How can I know that there is a God?

[McCulloch]

I've been debating many issues here for some time now, but the single most important one, in my opinion is this. There are those who claim that they know that God exists. How does one come to that knowledge? Do they really know that God exists or do they simply suppose or assume that God exists?

If your answer is that I cannot know, then you are as much of an agnostic as I am. If you answer is that some holy book says so, then you have only pushed the question onto that book. I also have what I think is the second most important question.

How can I know that there is a God?

[Goat]

I know that God exists as surely as I know that Man exists. I will take it one step further. I know that I exist. I may question your existence but I acknowledge that there are others outside of my own existence.

And HOW do you know that God exists as surely as you know man exists?

What is the mechanism you use to determine that?

[Cathar1950]

Some people just seem belligerent and arrogant no matter what they believe.
Some beliefs may not make you better but some can make you worse depending on what you were like before. I guess that is the danger in some absolutes.
Frankly I enjoy Easter and even Christmas, Passover and Hanukkah. I am sure given the chance I would like many others. Birthdays come to mind as do anniversaries.
Births, deaths and just about anything is a cause to remember and worth noticing…
Happy Easter to the East and the West, both Easter days, and a Peaceful Passover to all. What else goes on? Spring Equinoxes, any others?

I think 21 March was also Mawlid...the celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's birthday - which I think is actually the anniversary of his death.

That's cool.
How about Hindu or Buddhists? They must have something, and Native Americans.
I bet everyone has one this time of the year.

That's uncool.

From the historical record:
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.' Philip said to him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves." John 14:6-11.

It is very simple, you don't believe!

Biker

I think you mean that you’re non-cool.
Tell us what you think is “uncool” about it.
We happen to know “The gospel of John” is not a historical record.
Any comparison to the other NT gospels can show us that either they are wrong or John is wrong. Clearly you do not understand the nature of your own literature.
There need be little explanation to understand that Jesus never spoke the words above and they are a later development and express the beliefs of the author and the readers or hearers. It is not a question about my unbelief but one of interpretation. Your interpretation, being only one among many, your response is very simple and it has nothing to do with my belief. Whatever could you mean by “You don’t believe”?
It is very simple, you don’t know what you are talking about and you have nothing to say or contribute to coherent discussion.

[Biker]

Some people just seem belligerent and arrogant no matter what they believe.
Some beliefs may not make you better but some can make you worse depending on what you were like before. I guess that is the danger in some absolutes.
Frankly I enjoy Easter and even Christmas, Passover and Hanukkah. I am sure given the chance I would like many others. Birthdays come to mind as do anniversaries.
Births, deaths and just about anything is a cause to remember and worth noticing…
Happy Easter to the East and the West, both Easter days, and a Peaceful Passover to all. What else goes on? Spring Equinoxes, any others?

I think 21 March was also Mawlid...the celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's birthday - which I think is actually the anniversary of his death.

That's cool.
How about Hindu or Buddhists? They must have something, and Native Americans.
I bet everyone has one this time of the year.

That's uncool.

From the historical record:
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.' Philip said to him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves." John 14:6-11.

It is very simple, you don't believe!

Biker

I think you mean that you’re non-cool.
Tell us what you think is “uncool” about it.
We happen to know “The gospel of John” is not a historical record.
Any comparison to the other NT gospels can show us that either they are wrong or John is wrong. Clearly you do not understand the nature of your own literature.
There need be little explanation to understand that Jesus never spoke the words above and they are a later development and express the beliefs of the author and the readers or hearers. It is not a question about my unbelief but one of interpretation. Your interpretation, being only one among many, your response is very simple and it has nothing to do with my belief. Whatever could you mean by “You don’t believe”?
It is very simple, you don’t know what you are talking about and you have nothing to say or contribute to coherent discussion.

We happen to know "The Gospel of John" is not a historical record.

We do? How do we "know" that?

Any comparison to the other NT Gospels can show us that either they are wrong or John is wrong.

I notice you said "can" and not do? Your speculation is irrelevant because "any comparison" is not the standard of what would determine if in fact John is a true historical document. What the determining factor would be: Scripture (such as the Gospel of John) in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact. Unless of course, you have something? Do you?

Clearly you do not understand the nature of your own literature.

Why don't I? Why is it relevant? Are you saying it is untrue? Why?

Biker

[Aardvark]

...Births, deaths and just about anything is a cause to remember and worth noticing…
Happy Easter to the East and the West, both Easter days, and a Peaceful Passover to all. What else goes on? Spring Equinoxes, any others?

I think 21 March was also Mawlid...the celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's birthday - which I think is actually the anniversary of his death.

That's cool.
How about Hindu or Buddhists? They must have something, and Native Americans.
I bet everyone has one this time of the year.

