I have several questions:   How can I believe in God when I grew up from a background of science and critical thinking?   What about evolution?   What if we believe and God commands us to kill someone?

What is the most compelling scientific evidence or argument available? If you can, please provide three scientific arguments.   What about other religions? Last I checked there’s 4,200 religions, I’d think it be wise to check more than one out. How can we narrow the truth down to one religion when there’s thousands to investigate?  Thank you

Israel:

I am a PhD scientist–with a doctorate in chemical physics.  I think it would be fair to say that I grew up with a background of science and critical thinking and I believe in God.  I also believe that the Bible is inspired by God, that Jesus was raised from the dead.  I am a Christian who is also a highly trained critical thinker and a scientist.  I see absolutely no contradiction between reason or science and faith in the Bible.  I have never seen a single argument that the Bible contradicts science that I find believable.  In fact, I believe that anyone with a scientific background and who is trained in critical thinking, if he or she will simply look at the evidence, that person will surely come to the conclusion that God is real and that the Bible is inspired by that Creator/God.

About evolution, the Bible gives God credit for creating life in the first place and also for creating all species.  As a scientist, aware of the second law of thermodynamics, of biochemistry and chemistry, I am absolutely convinced that natural processes would never create life.  That God created life is beyond a reasonable doubt.  This fact is part of why I came to believe in God.  The Bible says that God created all species, but it does not say how he did it.  We can discover how he did it, in part, by looking at the genetic and fossil evidence.  The evidence is that evolution happens and that it can explain much or possibly even all of the evidence we can observe. Here is how I think about it.  God invented evolution.  The fact that species can evolve is the result of amazing design on the part of the Creator/God.  Since God created evolution, we should thank him for it and give him credit for it.

What about if we believe and God asks us to kill someone?  Given what Jesus said (turn the other cheek, love your enemies, etc.) this scenario is a red herring.  This would never happen.  What if God told me to rob a store?  He would not, so this is a meaningless question.  What if God told me to hate my wife?  He would not do this.  Asking me to answer a question about an impossible scenario is not a reasonable thing to do.  What about if I could jump 10,000 feet in the air?  What about it?  I have no answer for this question.

There are so many good arguments for God from science it is hard to get started.  I suggest you go to my web site to look at the power point and to listen to audio in which I speak on this topic.  Here is a URL you can use.    https://evidenceforchristianity.org/god-and-science-santa-barbara-5517/

What about other religions?   I have taught many classes on this topic.  I have produced many outlines, power points and audios on this topic.  To give a proper answer to this question would require me to write a 40 page essay.  Let me give you the extremely short version of an answer.  If Christianity is true (it is!), then Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Bahai, dualism, animism, deism, pantheism and all of these other isms are simply not true.  I am convinced that the Bible is inspired by God and that Jesus was raised from the dead.  This settles the issue for me.

Besides, there are claims in these other religions which are factually false.  According to Hinduism and Buddhism, the universe is eternal.  It is not eternal.  End of story.  According to Islam Jesus was not crucified.  Jesus was crucified.  I could continue in this vain, but instead I ask you to look at some of the materials I have produced.  I am attaching a set of notes and a power point on all the major world religions.   World Religions Notes    World Religions PPT      I believe that these religious systems do not reflect truth.  I would not choose to commit myself to a world religion that is not based on truth.  All religions have somewhat similar ethical systems, but their cosmologies and their world views are simply not true and they contradict one another.  If Hinduism is true, then Jesus is a false prophet.  If Christianity is true, then Muhammad is a false prophet.  Christianity is true.  It is consistent with reality.  Therefore I am a Christian.

By the way, we have a ten hour class on God and Science as well as a ten hour class on World Religions.  If  you are interested and I can help get you set up to take these classes.  If you want to go in depth on these topics, I would be more than happy to help you.  We have a Apologetics Certificate Program to help you deepen your knowledge of the evidence that supports Christian belief.

I hope these extremely brief responses are helpful.  You asked so many questions, I felt I need to provide short answers.  So, if you want to ask a more specific question (one at a time? ?) I will be more than happy to help.

John Oakes