Why I’m not an Atheist

Why am I not an atheist?

Firstly, and quite simply, I think atheism assumes to know too much.

While it is true that you cannot prove empirically that God exists, you cannot prove that He doesn’t either.

Nobody can say, “I know God doesn’t exist”. At best, one can say, “I believe or think or assume God doesn’t exist”.

Atheism can’t claim certainty any more than theism can.

Those who mistakenly assume that atheism is the only “logical” choice since science has disproved the existence of God know neither science nor logic.

Proving or disproving the existence of God is above science’s pay grade. Trying to verify the existence or non-existence of God using science is like trying to measure wind speed with a thermometer. It just can’t be done.

Science may not be able to prove that God exists, but it cannot prove He doesn’t either.

Contrary to the widely-held misconception, the Bible is not anti-science, and faith and science are not mutually exclusive.

The purpose of scripture is to answer the questions science can’t, and the goal of science is to answer questions the Bible doesn’t.

Neither is entirely adequate as a source of truth and knowledge on their own, but the two provide excellent insight into the “why” and the “how” of our existence.

Secondly, I find the notion that everything came into being spontaneously, randomly, accidentally, coincidentally, and meaninglessly requires much irrational acceptance.

The idea that everything in the universe existed without a first cause is difficult to accept logically.

I’m a rational, thoughtful, intelligent, educated human being, and I find it hard to believe the improbability that everything came from nothing for no reason and without intention.

A finely-tuned universe full of creativity, complexity, beauty, and ingenuity begs the question, “Why is there anything at all?” The answer, “No reason”, simply doesn’t satisfy me.

The notion of a Creator may seem improbable to some, but it is one improbability that makes sense of many other improbabilities.

If you choose to discard the existence of God, you are left with a host of other improbabilities that are very hard to account for. In other words, faith helps you make rational sense of many other improbable things.

That’s not to say that atheism doesn’t have rational arguments to support it. Of course, it does, and some of the brightest minds of our time are atheists. I just don’t find the arguments for atheism convincing.

It’s probably worth noting here that not all atheists are angry, anti-faith antagonists. That is an unfortunate caricature of atheism that doesn’t represent reality for the many people who embrace atheism as their worldview.

I wouldn’t want to perpetuate that misconception inadvertently. Some of the kindest, gentlest, and most generous people I know are atheists, and many of them recognise the valuable role that faith plays in helping people find meaning and purpose. They simply do not choose faith in God for themselves.

Thirdly, my experience of the Christian faith, although filled with the pains and disappointments that accompany most human realities, has positively influenced my life. I’m a better person for it.

It is a hopeful, optimistic outlook on life that gives purpose and meaning to life and helps me make sense of reality.

It also offers some of the most compelling explanations for how the universe came into being and why the world is the way it is.

In addition, my faith journey has been filled with experiences that I can only make sense of if God does indeed exist and makes His presence known in our world.

I understand that these experiences are entirely subjective, and my interpretation of them shapes their meaning for me. Still, sometimes the only way to interpret them sensibly is to attribute them to the work of God.

At the end of the day, we are not in control of what persuades us. We either are or are not convinced by the evidence we see.

So far, I’m convinced that the claim made by atheism that there is no God is irrational, implausible, and improbable, so I continue to hold to my conviction that God exists and all the goodness, beauty, truth, and love in the universe is there only because God is too.