Posted on 03/22/2014 5:46:52 PM PDT by Diago
While I had doubts about the existence of God before entering college, I considered myself a Christian and checked off the Protestant Methodist box on my application. Still, I had some apprehension in attending Boston College—a religious, Jesuit, Catholic institution. So, it came much to my surprise that nearly as soon as I stepped on campus, my faith in Christianity and God started to wane.
I took both sections of Philosophy of the Person my first year at BC, not because I was interested in the subject, but solely as a means to fulfill the Core curriculum that’s a major part of BC’s Jesuit identity. I hadn’t previously taken a philosophy course, though I quickly came to enjoy the deep and abstract thinking required of the class as a contrast to the quantitative work present in my economics and finance courses.
We read a number of proofs for the existence of God, and as any good intro philosophy class allows, we examined each side of the argument. After both class discussions and my own thinking, I realized I sided more with arguments against God. I recall writing an essay disputing St. Thomas Aquinas’ five proofs of existence, my finishing line reading, “Couldn’t God have left more compelling evidence [for his existence]?” Little did I know this marked an important turning point in my educational journey—it was the first time I seriously considered the distinct possibility that God didn’t exist.
These thoughts continued during a two-semester Religious Quest class my sophomore year that compared Islam and Christianity. It was my first exposure to Islam besides what I’d seen and read in the news, and I also learned extensively about Christianity. Never before had I gained such a detailed perspective on the origins, sects, and traditions of the two religions. The power of community provided by each faith throughout history was immense, and based on their shared teachings of peace and worship, it was easy to see why each has thrived and accumulated millions of members worldwide.
A major point of the class was how similar the religions are, and indeed, they are more similar than I’d have ever thought. But by examining them so closely, I also studied their many differences. And those differences, most historians agree, have contributed to millions of deaths around the world—not only between the two religions (The Crusades), but also due to intra-religious conflicts between Catholics and Protestants (30 Years’ War) and Sunni and Shiite Muslims (Iran vs. Saudi Arabia & Iraq).
After a great deal of reflection undertaken both as a requirement inside the classroom and on my own, I came away with two conclusions. One, no higher being would ever tolerate millions of people being killed over the right way to worship him. Two, the differences between each religion made it unlikely that followers of both could be accepted into the same afterlife, meaning that, if there were a God, millions would be left out of eternal life—in my view, an unjust punishment for having the “wrong” belief.
Due to those two required core classes, by the second half of my sophomore year I had enough qualitative reasons for not believing in God. A class I took the following semester supplied me with more technical explanations. I enrolled in evolutionary economics, a course that discussed how humans have developed certain traits through evolution. Evolutionary psychologists believe that sexual selection and preference has shaped much of how we behave today, explaining behaviors such as riskier tendencies in men compared to women, outward displays of fitness to attract mates, and, ultimately, the development of a creative and intelligent human mind.
As one can imagine, the class required intensive reflection on views of human behavior that we’d previously considered to be quite basic. We also expanded our knowledge by reading a number of evolutionary passages, including a section from Richard Dawkins’ book, The Selfish Gene (emphasis on gene). His work, in addition to meticulously explaining how natural selection works down to the genetic level, offered a solid explanation of how life began without a creator.
By the end of the semester, I fully believed evolution as a fact for the first time. Further, as someone who finds the existence of God and evolution mutually exclusive, it was much harder for me to identify with the Christian faith. But I was not yet committed to saying I didn’t believe in God.
That changed the next semester, the first of my junior year. I registered for Philosophy of Existence to fulfill my minor in the subject—a route I would never have pursued had I gone to a different school. We studied a number of existentialist philosophers, some who based their philosophies in religion, and others who didn’t. Two of the latter were Sartre and Nietzsche, known atheist scholars. Sartre wrote that the essence of being human is being free, while Nietzsche famously said, “God is dead … and we have killed him.” They both provided a view of the world in which mankind had created the notion of God.
By the end of the class, and after deep contemplation, I finally realized what I truly believed—there is no God. Both the idea of a higher being, and the many religions of the world, were founded by man to inspire hope and influence human behavior.
Despite entering college as a Christian, two months from now I will graduate this Jesuit, Catholic school as an atheist. Ironically, the basis of that belief was developed in classes I was required to take based on Jesuit values and ideals —the education of the whole person through BC’s core curriculum. The Jesuits don’t teach students what to think. They teach them how to think. Above all else, that’s what college is for. And I’m grateful that I chose BC as the place to learn that.
