I came across your email about why people do not believe in God. I am an
atheist, but I do not deny a god. For me there is no God to deny. I
don’t suppress any truth. I have found some truths in science. If there
were indeed a God, which I cannot prove either way, would he/she not give
me evidence? I am fully open to any evidence that God exists. Thus far I
have had none. I was once an agnostic, but now am an atheist. I have
been taught Christianity, and all the other religions, they all seem
absurd, just as non belief seems absurd to you.

“An associated reason is also found in Romans 1. Some do not believe
because of their pride. Some want to believe that we humans are the
greatest thing in the universe. We do not want to admit a greater power
or authority than ourselves. This would require our submission to that
greater power, which some are not willing to do”

This I totally disagree with. I do not believe I am the greatest thing in
the universe, I have actually real respect for the smallest organisms.
Viruses have survived millions of years and still remain dominant.
Personally I feel it is religion which acts as if humanity is really
important; as if this whole universe created FOR us. I find that to be
pride, and why would God need people to worship him? I call that pride.
i personally believe in the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe
because the vast universe must harbor other planets capable of supporting
life, many we have found (at least gas giants with moons like titan or
europa wich may have life, simple as it may be) so I am appalled by the
assumption that I think I am so important. I am an insignificant blot in
the vast universe whose existence is less than a blink of an eye
universally speaking, so please stop insulting me and others who share my
view. You cannot make assumptions of this, you do not know it. came
across your email about why people do not believe in r email about why
people do not believe in God.

Thank-you for your comments. I can see that you think deeply
on many questions. I am sorry if my statements offended you. I certainly
do not mean to insult you, but to simply and honestly express my belief
about the nature of reality. I just finished giving a lecture in my
science class on the anthropic principle–the idea that the laws of nature
as we know them inexorably point to a creator who made the universe with
properties uniquely appropriate to support advanced life forms (see the
power points at this web site: The Anthropic Principle and Science and
Religion). I believe that if one looks at the intricacies of life and at
the amazing laws of nature, that one is forced to conclude that there is a
god which created the universe as it is. As Romans chapter one says, the
existence of the creator is obvious from what was created. As a
scientist, I strongly agree with this statement. God has given many
evidences of his existence, including his amazing creation, and also the
Bible. The Bible itself offers many proofs of God. I suggest you
consider reading my book, “Is There a God? (available at www.ipibooks.com
)

I can understand your perspective that it appears arrogant to
see human beings as the center and focal point of creation. From one
perspective, why should a human being be more important than a virus?
What makes us “better” than a cockroach? You ask a valid question. To
answer this, I would say that the universe was created by a consciousness
which wanted to create other conscious beings who are themselves creative
and who can respond to and appreciate beauty and can be in a relationship
with the universal consciousness which we call God. You see it as a
weakness for God to want to be loved and appreciated by the persons he
created. I appreciate your perspective, but do not see it that way. I
see the existence of love as a sign of a creator who experiences love for
us. We are more “important” than goldfish because we are valued by God,
our creator. Of course, I respect your own search for what is true, but I
am convinced, from the evidence, that God is real and that he gives us
beauty, pleasure, a sense of awe, consciousness, and value. Value is a
matter of perspective, of course, but our value comes from our creator.
In my opinion, this is not an arrogant statement, but a statement of
fact. I pray that as you continue your search you will find God in the
universe.

John Oakes