Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: lindborg@cs.washington.edu (Jeff Lindborg) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Is there a God? Message-ID: Date: 12 Mar 91 09:33:50 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Washington Computer Science Lines: 37 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article lums@soggy-fibers.ai.mit.edu (Andrew Lumsdaine) writes: >So, the postulate of God's existence might not be logically >inconsistent at all -- however, I believe that assuming His existence >*is* consistent with reality (and assuming He does not exist is *not* >consistent with reality). One reason is (as you mentioned above) the >visible changes in the lives of Christians I know, my own life >included. Of course I must note that people who submit to other religions and systems of belief also undergo discernable change in their lives. I personaly know two individuals who underwent tremendous change when they started practicing Buddhism. I'm sure new adherents to other religions also experience a change in their lives, obviously. This does not, however, prove the validity or inherent truth of these religions. It just proves that they are effective at modifying human behavior for one reason or another. >Another reason is answered prayer (as you mention below). >The most convincing to me is that there really does seem to be an >absolute morality (see _Mere_Christianity_ about this -- C.S. Lewis >explains it much better than I). Of course for every answered prayer there is an unanswered prayer. I know... I once used to pray to the same god you do. I'd be more willing to bet that you work for what you pray for and mere chance stipulates its fulfillment. I'm sure followers of the varrious gods of the Hindu belief would be as addament in their belief that prayer to their gods is effective in bringing about desired effects for them... >Isn't that amazing? I don't understand this either, but this >experiment has been verified in my own life time and again. If I pray for rain (here in Seattle) and get it... is it the act of God, or just the weather? Jeff Lindborg