Greetings, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Today, as we do every Saturday, we’re going to reflect on some quotes that atheists often share on social media to undermine the faith and hope of believers.
The quote for today is: ‘I don’t believe in God, and I don’t miss anything because of it.’ This quote, attributed to Jose Saramago, a Portuguese writer, isn’t intended as an attack on this person. However, it’s important to have responses that, even if not directed towards atheists, can help strengthen our conviction. This space is for us to have these answers for ourselves, not necessarily to convince atheists, who can be quite challenging to convince with a simple YouTube video.
Let’s delve into why faith is so important and why it’s not a ‘disposable’ gift that one can easily dismiss:
Firstly, faith provides a sense of transcendence that goes beyond the material. It enables us to see the world from a spiritual perspective and find meaning in our life experiences. Believing in God and in something greater than ourselves connects us to a higher purpose.
Furthermore, limiting reality to the material denies the existence of values like love, justice, and tenderness. These values exist in reality but can’t be defined as ‘material.’ This points to the undeniable existence of an immaterial reality beyond what science can study. All that is beautiful, good, and true is evidence of God’s existence.
Secondly, faith in God offers comfort and hope in times of distress. Knowing that divine love sustains and guides us can be a source of strength and relief.
Some skeptics might argue that belief in God is comparable to a state of drunkenness, where the drunk person is happy because they’re intoxicated. However, reducing happiness solely to belief in God doesn’t accurately reflect the complexity of religious experience. The ultimate goal of believers is not just happiness; we believe in God because we know that He’ll be there when we’re unhappy.
Additionally, faith encourages us to explore transcendent questions about the purpose of life, the meaning of suffering, and the nature of good and evil. It prompts us to seek answers beyond the material realm. Without God, only nihilistic, hedonistic, humanistic, materialistic philosophies remain, which have often sown anti-human ideas that bear no positive outcomes.
Regarding ethics, belief in a God who establishes moral norms and principles shapes our decisions and actions towards promoting well-being and justice. In a godless world, moral relativism casts a dark shadow, allowing everything to be permissible. Without a moral compass, humanity could reach unprecedented levels of moral decline. Who would stand up for human rights? Why would killing be wrong? Why would stealing be wrong? Without God, objective morality vanishes, and we can’t deny the essential role of objective morality in human development.
Lastly, faith can act as a catalyst for personal growth and transformation. Seeking a relationship with God challenges us to overcome weaknesses and strive for self-improvement. Without God, this transformation becomes wandering in darkness, where stumbling becomes inevitable. Trying to better ourselves is an impossible task without God.
As a Catholic, I staunchly defend the existence of God as a solid foundation and source of meaning and purpose in life. I believe that the existence of a supreme being provides a coherent explanation for the origin and complexity of the universe, as well as the presence of natural laws and inherent moral principles. The diversity and beauty of the natural world, along with humanity’s capacity to reason and appreciate truth and beauty, point to the existence of an intelligent Creator.
The search for meaning, morality, and transcendence are universal aspects of the human experience that find their fullest explanation in the existence of a God who has designed and sustains all that exists.
In summary, faith is not solely about believing in the invisible; it’s about recognizing a spiritual dimension in our existence that offers meaning, hope, and purpose. Through faith, we can experience a profound connection with something greater than ourselves and find answers to life’s deepest questions.