The Existence of God and Revelation

?
View mindmap
  • Existence of God and Revelation
    • Design Argument
      • For
        • William Paley
          • The universe is so complex it must have been designed by God
        • Aquinas
          • Only an intelligent being could keep everything in the universe in regular order.
      • Against
        • Natural Selection happens by chance
        • If God is good and he designed the universe, why is there suffering?
    • The First Cause Argument
      • Universe must have a cause
        • There must be something existing with no first cause, to cause everything else to exist
          • The eternal first cause can only be God
      • Against
        • The universe could be eternal as well
        • The Big Bang was a random event that had nothing to do with God
          • However Christians would argue that God caused the Big Bang
    • Special Revelation
      • Miracles
        • Marie Bailly
          • 1902 french woman was diagnosed with disease which made her abdomen swell and meant she couldn't eat
            • She was told she was dying but she wanted to visit Lourdes
              • When she went she had holy water poured on her abdomen and she prayed to Mary
                • She returned to good health
        • Against
          • She could've been wrongly diagnosed
          • Why would God want to cause this suffering in the first place
            • Christians would say this wasn't suffering but an act of revelation from God
      • Visions
        • Bahiya (Holy man who lived in India
          • After doubting if he was really enlightened, he had a vision of  a deva (spiritual being) who said he wasn't as wise as he could be
            • advised to seek out the Buddha
              • traveled hundreds of miles and became enlightened shortly afterwards
        • Christians believe they cannot fully understand God, but they know something of his nature and purpose through revelations
    • General Revelation
      • seeing God's presence in nature
      • coming to understand God through morality
      • experiencing God through scripture
        • Fundamentalist Christians believe that the Bible contains Gods actual words they must not be changed or questioned
      • coming to understand the nature of reality
      • learning the nature of reality through reading the scripture
      • The bible consists of the authors opinion rather than the word of God
      • Scripture does not prove that God is real or reveal anything about God
    • Value of Revelation
      • Christians
        • revelation can provide proof for God's existence
        • enable believers to understand how God wants them to live
      • Buddhists
        • help to understand the nature of reality and lead to enlightenment
      • Athiests
        • Revelations may be wishful thinking
        • People could make them up for fame and money
        • Conflicting revelations prove they cannot all be real
    • Arguments against the existence of God
      • Science
        • Science can now answer many questions without the ides of God
          • Many Christians see no conflict between science and religion as they believe the Genesis short stories should not be interpreted literally
            • However fundamentalists take the bible literally argue that the teachings shouldn't  change due to scientific laws
      • Evil and Suffering
        • God is all knowing , loving and powerful and if suffering exists he can't be all of these things
          • Christians argue that suffering and evil are a result of free will
            • However doesn't explain cause for natural disasters/ diseases
          • Untitled
          • Buddhism teaches ethical responsibility, because people can choose their actions, they can choose how to act in an evil way
            • Because of karma, they will suffer as a result of their actions

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Religious Studies resources:

See all Religious Studies resources »See all Philosophy and ethics resources »