The Cosmological Argument

The cosmological argument states that:

Whatever begins to exist, has a cause of its existence.

The universe began to exist.

Therefore, the universe has a cause of its existence.

The universe exists, therefore it has a cause of existence that ultimately points to the work of a divine creator. Religious figures generally support this, but, contrary to popular belief, we can also turn to scientists to provide us with this truth:

• Astronomer Fred Hoyle openly states that, “The Big Bang Theory requires a recent origin of the Universe that openly invites the concept of creation” (Hoyle, 13).  

Along with the notion of the universe having a beginning, we can also see evidence for creation in the requirements for life. There are more than two dozen properties of the universe that if were to even slightly differ the possibility for life wouldn’t even exist. Properties in regard to this include:

• the rate of expansion of the universe
• the speed of light
• the force of gravity
• Electromagnetism 
• the proportional relationship of planets
• the distance between the sun and Earth
• nuclear forces
• etc. 

(Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

The probability of all of these miniscule requirements being fulfilled is a number so small, it is completely unfeasible for it to have happened by accident.

• “The chance that all of these constants would take the values necessary to result in a stable universe capable of sustaining complex life forms is infinitesimal. And yet those are exactly the parameters that we observe. In some, our universe is wildly improbable I do not see how nature could have created itself. Only a supernatural force that is outside of space and time could have done it”(Collins).

 

The evidence points towards the fine-tuning of a divine creator.

Sources:

Collins, Francis S. The Language of God: a Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. Free Press, 2007.

Hoyle, F. The Intelligent Universe. Michael Joseph, 1983.

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, www.iep.utm.edu/design/#SH2b.

The Biological Argument

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British astronomer Fred Hoyle: 

• “The probability of cellular life's arising from non-living matter (abiogenesis) is about one-in 1,040,000. The chance that higher life forms might have emerged in this way is comparable to the chance that a tornado sweeping through a junkyard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein”

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Darwin himself told us that:

• “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down” (Origin of Species Variorum).  

The bacterial flagellum does in fact disprove his theory. 

This molecular machine requires numerous parts to coincide. It is an irreducibly complex system - if a single part isn’t operative, the machine cannot function or serve its purpose in any way. 

An irreducibly complex system cannot come about by numerous, successive, slight modifications because, by definition, an irreducibly complex system must have every interacting part present to function at all. 

Furthermore, synthetic chemist James Tour provides us with widely unknown information about the scientific understanding of the origins of life: 

• “Those who think scientist understand the issues of prebiotic chemistry are wholly misinformed. Nobody understands them” (On Prebiotic Chemistry).

As you can see the principles of evolution are not fully developed or understood and therefore cannot be trusted.

Sources:

“On Prebiotic Chemistry, Synthetic Chemist James Tour Urges an Admission of Ignorance.”Evolution News, 6 June 2016, evolutionnews.org/2016/06/on_prebiotic_ch/

“Origin of Species Variorum.” Darwin Online, darwin-online.org.uk/Variorum/1860/1860-189-c-1859.html.

Consciousness Argument

If we (humans) are accidental, then we would not have the capability to disregard our “natural instincts” (what the body demands of us), yet we do have the ability to do so (by the power of our own free will).  

How could it be possible for an accidental inanimate object to slowly gain consciousness over time?

To further your understanding of this concept:

“Think for a minute of a marble table in front of you. Do you think that, given a trillion  years or infinite time, this table could suddenly or gradually become conscious, aware of its surroundings, aware of its identity the way you are” (Flew, 163)?

The thought that this could happen is simply impractical and would be a miracle within itself. Physical matter of any sort cannot simply gain consciousness- the ability to think, to have an identity, to feel emotion, to say I.

Could we have been made from nothing, by accident, with no purpose... yet have consciousness and the ability to think and feel emotion?

This is profoundly inconceivable.

Evidence of a divine creator remains inevitable.

Sources:

Flew, Antony, and Roy Abraham. Varghese. There Is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind. HarperOne, 2008.

The Moral Argument

"There are recurring moral standards, that every group of people documented in 
history have held. These standards, though differentiate in details, are all based on the same foundational morals " - J Warner Wallace

For example, one does not have to be told that killing for amusement is wrong, everyone comprehends this. The same goes for what is right: assisting others is not perceived as a negative issue.

