Student: "It was my deeper seeking of God that caused me to stop believing. During this time, I met an atheist and couldn't combat her arguments with logic."
Speaker: "I'm very sorry to hear that."
Student (laughing): "I'm not."
This conversation occurred during DCF's (Dickinson Christian Fellowship's) annual Skeptics' Night a week from yesterday. I'm not sure which of his statements here makes me the most sad- his first or last. Unfortunately, he is not alone in losing his faith in this way.
This conversation demonstrates the reality of what college students face spiritually today. They are bombarded by philosophical and scientific questions and arguments against the existence of God and Jesus being more than a "good teacher." They are told that faith and reason cannot go together, although there are great philosophers, scientists and writers who would disagree.
Yes, it is true that you cannot empirically prove the existence of God. Pastor Timothy Keller, writer of New York Times' best-seller The Reason for God does not shy away from this fact in his book which addresses many of the doubts and arguments against faith that people have. For those who don't know what I mean by empirical [I didn't know until I started researching these things and am hoping I'm not the only one], from Wikipedia: "The word empirical denotes information gained by means of observation, experience, or experiment. A central concept in science and the scientific method is that all evidence must be empirical, or empirically based, that is, dependent on evidence or consequences that are observable by the senses."
Timothy Keller says in his chapter The Clues of God, "Though there cannot be irrefutable proof for the existence of God, many people have found strong clues for his reality- diving fingerprints- in many places." He then goes on to explain and discuss what he feels are some of the strongest clues. While I think learning and becoming knowledgeable about these arguments is important (and is something I am currently working on myself), I think there is another question to be asked- what are you really searching for?
The night after Skeptics' Night, during the worship portion of our large group meeting, the worship leader shared some of her thoughts. A person of deep faith, also a science major and a scientifically minded person, she talked about how she likes to be able to see and touch things to know that they are true, but how this is not the case with God, and how He is beyond those things. The speaker for the night, a pastor from a local church, spoke to this topic also in his talk on Jesus. He brought us through John 6:25-51, right after Jesus feeds the five thousand and walks on water. The crowd was looking for more miraculous food. Jesus realizes this, and instead teaches them about the bread of life.
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." - Jesus, John 6:26-27
The crowd was searching for an answer to their immediate physical need. Jesus provided an answer to their eternal spiritual need.
I do not have this all figured out. Nor do I ever expect to figure everything out- God's ways extend beyond my understanding. A question I have is- what are you searching for? Are you searching for earthly bread? Miracles? Proofs?
Or are you searching for the bread of life?
"I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." - Jesus, John 6:47-51
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