The God Question

Brought up in a christian home, I am now unabashedly a happy and content secular humanist feeling fortunate to have escaped the indoctrination and superstitions of my youth and tribe (i.e., society).

Morality

Christianity and Humanism share some of the same tenets regarding the ethical nature of neighborly love as essential to what makes us human.  These include compassion and altruism.  The biggest difference is that Humanism believes humans can embody these tenets through rational thought and virtue without a deity. Humanism tenets are summarized in the Amsterdam Declaration   Christians believe it can't be done without the interceding of a divine being more powerful than humans.  The William Craig vs Shelley Kagan debate  - "Is God Necessary for Morality?" provides a clear distinction and compelling arguments that morality does not need rules handed down from a deity.  Toward the end, Shelley Kagan offers, that, We don't need a cosmic reason to make a difference.  Just making a difference every day is good enough.  The 7 Principles of Unitarian Universalism are also evidence of how a community can codify and practice secular morality.  

Religion versus Science

Pondering the expansive universe it seems likely that something greater than humans and our world exists.  But the stories and folklore adopted by over 100 religions and 1000 subsects attributing our world and the universe to various deities offer no compelling explanation in the face of modern science. What is missing is observable, testable, and falsifiable evidence to support an intercessory deity. Spiritual belief is a product of how our brain functions rather than a symbiotic relationship with a deity. Religion's own amorphous evolution as it is confronted with advancing science points to the human origins of religious beliefs and documents. Add to that, the fact that geography plays a prominent role in which religious "story" a tribe adopts and their evolving nature in the face of greater scientific understanding indict religion as a desperate grasp of ignorant humans striving to feel better about their suffering, mortality or some cases an expedient method to control others. Prof Stephan Cave covers this well in his book, "Immortality-The Question to Live Forever and Why it Drives Civilization" The Bible is living proof of humanity's curiosity, fear of death, and desire for control, rather than a message from  God.  

Science and Supernatural Belief Are Fundamentally Different: Some Christians assert that belief in the supernatural, such as an afterlife, can coexist with or even enhance scientific inquiry. However, science is grounded in observable, testable, and falsifiable claims about the universe, whereas supernatural beliefs often rely on faith and are not subject to empirical testing. Conflating the two undermines the rigorous methodologies that define scientific investigation.

The Limitations of Science Are Not an Invitation for Supernaturalism: Some theologians posit that the limitations of science necessitate a kind of humble acknowledgment of its boundaries and a potential openness to non-scientific forms of knowing, such as faith. While science indeed has limitations, these are not necessarily reasons to fill gaps in our understanding with supernatural explanations. Instead, the limitations should inspire further investigation within the natural world.

Faith-Based Beliefs in Science: Some suggest that faith-based beliefs are integral to scientific advancement, equating the intuitive leaps in scientific theory with acts of faith. It is important to clarify that hypotheses in science, while initially informed by intuition, must ultimately be substantiated by empirical evidence. Unlike religious faith, scientific "faith" is provisional and always subject to revision or rejection based on new evidence.

The Misconception of Science as a Belief System: Some imply science itself is a kind of belief system. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of what science is. Science is a method for gaining knowledge, not a belief system. It does not require faith in the same way religions do; it requires evidence and reason.  Science is not a creator of values.  Values as noted above derive from our beliefs, culture, evolution, and indoctrination during childhood. What is vital to keep in mind is an awareness of how beliefs shape "reality" and "truth" in the human brain.  See my Truth page for more on this. 

Naturalistic Wonder: Many gravitate toward the comfort and wonder in believing in things beyond the material world.  And indeed, the natural world, as uncovered and explained through science, holds immense wonder and awe without the need to invoke supernatural beliefs. The complexity of life, the vastness of the universe, and the intricacies of physical laws can inspire a deep sense of awe and wonder that is grounded in reality.

Ethical Implications of Scientific Humility: Some caution and encourage humility in scientific claims, But humility should not lead to epistemological relativism where all beliefs (including scientifically unfounded ones) are held as equally probable. Scientific humility should lead to more rigorous science, not to an acceptance of untestable beliefs.

In summary, a Humanist would emphasize the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between empirically grounded scientific methods and faith-based belief systems, advocating for a worldview based on evidence and reason while recognizing and celebrating the intrinsic wonder of the natural universe.  Hence, I am an agnostic.  Open to the existence of a greater power, but see no evidence of personal intercession as so well expressed in Carl Sagan's, "The Dragon in My GarageThe Dragon in My Garage" 

Two excellent debates are below.

Craig vs Milken Debate, "Does God Exist" - Promiscuous Tautology  (we want a reason over science. e.g., mountains were created to feed sheep vs as a result of volcanos.  Need to find patterns).   1000's of religions each one believing theirs is the way doesn't point to a god. 

Craig vs Hitchens Debate  "Does God Exist" - If there is intelligent design, the creator needs to be indicted for the suffering of 200,000 years, all the extinct animals, and the vast universe with little life

Need more? Look at these Top 10 Christian versus Atheist Debates on YouTube