Is God Real?

Is God Real?

Many people question the reality of God. They want a world where loving kindness rules the hearts of all. Yet turmoil and inhumanity prevails, a fact that is often viewed as evidence that no God in His right mind would create or allow this. With complete sincerity they ask, “What kind of God is both loving and forgiving but also, vengeful and vindictive? What kind of God prepares a heaven of bliss for the good people and a hell of torture for the bad ones? They see inconsistencies in religious teachings and the explanations, such as “God is a mystery”, do not satisfy. Even worse is the immoral behavior of many religious leaders. Historically, religions have used fear and guilt to control believers and been at odds with the discoveries of science. So, if religious dogma represents the best ideal concept of God, then it is easy to understand why many people refuse to believe in the reality of such a God.

But rejection of God leans into an attitude that ignores all that is true, good, and beautiful in religion and in the spiritual experiences of the devoted. Since it can be difficult to reconcile these two extremes, the safest choice for some people is to go on with life without giving God further thought.

Life will readily consume our attention and keep us distracted from deeper contemplations of truth. When people stop seeking, they fail to see beyond their own narrow perspectives. Atheists and agnostics fall into the same trap as their religious fellows when their personal belief systems are challenged by something of profound importance that’s not easily explained: Shut down inquiry and reinforce your defenses!

I ask you: How did humanity acquire the urge to understand itself, to yearn for ideals higher than we can reach, to have love for one another despite our imperfections? Is this really the result of survival of the fittest or the accidental mutations of DNA? Or is there a cosmic plan for the evolution of humanity out of animal stock? Perhaps the source of our highest ideals and values comes from an eternal and infinite reality.

Perhaps it is not fair to judge the reality of God by the narrow viewpoints and actions of imperfect humans. Perhaps God didn’t want perfect robots but instead imperfect beings with the freedom to choose what is good and true. Perhaps we err by only looking outside of ourselves for “evidence” while ignoring the truth resident in our souls. I assert that the primal reality, a divine presence, is seeded within you and this is why humans yearn for truth, goodness, and beauty.

How do you prove this to yourself? For me it was as simple as asking to receive a direct experience of God. I am not satisfied with mere belief. I want to feel the truth and the proof of God’s reality within me. If you have the same hunger to know the meaning and value of your life and to aspire for the highest of ideals, then ask, “Dear God, if You are real, reveal Yourself to me.” Remain open to the possibility of an answer. Keep searching for the “still, small voice” within and feast on truth, goodness and beauty that surrounds you. I sincerely believe that your core needs will be answered, just as mine continue to be, with an experience of God that will transcend all your life’s expectations.

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