Editor’s Note: The views presented in this column are those of the author alone and do not represent the views of The Heights.
Informational ping only.
Notice how it’s all about him? God didn’t give “me” enough proof. .
Indeed God can give men such overt, demonstrable proof that no man could rationally argue against his existence (though i have little doubt some of the atheists i have argued with would find a way), as He did in leading Israel out of Egypt and thru the wilderness.
The 10 plague judgments against their false gods (to make them atheists as regards faith in those gods), the drowning of the Egyptian army, the leading by a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day, etc.
But that did not prevent them from acting like atheists (as we do by our unbelief and not praying), and like so many atheists today who seem to have had a father who abused them, actually accusing God and Moses of bringing them out of their rose-colored slavery to kill them, betraying the victim mentality the devil had planted in them so subtly (which i know too well myself).
But other find warrant to take the step of faith in Christ on far less a degree of evidence, as i did at age 25 as a then-RC, but which results in clear evidence of the reality of the resurrected Christ.
For this is a result of heeding the light one has, of obeying conscience, which before i was living contrary, and trying to sooth it by certain sinful means, and of seeking God.
And seeking prepares the heart for efficacious receiving.
For the Lord would not show His glory except to those who reverence the holy God and entered into covenant with Him, (Ex. 33:18; Ps. 25:14; 103:18) but gave a basic revelation of His reality in conscience and reality ,
That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: (Acts 17:27)
For God is like a veiled women of great beauty, of which their is a basic revelation, but her naked beauty is only for the one who will enter into covenant with her. And for Christian is one who has tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and gracious, yet the fulness of that awaits full consummation. (Rv. 21,22)
There are those who demand God do some overt miracle in order for them to believe, but that would not make for efficacious belief, but is a form of rape, and if provided on demand (and it did not kill him) would make God like a women who is "easy," and thus are not appreciated.
In contrast, obeying light one has in seeking God results in more light, and which the true seeker will acts upon
Those who really do not want the Light, due to preference to to self being god, or another false object of ultimate spiritual affection, trust or allegiance, will turn aside, and their foolish heart will be darkened.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (John 3:19-21)
While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. (John 12:36)
But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. (Luke 19:14)
Because that, when they knew God [basic revelation], they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21)
...when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) (Romans 2:14-15)
Thus Cornelius, though raised in pagan Rome and as yet unsaved, revered the God of the Hebrews, favored them, and thus was told "call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved." (Acts 11:13,14)
Of course, then you have extreme cases of ad hoc grace as in John Newton, who went out of his way to convince souls against God, and went thru humbling circumstances but remained anti-Christ, yet at the very last, and about to perish, was given "amazing grace" to repent.
For ultimately the convert does what he otherwise would not and could not do, as God draws men to Himself, (Jn. 6:44; 12:32), opens hearts,. (Acts 16:14) and grants repentant faith. (Acts 11:18; Eph. 2:8,9) Thanks be to God.
“I” can’t imagine a God who would reject those with the wrong belief system, etc. ad nauseaum. A fount of scholarship he ain’t
While rejecting that Truth is exclusive by nature, such cannot tolerate dissent from what they believe.
A telltale sign of someone with a narcissistic disorder is their writing style is completely full of me, myself, and I. Developing narcissism is a defensive response to a serious mental disturbance. There is no cure for this developmental disorder. It is not a benign condition; the narcissist seeks to do serious damage to others throughout their remaining life. The best response to a narcissist is to keep them out of your life as much as possible.
"Both the idea of a higher being, and the many religions of the world, were founded by man to inspire hope and influence human behavior."
He recognizes religions have value, are a competitive advantage, one that he does not have. The narcissist response is to attack perceived advantages in others. He's on a mission now to destroy hope and goodness in others. In other words, he has chosen evil.
Because they had no real and tested relationship with God to begin with.
Once you do,and thus see His providence and leading, then it is greater than the arguments by those living in a dark basement who disallow the world of light since they never saw it, and can come up from naturalistic arguments to explain away what seems to evidence it.
“He blames ANYONE or ANYTHING else?”
Looks like he actually was appreciative and thankful rather than looking to blame anyone or anything.
Seems these people, Catholics especially, think they can learn to know God (or not) thru pagan philosophy classes...
Like Muhammad, his "revelations" corresponded to his desires. I can tell you from experience as one who spent much time in street and event evangelism, offering tracts (much needed today), that college "kids" are about the most indifferent souls out there, in vast contrast to earlier.