J Warner Wallace: “Humans throughout history have recognized the universal transcendent objective nature of a variety of moral codes even though some behaviors can be defended under certain circumstances”  

Geneticist Francis Collins states, “What we have here is very peculiar: the concept of right and wrong appears to be universal among all members of the human species . . . It thus seems to be a phenomenon approaching that of a law, like the law of gravitation or of special relativity”

How is it that this moral code came to be known to every human?

The practical answer is intelligent design by a divine creator.

Sources:
Collins, Francis S. The Language of God: a Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. Free Press, 2007.
Wallace, J. Warner. God's Crime Scene: a Cold-Case Detective Examines the Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe. David C Cook, 2015.

Our Responsibilities as Christians

As a Christian...

  it's like you're the only one awake while everyone else is asleep during a storm.

  it's like you're the only one with good cell service during an emergency.

  it's like you have a map while everyone else is wandering and lost.

No, this isn't something for us to brag about, but something for us to use to help others.

We need to help those in the storm, those in an emergency, those that are lost.

We need to help those that are not saved.

There are so many people that are spiritually lost and hurting- who have not come to know Jesus.

As Christians we are the carriers of the Good News! We have a relationship with the God of the Universe, a God that loves us and wants to rescue those that are lost. 

Friends, God has given us a testimony to glorify Him. Why do we hide our testament to him, why do we hide our God/our King/our Lord/the one thing that is most important in our lives? 

Why do we let our loved ones live in their sin? No we should not condemn them, but we should not commend their sin either. 

Why do we let those in our circle of influence sit in darkness, while we keep our faith in God to ourselves? We are the light! Jesus is light and once we accept him into our hearts he lives in us! We need to be a light for Jesus in the darkness. 

We need to help those that are lost find their way back to their heavenly home. We need to come alongside them and help them get out of the storm. We need to go meet them where they are at just as Jesus did for us. We should not condemn them, as we are not the judge, but we also should not just watch as the darkness succumbs them. 

Offer the light you have (Jesus) to them and let God take it from there. 

Bible verses relating to this topic:

But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and of what I will reveal to you.
     -Acts 26:16

Everything exposed by the light is made clear, for what makes everything clear is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.
     -Ephesians 5:13-14 HCSB

For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. 
     -Ephesians 2:10

A Message to High School Graduates

Hey guys! Thanks for joining me on my blog today :)

Because I graduated as a Valedictorian, I was given the opportunity to speak at my high school graduation and I wanted to relay this message to my blog viewers as well... 

Let me start by telling you that I have had goals of being Valedictorian for as long as I can remember. I used to need that title to tell me that I had worked hard enough and that I was good enough. It became an entrapment for me. I put school above all other areas in my life (even before family and God), it was my highest priority. I was a slave to that because I thought that was what defined me. 

However, no longer am I a slave to that because, as much as I am honored to have been one of the Valedictorians of my graduating class, I don't need this title to prove my success; I don’t need this title to define who I am because I am secure in who I am through God; and the reason I'm telling you all of this is because I know, for certain, that there are others reading this that are slaves to what they think defines them... 

Graduates, we are going off to college, off to the workforce, out into the world and we need to be secure in who we are. 

Graduates, I want you to remember the grades don't define you... the sports don't define you... the relationships don't define you... the appearance doesn’t define you... and graduates your past does not define you. 

Friends, all of these things are temporary. 

You can chase the titles, you can chase the clothes and makeup, you can chase the money, but guys these things don't last. They won’t last. These things won’t sustain you. Don't let the world define your success because it will leave you empty. 

If you want security in who you are… don’t let the world define you. 

Let God define you. 

Bible verses relating to this topic:

As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

     -2 Corinthians 4:18 ESV

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

     -Matthew 6:33 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

     -2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

     -Romans 12:1-2 ESV

Welcome to my Blog!

Hey everyone! Welcome to my blog "The Quiet Soul."

I am so glad you are here checking out my posts! I appreciate your support! <3

I am a college student that has just started blogging- for privacy purposes I have chosen to remain anonymous. Here on my blog you can check out posts about college life, the Christian faith, DIY projects, relationship and dating advice, apologetics, and more to come. I hope you enjoy my blog and return for future postings!

(Because I am just starting out there are only a few posts, but please check back regularly for more articles!)

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