God or "God"?

tThe Bible describes God as merciful (Exodus 34:6–7), omniscient (Psalm 147:5), and omnipotent (Jeremiah 32:17).

The Quran describes Allah in a similar way (1:1–3, 6:59, 2:20).

One of my childhood best friends is a devout Muslim. His unwavering belief that God must exist is one of the things I respect most about him.

It is also one of the things we find ourselves arguing about most. After nearly a decade of debating the existence of God, I have found myself revisiting the same questions, challenging the same assumptions, and arriving at much the same conclusions. Having entertained this conversation more times than I can count, I figured why not put my thoughts into writing.

I hope that one day I can believe in God. If not for myself, then for my children. I think there is something profoundly valuable about growing up with a sense of objective morality, and I recognize the role religion can play in cultivating it. So if it comes down to it, I would larp religion. Kinda fucked up, but I think the ends justify the means. I’ll revisit this when I’m a dad and lyk.

But the desire for something to exist does not substantiate its existence.

I have no faith in god (god in the traditional sense of an omnipotent being). But I can concede to the contingency argument, which goes something like:

The device you are reading this on was made by something

That something was made by someone

That someone was made by someone 

And then it all traces back to a single point in time where nothing came before it.

That is god to me.

A single point in time. NOT a being. A point in time (I will use quotation marks around god when I am referring to it as a point in time)

I have no indication whether God is good or evil. Whether He is merciful or indifferent. Whether he possesses consciousness, intelligence, or even intentions.

Those assumptions are dependent on faith.

Nor do I know whether God has any role to play in my life today.

The act of creation does not inherently imply continued control.

Even if God created the universe, why does that imply he still intervenes in it? Why must he listen to my prayers, determine my fate, or prescribe some greater purpose to my existence?

Perhaps “God” created the conditions necessary for existence and has played no role since. Perhaps the universe operates independently through the very laws established at its origin.

Or perhaps “God” never possessed the capacity for intention in the first place.

I do not know.

And I am completely content never knowing until after I die.

But I do question how people equate the possibility of a creator with certainty about its character.

I recognize that religion can be profoundly beneficial to society. For the common individual, the belief in divine judgment provides an incentive to act morally, even in the absence of societal accountability. Religion encourages charity, compassion, and a sense of responsibility toward others.

But I find an interesting contradiction.

Throughout history, some of humanity's most immoral actions have been justified in the name of religion. Slavery has been defended through scripture. Persecution has been framed as the preservation of faith. Violence has been justified as the fulfillment of divine will.

The very institution that encourages morality has also been used to justify its violation.

And I think this is particularly dangerous. Unfortunately, it is still seen today. Individuals are convinced that their actions are sanctioned by God. Even cruelty becomes an expression of righteousness. What would otherwise be considered immoral is reframed as a religious obligation.

This is not to suggest that religion is inherently harmful.

Religious convictions have also inspired extraordinary acts of compassion and resistance to injustice. But I question the tendency to treat religious authority as synonymous with moral authority.

This returns me to the question of objective morality. I believe certain actions are inherently wrong, independent of circumstance, culture, or religious authority. Yet I have nothing to substantiate that other than, like “This is what I find right and wrong because of my life experiences”

So then, what makes morality objectively true?

I also do not know :/

So I’m stuck on whether attributing morality to God resolves this uncertainty or simply transfers it elsewhere.

If God (traditional) is inherently good, by what standard do we establish his goodness? And if we cannot establish it, why should his authority alone determine what is right?

It is circular.

I do not think religion is necessary for an individual to behave morally (yes, then technically there is no basis for what is considered moral, but I'll cook up something for it later, so just entertain it for now).

Nor do I think the absence of religious conviction should diminish the moral character of an individual who does not share it.

But I also recognize that religion can give individuals the structure and motivation to live by principles they might otherwise struggle to uphold.

I am not here to argue that God does not exist. Because “God” requires no faith.

Nor am I arguing that religion is inherently harmful.

I am questioning the characteristics humanity has prescribed to God, and the authority we have derived from those characteristics.

The contingency argument may provide a reason to believe that existence depends on something necessary.

But it does not necessarily establish a conscious creator.

And a conscious creator does not necessarily establish a benevolent one.

Nor does a benevolent creator necessarily imply an active presence in our lives.

I just think that each assertion requires its own justification.

Perhaps God exists exactly as the Abrahamic religions describe Him. Perhaps He created the universe and has remained indifferent to it ever since. Or perhaps God is simply the name we have given to an origin we cannot yet comprehend. (You can’t imagine how many hours of debate have been spent on these three sentences)

So I find these three possibilities equally probable.

HOWEVER, I refuse to mistake my inability to explain existence for an understanding of its creator.

I can recognize the value of religion without accepting its truth, just as I can question its authority without denying its value.

As always, I urge you to challenge my beliefs.

-Z.Y.