That's uncool.

From the historical record:
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know me, you will know my Father also..." John 14:6-11.

It is very simple, you don't believe!

Biker

Biker,
cool or not, some of us came to know God BEFORE knowing Christ's part in Him. Paul warns us against assuming people are not saved just because they have not adopted the new religon - Romans 2:14-16 - so unless you know the people you're addressing very well indeed you cannot say whether or not their conscience bears witness to them.
And if they choose to celebrate special days 'who are you to judge the servant of another? ...the Master is able to make him stand.' - Romans 14:4

[bernee51]

.... There are those who claim that they know that God exists. How does one come to that knowledge? Do they really know that God exists or do they simply suppose or assume that God exists?

...

How can I know that there is a God?

I've skimmed through a number of the posted replies and not found one that addresses your question as framed.

There is however the argument that 'Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food'.

Ask yourself: Why do we care so much about fair play? Even a small child will complain that 'it's not fair!' but where does that notion come from?
However diverse the answers to 'what is fair/right/wrong?' may be, certain patterns are universal. Nowhere do we find people justifying their actions because they believe them to be bad or evil. Much as we may demonise naziism, they did not and do not consider themselves evil. So what model/authority, consciously or otherwise, are we refereing to when we say something is wrong?

The human appetite for justice implies a food source.

And that food source is our humanity

[bernee51]

I know that God exists as surely as I know that Man exists.

On what do you base this knowledge?

I will take it one step further. I know that I exist.

Really?

Then you should be able to answer this question of yourself...

"Who am I?"

How would you answer?

I may question your existence but I acknowledge that there are others outside of my own existence.

Are you saying this assumption provides you with the knowledge god exists?

[bernee51]

What the determining factor would be: Scripture (such as the Gospel of John) in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact.

I'm still waiting for you to present the original manuscripts - signed and dated by 'John'

Unless of course, you have something? Do you?

Clearly you don't.

Clearly you do not understand the nature of your own literature.

Why don't I?

You make claims of access to the 'original manuscripts' then fail to present them.

Why is it relevant?

Your question answers itself.

Are you saying it is untrue?

No more untrue than the Koran, Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas the Sri - Gur Granth Sahib.

[Aardvark]

.... There are those who claim that they know that God exists. How does one come to that knowledge? Do they really know that God exists or do they simply suppose or assume that God exists?

...

How can I know that there is a God?

I've skimmed through a number of the posted replies and not found one that addresses your question as framed.

There is however the argument that 'Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food'.

Ask yourself: Why do we care so much about fair play? Even a small child will complain that 'it's not fair!' but where does that notion come from?

... So what model/authority, consciously or otherwise, are we refereing to when we say something is wrong?

The human appetite for justice implies a food source.

And that food source is our humanity

In so much as our humanity is a quality that distinguishes us from the animal kingdom, yes. We feed each other. But where has that quality originated?

[uncommonman]

bernee51,

Most of what I "assume" (as you put it) is based upon simple reasoning. I must exist or you would not have acknowledge my existence by answering my post. Therefore, I am.

I did not create this universe. It was here when I got here. Judging from the fact that people that I have known that have since died, the universe will continue to be around long after I am gone.

If there was a "Big Bang," as most scientists believe, there had to be some force that set the universe into motion. You can call it God. You can call it intelligent design. You can even call it Hank for all I care. One can only reasonably conclude that "some force" existed before time.

[realthinker]

When you ask whether God "exists", it would help if you define what "exist" means to you. By existence, do you mean you can sense it by touch, sight, smell, taste, or sound? It seems to me that your basis for "existence" is based solely on what your body is communicating to your brain. Would you acknowledge that microorganisms exist? Why? Because you read it in a book? Because someone told you they exist? You cannot hold God's "existence" based on senses, but then hold the "existence" of microorganisms because somebody told you so. See the double standard? Sometimes you just have to have faith in things, because you're not always going to be able to sense them.

For something to "exist" there must be an unequivocal consequence that can arise due to nothing other than the object or individual in question.

From the immediate perspective, the consequence of your existence is your contribution to this dialog. We cannot, honestly, say that this is unequivocal, but since the consequence is not particularly significant, we give that the benefit of the doubt. You could be someone else posing as an alternative identity. You could be an automated troll. It doesn't matter enough though to warrant a real investigation.

The consequence of microorganisms is often disease. That consequence was dire enough that scientists searched to identify the source of that consequence. Though we may not witness that existence directly, our experience includes the consequence. It also includes the notion that we can counter that consequence with particular behavior. Generations of experience supports recognition of that existence because of its direct benefit. The effect is measurable, predictable, and repeatable.

There is no unequivocal consequence of God. It is not measurable, predictable, repeatable.