And it is not simply bcz of some philosophy or science class, if at all, but in contrast to HARVARD LAWS OF 1642 kids in colleges have less discipline and lower moral standards than HS, and are much hedonistic brothels, with about 80% being fornicators, and at least 25% having an STI. . (and 80% of people who have a sexually transmitted disease experience no noticeable symptoms.
Thus it is no wonder they do not want the light of Christ to expose their darkness.
Actually it is, as what one does reveals what he really believes more than what they say, esp. on paper. And Rome interprets the latter by treating liberal Catholics, which are the majority , as members in life and in death. And few RCs have really been born again.
And allows such colleges as BC ("brothel college") to call themselves Catholic, despite some making a little noise about it.
What is more on that aspect, after examining the official web sites of 244 Catholic universities and colleges in America, the TFP Student Action found that 107 – or 43% have pro-homosexual clubs. TFP Student Action Dec. 6. 2011; studentaction.org/get-involved/online-petitions/pro-homosexual-clubs-at-107-catholic-colleges/print.html
Modern man believes it is up to God to convince us He is real. The Bible doesn’t describe a God who agrees. The universe we live in as ample proof of God, and it takes a lot of work to reject that evidence. But if someone wants to...God will let them.
Perhaps someone should have read the Prodigal Son to this fellow, and pointed out the father doesn’t chase after the son, begging him to come back.
There is more evidence the student doesn’t exist, than attempting to disprove God’s existence.
He’s going to get a surprise at the Great White Throne Judgment.
Indeed. And to be born again this man must become an atheist as i am, in the sense of believing on the Christ of Scripture to save by His sinless shed blood, as a contrite damned+destitute sinner whose living faith is counted for righteousness. And thus is baptized and follows Him, and repenting when convicted of not doing so, praying directly to the Lord in Heaven because of Christ's blood. (Heb. 10:19) .
And thus rejecting a false god who basically has Mary as a 4th person of the Godhead, and saves thru a ritual sprinkling even without moral cognizance and personal repentant faith, and is formally justified on the basis of interior goodness, and thus usually ends his salvation process by becoming good enough to enter Heaven thru torments in Rome's mythical purgatory .
And who said,
Over the past twenty-five years I have asked hundreds of Catholic college students the question: If you should die tonight and God asks you why he should let you into heaven, what would you answer? The vast majority of them simply do not know the right answer to this, the most important of all questions, the very essence of Christianity. They usually do not even mention Jesus! http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0027.html
Here is a all-too typical RC idea of salvation:
I feel when my numbers up I will appoach a large table and St.Peter will be there with an enormous scale of justice by his side. We will see our life in a movie...the things that we did for the benefit of others will be for the plus side of the scale..the other stuff,,not so good will..well, be on the negative side..and so its a very interesting job Pete has. I wonder if he pushes a button for the elevator down for the losers...and what .sideways for those heading for purgatory..the half way house....lets wait and see.... — http://forums.catholic.com/showpost.php?p=4098202&postcount=2
One thing the student fails to grasp is that he is spiritually dead and already condemned. Until he is reborn, he’ll never know God. His attempts to understand God are soulish, void of faith. He further degenerates himself by now wanting to debate the existence of God from a position of blindness.
Rather, his professors are only that, professing but not possessing the real Christ. See my above posts if you will.
I wonder how many blind people argue nobody has sight or vision.
Villanova University was full to the brim with Marxists when I attend in the early seventies. It must be worse now.
That was Mary Daly and she was not a nun. She was terminated because of the refusal to admit men to the course.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Daly
.
Nice to have the info. But doesn’t convince me that Boston College is a fine school which upholds solid Christian teachings.
See an example of faith from a poster in post above .
To which forum i was quickly added to the multitudes who were "banned for life" - though they still ask me for money, and invite me to cruises (but i do not swim well, and my time is not yet).
A RC ranted, without censure, against Protestantism, and so i reproved his posts and others in a few posts, as per here. About 24 hours and i was out, and posts deleted. You must walk on eggshells, as it seems the mods long for the power of the Inquisition, and lacking the physical means, they do what the can by banning, anathematizing, strong impenitent challengers for life. No wonder RCs suppose the parroted polemics we see too often here are actually valid.
By “pathetic,” I mean that they aren’t even plausible, or clever, or troubling, or difficult to see through. They are formulaic, convenient, shallow, and logically incoherent.
I knew a man who survived Auschwitz (unlike most of his family), and lost any faith in God. While I believe in God, I didn’t have any glib answer for him, and I still don’t.
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