Western Theism Masterpost

shatterrealm:

“When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.” – Arthur C. Clarke, atheist and science fiction author

“Eternally the eternal is the eternal; in time the eternal is possibility, the future.” – Søren Kierkegaard, Christian existentialist

I: The Basics

II: Arguments for the Necessity of God’s Existence

III: How Religion Complements Science Rather than Opposing It

“The scientific method, when properly applied, is no
enemy of faith. The problems begin when enthusiastic atheists start
smuggling in their own presuppositions … or when enthusiastic Christians
start believing that science challenges core beliefs or essential ways
of reading the Bible and circle their wagons defensively. The reality is
rather different and much more interesting. The Christian faith offers
us a robust intellectual vantage point, which makes sense of the
historical origins and the explanatory successes of the natural
sciences.” – Dr. Alister McGrath, biophysicist and theologian

IV: Being Religious is Normal and Beneficial


“Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” – Arthur C. Clarke

“If I would have exercised ‘blind faith,’ I would have rejected Christ and turned my back on all the evidence.” – Josh McDowell

“Let me make two things clear. First, I’m not saying, ‘Just trust your experience.’ I’m saying, ‘Use your mind calmly and weigh the evidence, and then let experience be a confirming piece of evidence.’ Second, if what this evidence points to is true … the evidence itself begs for an experiential test … If you were on a jury and heard enough evidence to convince you of someone’s guilt, it wouldn’t make sense to stop short of the final step of convicting him.” – J.P. Moreland, Ph.D.

Note: All knowledge requires some level of commitment.  This post is not meant to persuade anyone to make such a commitment, but it can inform about the intellectual side of theism. There is room for disagreement within every approach above. I do not necessarily agree with all of the above thinkers.