• Condemns what he calls, “The lunatic influence of religious

belief.” He goes so far as to say that, “Theology is now little

more than a branch of human ignorance.

- Sam Harris, neuroscientist and author of the New York Times

bestseller, The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation

• Claims, “We brights don’t believe in ghosts or elves or the

Easter Bunny - or God.”

- Daniel Dennett, philosopher, writer and cognitive scientist

whose research centers on the philosophy of mind

WHY BELIEVE IN GOD?

Has He become too small for the sophisticated mind?

1. Every Effect Must Have an Adequate Cause

(For every house is built by someone, but

the builder of all things is God.)

(Hebrews 3:4 ESV)

• “a doorway into something

fundamental and deep we don’t

know about nature.”

• Article also mentions “no

cosmic speed limit” or

• an “undiscovered 5th

dimension.”

- Matthew Strassler,

Rutgers University,

-T HIS WEEK

1. Every Effect Must Have an Adequate Cause

(For every house is built by someone, but

the builder of all things is God.)

(Hebrews 3:4 ESV)

Arno Penzias, Nobel Prize winner

for discovering the radiation echo

corroborating a Big Bang, hence a

beginning to the universe admits,

“The best data we have are

exactly what I would have

predicted had I nothing to go on

but the five books of Moses, the

Psalms, and the Bible as a

whole.”

2. Design Demands a Designer

For what can be known about God is plain to

them, because God has shown it to them. For his

invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine

nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the

creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

(Romans 1:19-20 ESV)

2. Design Demands a Designer

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created,

in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or

authorities — all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in

him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17 ESV)

Both Creator and Sustainer

2. Design Demands a Designer

In 1983 physicist Paul Davies argued for an

atheistic interpretation of the universe. By 1998 he had changed his view in THE

COSMIC BLUEPRINT, writing…

“…powerful evidence that there is something going on behind it all. The impression of design is overwhelming..”

2. Design Demands a Designer

“Darwin’s theory encounters its

greatest difficulties when it

comes to the development of

the cell. Many cellular systems

are ...irreducibly complex. ...the

system needs several

components before it can work

properly.”

- Michael Behe, Biologist,

DARWIN’S BLACK BOX

SIMPLE CELLS ARE NOT REALLY ALL THAT SIMPLE!!

3. OUR MORAL SENSE DEMANDS A PERFECT SOURCE

Nazis just following orders?

Exterminating Jews?

What of Christians?

The infirm?

The elderly?

The unborn?

3. OUR MORAL SENSE DEMANDS A PERFECT SOURCE

Every good gift and every

perfect gift is from above, coming

down from the Father of lights with

whom there is no variation or

shadow due to change.

(James 1:17 ESV)

Jesus Christ is the same

yesterday and today and forever.

(Hebrews 13:8 ESV)

3. OUR MORAL SENSE DEMANDS A PERFECT SOURCE

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, …So God

created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27 ESV)

The end of the matter; after all has been heard. Fear

God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing,

whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 ESV)If no accountability, no right/wrong, then no purpose

The Bible Does Not Argue for the Existence of God

• It just assumes that everyone know He exists

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has

shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of

the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without

excuse. (Romans 1:19-20 ESV)

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. (Psalm 14:1 ESV)