fair or loving, as God is not like this, then
miracles do not happen.
Other theists argue miracles are not for the benefit of individuals but for everyone.
Miracles prove the existence of God e.g. miraculous healings might be taken as signs of the
existence of a loving God.
Do miracles occur?
Most theists would say ‘yes’, too many accounts of miracles for them not to happen.
Miracles can convert people to believing in God and this is further evidence that they are
genuine. Miracles are often investigated by religious believers before they are accepted as
genuine e.g. 6 million pilgrims go to Lourdes each year hoping for a miracle, but the Roman
Catholic Church only accepts 66 miracles have occurred since 1882.
Religious Experience
Some theists are certain that God exists because they claim to have experienced God.
Religious experiences that believers may claim to have had include:
communicating with God through prayer and meditation
feeling God’s presence in worship – this might be a charismatic event, which is worship based
on the belief that during a service it is possible to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit or this
may occur in a sacrament, which is worship such as Holy Communion where it is believed
that there is an outward sign of an inner gift from God
feeling the presence of God in nature – how amazing the world is, feel God through
wonderful natural sights.
experiencing a conversion Saul, Nicky Cruz, Jusef Islam
involvement in a miraculous event
The problem with religious experiences
Main problem is that they are difficult to prove as genuine. Atheists and agnostics believe
people are mistaken or misled. People might have imagined the experience because they
wanted to believe that God exists. People may have been under the influence of drugs or
alcohol or while ill they could have had a hallucination.
Theists reply the influence of the experience is so great that they must be genuine. The
experience results in people converting to a faith and this leads to life changes. Some
believers are even willing to die for their faith after they have had a religious experience.
Sometimes several people share a religious experience, so they cannot all be hallucinating.
The argument from morality
What does morality mean? Check the word list if you cannot remember.
Theists argue the fact that most people have a powerful sense that they should behave in a
moral way is evidence for the existence of God. Some theists would argue that our sense of
right and wrong is ‘built in’ by God. They would argue that:
People have an inbuilt sense of morality. This sense comes from a source outside of them.
This source is God. Therefore God exists.
The fact that morality is a command that must be obeyed means that it comes from an
ultimate authority and this authority is God, therefore God exists. Some theists argue moral
behaviour must be rewarded, so those who do not get fair treatment in this life are rewarded
after death. This means that God must raise people to life after death in heaven. Some
theists argue that the fact that we have a conscience is evidence for the existence of God.
Conscience is like an inner voice from God that guides our behaviour.
Basic problem of morality
Atheists and agnostics claim morality is part of human development through evolution.
Morality is part of the survival process. Theists respond by arguing this is part of God’s
design for human development.
Theists argue guilt feelings some from God. Atheists and agnostics argue guilt comes
from going against the moral rules provided by the society, religion and/or family in
which they were raised. Sigmund Freud agrees agnostics ask why behaving in a moral
way should guarantee reward and there is no evidence for life after death. Theists
respond by arguing God has provided moral guidance so that people know how to
behave, so they will be rewarded for their good behaviour after death.
Arguments against God
Atheists argue that science is able to provide all the answers and belief in God is no longer
needed. Science is now close to actually creating human life, this may be further evidence
that God does not exist. Evil and suffering shows evidence that God does not exist.
Cruelty in the animal kingdom, natural disasters and people committing evil acts.