By: Eremurus
The Bible Challenge: my excuse to spend a couple of days writing opinionated pieces about christianity
But for today! The original prompt: Write a piece proving the existence of God without using the Bible.
No way in this existence could I prove the existence of anything such as god. Chances are if it were just 'prove the existence of god' and it didn't mention the Bible, I probably still wouldn't use it. I, personally, find the Bible intimidating. I believe it to be a wonderful collection of ancient literature that is inspired by an expansive experience of love and begs to inspire in its readers the same expansive love, but I don't believe it to be entirely historically accurate or scientifically accurate.
If I'm not answering the original prompt, I'll word my own question and then question the wording of it. Yes, that will do.
Why do you believe in God if anything such as god could not be proved?
Well, what is it to believe? "To have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so" (directly copied from dictionary.com) It seems fitting. So, why do I have confidence in the truth, the existence, or reliability of God, although without absolute proof that I am right in doing so?
Well, God really means different things to different people. If we're asking why I "believe" in it, it implies that I "believe" in it in the first place. So, what kind of God do I believe in? If I'm coming up with a stand-in for "God".
(I know I said I probably wouldn't use the Bible, this is one of the few instances where the Bible makes me just so happy. Also, if you've read the other answers, other people use the bible, so I think it's kind of sort of acceptable.) There is a verse in the Bible that simply says "God is love" (1 John 4:8 I'm pretty sure). Though taking the Bible literally in most cases is a terrible idea, I find taking the Bible literally here is extremely helpful for me. It's saying that God and love are the same thing. Love is a force and god is not a being. god is a force and Love is not a being. The force of Love is the same as the force that is god. I see God as the force of love. I see God as love itself and sometimes I use one term as a stand-in for another. (More in footnotes)
My stand-in for "God": Love
The final question: Why do I have confidence in the truth, the existence, or reliability of Love, although without absolute proof that I am right in doing so?
Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Love, when I experience it in it's truest form, has never failed me. Love is the most wonderful force. Humanity has the opportunity to know, give, and receive the experience of Love.