Time for some more fun.
Challenge: Using logic, prove that the God of the Bible is a logical candidate for the creator of the universe.
1. Principle of Cause and Effect: No effect can be greater than its cause. Therefore, whatever led to the universe must be equal to or most likely, greater than the universe, i.e. "outside" of it.
Inference: The Creator is outside of the natural universe (the Creator is not a part of the universe)
2. Since each Cause MUST BE equal to or greater than it's Effect, the Creator must be equal to or (most-likely) greater than any aspect of the Effect. Example: The universe is an Effect of a previous Cause. Since the entire universe is the Effect, no aspect within that universe can be greater than the Cause. So---what is the universe? It is the combination of Time-Space-Matter/Energy
Inference: The Creator must be greater than Time. What do we call something that has no beginning or end? ETERNAL
Inference: The Creator must be greater than Space. What do we call something that is not bound by space, without limits? INFINITE (and omnipresent by implication)
Inference: The Creator must be greater than Matter (or energy). We call matter "physical". What do we call something that is of substance that is real and yet not physical within this universe? We often call that SPIRITUAL.
3. Since no Effect can be greater than the Cause, and since we find INTELLIGENCE in the universe (people) which is a subset of the effect called the universe, then the Cause, or Creator, must be at least equal in intelligence or greater, most-likely a super-intellect. When you think about DNA, and that it took us 20 years with super computers to crack the code, you can see that the Causal agent must be a super-intellect.
4. Since no Effect can be greater that the Cause, and since people have individuality or personality, which is a subset of the effect called the universe, then the Creator must be at least a "person" in the sense of an individual with the qualities of a self-awareness. This is different than saying that "Since there are flowers, that the Creator must be at least equal to or greater than a flower" (which is still true), because it is not about physical attributes so to speak. But transcendent qualities, such as personality and intelligence must logically be inferred in the Creator, to have created both of these transcendent qualities.
So what can we understand about the Creator, just using logic and inference? We see that "God" is:
1. Outside the universe (He created it)
2. Eternal
3. Infinite (omnipresent)
4. Spiritual
5. Intelligent
6. Qualities of an individual "person" or greater
What do we read in the Bible? We see that the God of the Bible claims to be the creator of the universe, eternal, infinite, a spirit, intelligent, and a person that is knowable, and who seeks for us to know Him.
Therefore, the God of the Bible is a logical candidate for the Creator of the Universe.
Some will counter with the logically-flawed and mocking rebuttal and challenge: But I think that a Flying Spaghetti Monster is the creator of the universe! (This is the most common taunt)
Lets break that down logically---
Flying: A system of movement through a medium that either moves in conjunction with differences in pressure (birds, planes, etc), or due to propulsion (rockets, etc) or initial movement (asteroids)
Problem: While this doesn't contradict anything about the God of the Bible, it presupposes that this monster-god must move somehow, instead of being infinite, and omnipresent.
Spaghetti: Since spaghetti is a physical substance within the universe (it is an "Effect" of the original "Cause") then it is illogical that a Creator who is OUTSIDE of the universe, and not composed of anything in the universe, would be comprised of spaghetti.
Monster: Since this term is pre-supposed upon many different bases (i.e. evil, scary, large, etc) this one is difficult to deal with logically. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to know if the Creator is a monster, in the sense of an evil being, since evil is a subjective, qualitative term, as is monster. So it would be illogical to posit that the Creator is a monster, as that requires knowledge unobtainable without revelation from the Creator.
Also, in conclusion, what you call God---(examples: Creator, Flying Spaghetti Monster, the Deity, the First Principle, Lord, etc) has no bearing WHATSOEVER in this discussion. Nomenclature does not effect the essential nature of something, it only seeks to describe or limit it through language. But, as in the case of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, we can break that one down to see if it bears up under logical scrutiny as a sufficient desciptor, or whether it should be discarded as wholly inadequate or incorrect.
Just think how illogical and inconsistent it is for someone to join this (hopefully) intelligent discussion forum and then intelligently assert that no intelligence is required to account for an intelligent universe. The sad irony of it all. The fact that they can even be conscious of thought concerning this infinite question provides all the evidence needed to sufficiently arrive at the truth of God.
When people ask for even more and more evidence of God, I say: "Do we really need to light a candle in order to SEE THE SUN?" (another NOT original statement--that one goes way back)
(In other words, there is already sufficient and overwhelming evidence, to ask for more is to only admit of willful rejection of obvious truth)
CLICK HERE FOR A NEW SERIES ON 10 NON-BIBLICAL EVIDENCES FOR CHRISTIANITY
