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Some Answered Questions
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Pages 4-6
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2: PROOFS AND EVIDENCES OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
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1 |
One of the proofs and demonstrations of the existence of
God is the fact that man did not create himself: nay, his
creator and designer is another than himself.
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It is certain and indisputable that the creator of man is
not like man because a powerless creature cannot create
another being. The maker, the creator, has to possess all
perfections in order that he may create.
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Can the creation be perfect and the creator imperfect?
Can a picture be a masterpiece and the painter imperfect in
his art? For it is his art and his creation. Moreover, the
picture cannot be like the painter; otherwise, the painting
would have created itself. However perfect the picture
may be, in comparison with the painter it is in the utmost
degree of imperfection.
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The contingent world is the source of imperfections:
God is the origin of perfections. The imperfections of the
contingent world are in themselves a proof of the perfections
of God.
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For example, when you look at man, you see that he is
weak. This very weakness of the creature is a proof of the
power of the Eternal Almighty One, because, if there
were no power, weakness could not be imagined. Then
the weakness of the creature is a proof of the power of
God; for if there were no power, there could be no weakness;
so from this weakness it becomes evident that there is
power in the world. Again, in the contingent world there
is poverty; then necessarily wealth exists, since poverty is
apparent in the world. In the contingent world there is
ignorance; necessarily knowledge exists, because ignorance
is found; for if there were no knowledge, neither
would there be ignorance. Ignorance is the nonexistence
of knowledge, and if there were no existence, nonexistence
could not be realized.
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It is certain that the whole contingent world is subjected
to a law and rule which it can never disobey; even
man is forced to submit to death, to sleep and to other
conditions--that is to say, man in certain particulars is
governed, and necessarily this state of being governed implies
the existence of a governor. Because a characteristic
of contingent beings is dependency, and this dependency
is an essential necessity, therefore, there must be an independent
being whose independence is essential.
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In the same way it is understood from the man who is
sick that there must be one who is in health; for if there
were no health, his sickness could not be proved.
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Therefore, it becomes evident that there is an Eternal
Almighty One, Who is the possessor of all perfections, because
unless He possessed all perfections He would be like
His creation.
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Throughout the world of existence it is the same; the
smallest created thing proves that there is a creator. For
instance, this piece of bread proves that it has a maker.
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Praise be to God! the least change produced in the form
of the smallest thing proves the existence of a creator: then
can this great universe, which is endless, be self-created
and come into existence from the action of matter and the
elements? How self-evidently wrong is such a supposition!
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These obvious arguments are adduced for weak souls;
but if the inner perception be open, a hundred thousand
clear proofs become visible. Thus, when man feels the indwelling
spirit, he is in no need of arguments for its existence;
but for those who are deprived of the bounty of the
spirit, it is necessary to establish external arguments.
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