The Atheist
I say, there is no God! Show me how I can know that God exists!
The Believer in God
The nature of material things is to move. Rocks can be set in motion, plants are moved by the wind, birds fly, people move about. But these material things also rest and stop moving. When material things are at rest they are not moving and in order to move again, must receive their power from some other source than from themselves. We must look beyond the series of motion causers to find the source of those things that move, a source which does not receive its power to move from anyone or anything. This un-moved mover possesses power of itself and is the ultimate source of all action. The being in which the power exists is called God. (Self-sustaining Being)
The Atheist
I say, there is no God! Show me how I can know that God exists!
The Believer in God
We are familiar with the fact that in order to have an end result, it is necessary to have a cause. A house must have a designer and builder, a desk must have a carpenter, a picture must have a painter, music must have a composer. To have a completed product or a series, there must have been a beginning or cause. As we move back in time through the various causes of things, we must arrive at the existence of one who alone possesses the power to be the first cause. We call this first cause of all things God. (First Efficient Cause)
The Atheist
I say, there is no God! Show me how I can know that God exists!
The Believer in God
There are things which depend upon other things to live. A tree depends upon nourishment and sunlight to live, an animal depends upon rest to survive. Once, these material things did not exist, now they do, and at a time in the future they will not. Material things of the world are of this nature which causes us to look for that which does not depend upon another for its existence. We call this being which exists for all else to exist, God. (Contingency)
The Atheist
I say, there is no God! Show me how I can know that God exists!
The Believer in God
Our material world contains much which is beautiful, and we admire the beauty in our surroundings because of the degrees of perfection which they possess. A tree is living and its flowers may be beautiful, but it will die, a sunset may possess a powerful display of beauty which we admire, but it will change, a person may possess great physical strength, but it is neither total nor permanent. If we combine all of the world’s perfections, these will still be limited and not all-perfect. There must exist a Being who possesses all perfection to a limitless degree. We call this Being God. (Degrees of Perfection)
The Atheist
I say, there is no God! Show me how I can know that God exists!
The Believer in God
Our material world contains many, many things which have a purpose. Fingers are used to grasp and hold, the eye to see, the ear to hear. The animal tongue licks, tastes and helps swallow food. The human tongue is used to form sounds into words. The tongue did not design itself, it was designed for its specific purpose by an intelligence. To understand the complexity of our material world, we must recognize a designing intelligence. The evidence of this designing intelligence points toward the existence of a Being which must possess an un-acquired intelligence. We call this Being God. (Proof from Design)
Conclusion of this dialogue
Theoretical Atheism - There is no God.
Negation of God is in the Atheist's heart rather than
in his mind
as he cannot disprove God's existence logically.
Theoretical Theism - There is a God.
While
it is not possible for humans to completely know God
since His state of being is
on an infinitely higher level than ours, we can conclude with
certainty that he does exist by observing our material world.
Practical Theism
Live to follow God's Ten Words (Commands) and what He has revealed about himself.
The Theist
knows he is a child of God and heir of heaven.
He is responsible to fulfill three roles in his life:
As Priest - give proper homage to God and
maintain the purity of his faith.
As Prophet - announce God's message of brotherly
love by his life and example.
As King - responsible to God for that over which he
exercises authority.
He is a pilgrim on this earth, his true homeland is heaven.
As a member of Christ's body, he is responsible to build up,
not weaken, others as much as he is able through charity.
Practical Atheism
Live as though God were not.
The Atheist
must discover something to which he is loyal since he denies God and an eternal
life.
His own convictions . . . a social movement . . . society in general.
He decides what is right and good for himself, perceived
restraints of his choice of freedoms becomes unacceptable.
His social goals can include helping others less fortunate, or
programs to designed to better society.
Observation
But haven't we all some times acted like practical atheists when we freely choose our own will against that of God. When we freely choose to entertain some thought - - - to say something - - - to do something - - - or even refrain from doing something which is not the right thing to do? By doing so, we place our will before that of God, act as though God did not exist and commit a sin.
Remedy
Help is available by Christ through his Church - - - it is in forgiveness through the sacrament of Reconciliation.
By being truly sorry for sin, having the sincere desire to try not to commit the offence again, and promising to make up for the wrong done, absolution and forgiveness may be obtained through a priest (Christ's representative).
Let us ask Our Lady, Mary the Mother of God, who is the mother of all humanity, to strengthen our desire to be good.
"The light in the Church is always on for you."
Someone once remarked, "I would rather believe God exists and try to follow his laws, and then die only to discover there is no God, than to deny God existed, follow my own rules, then die and discover there is a God."
Something else . . .
Charity is the door, the pathway, the ladder leading to God. It is by charity, the desire to assist someone else, that we are able to actualize our desire to wish others well. We reach out to others, move outside of ourselves and extend our love to others as God does for us and everyone.
How deep is God's love for us? It is as deep as his Son taking on our human nature to be born of the Virgin Mary, It is as deep as his teachings to us about his everlasting kingdom. It is as deep as the humiliating death he endured on the cross to show us how much he loves us. It is as deep as his rising from the dead, and his ascension into heaven where he waits for us. . . with Mary his mother, and God the Father in anticipation of our arrival home; following the path of Charity.
We must not reject His plan for us.