Is There Really a God? Research Paper Example

Every society, both ancient and modern, has been concerned with determining whether there is a god. When agricultural societies first formed, they turned to the concept of a being or beings with ultimate power in order to help them understand how the world around them works. While many of these cultures were polytheistic, meaning that they believed in many gods, modern society has trended towards monotheism, the belief of one true god. Therefore, the answer to the question “Is there really a god?” is dependent upon one’s definition of god, which is different for every individual.

The most common understanding of god to those living in the United States today is the one that Christians, Jews, and Muslims claim to be the one true god. This being is all-knowing, all-powerful, and intrinsically good. Therefore, those who follow these religions believe that god created man and the Earth and all of the organisms living on it. He defines the rules, dictating what morality should be, and provides humanity with a set of rules that they should live by in order to ensure that their souls return to him.

It is challenging to determine whether there is a god based on the religious texts of these three religions. While all three texts originated from the Jewish Torah, these books were authored by man, which is known to be flawed. As a consequence, we cannot trust that the words these books contain are wholly true or should be taken literally. Furthermore, when these words were originally recorded, it was in a language very distinct from the one we speak today. Therefore, we cannot trust that the translations that we can read are accurate or reflective of the original text. Since we do not have physical proof of god, it is nearly impossible to claim god. However, it is still possible that god exists. People of faith claim that they have heard and seen the miracles of god, which have made them true believers. Therefore, the existence of god can be proven by spiritual, rather than by physical means.

Those who do not agree with this understanding of god are typically either polytheistic or atheist. A common polytheistic religion that continues to exist today is Hinduism. There are many different Hindu gods and goddesses, which remind us of some of the ancient religions that early man once followed. These gods and goddesses aren’t necessarily all-powerful and all-good, as each has a specific domain over which they have power. Furthermore, like man, they have the potential for being selfish. It appears that these polytheistic religions were created in order provide man with a means in which they could justify their own occasionally impure actions. Nonetheless, this religion dictates that through a prayer and an understanding of this human nature, one can find his or herself in a more positive place. In this sense, god is representative of the faith that individuals have in humanity and a trust that humans are able to accomplish some kind of a greater good. In this sense as well, god is a feeling that can be sensed by the faithful, and there is no way to detect this faith or the spirit of believers in the physical world.

Atheists have an interesting point of view as to how the world works, as these individuals fail to accept either one or many gods. They are certain that there is no god, and most believe that the laws of the universe are dictated by science. However, scientific theories are occasionally changed, even though there was much evidence for them at one time. While this does not happen frequently, it allows humanity to trust science about 99% of the time. It is important to consider that the extra 1% is uncertainty and accounts for the unknown. Even if scientific law is always correct, there is no way that we can always know everything about how the world around us works. Therefore, even a belief in science assumes a certain level of faith. Ultimately, a belief in anything results in a level of faith. Even though humanity cannot agree on a single definition of god, they can agree that if we have faith, it means we believe in something without being able to fully explain it. This is true of monotheistic religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as it is true of polytheistic religions like Hinduism, and of atheist non-believers. If we are able to redefine god according to this new understanding, then it is intuitive that god exists. We do not know what god is, and we cannot possibly know. Therefore, we must accept that each individual has the ability and privilege to define what or who god is for themselves. As long as they thoroughly believe in something and have faith, then they believe in god.

Based on this analysis, we can conclude is a force that makes the earth work and a means by which humans come to understand themselves. We cannot reasonably say that a god judges whether we behave well or poorly or whether we will go to heaven or hell, but we can set moral expectations for ourselves based on our beliefs. Therefore, a belief in god or a lack thereof can still dictate proper behavior and consideration for others. We utilize broader understandings of god to determine how it is acceptable and unacceptable to behave in society. As long as we believe in something fully, we will live our lives according to this understanding that we have.

It appears that the choice to follow an organized religion, worship individual, or not worship at all is a part of the routine that individuals need to unique justify their own actions and sense of self. As long as they believe in the choice that they are making with a degree of faith and if this is in accordance to the way that they believe the world should or does work, they are acting in accordance with what an all-powerful being would want them to do. In some instances, these individuals are god themselves. They choose what they want to do and what is right. In other cases, individuals forfeit their ability to play god to religious leaders who they trust are more aware of the human experience and difference between good and evil.

In conclusion, god does exist, but god is the definition we choose. Even those who do not believe in god in the traditional sense are still faithful to their personal beliefs about the world, demonstrating that, despite their altered sense of the word, they still believe.