Is the human race God's abandoned project?
In 1997 actress Jodie Foster starred in a movie called "Contact". She was Dr Ellie Arroway, who spent her life searching for truth through the study of radio astronomy, hoping to find evidence of extraterrestrial life. Her character is contrasted with Palmer Joss (Matthew McConaughey), who spent his life searching for truth through faith in God.
In the movie, science and faith are contrasted and often portrayed as incompatible. The argument goes unashamedly in favor of science, and how we must search for truth through facts, reason, and evidence. It bashes religion for its often irrational, emotional, and narrow-minded view of God and the world.
If anything, the movie highlights the plight of many people: If God exists, where is the evidence? If He is a good God, why does He allow so much evil in the world?
These questions have driven many people to atheism, the belief that there is no God. Others have decidedly (!) sat on the fence and declared themselves agnostics – people who claim neither faith nor disbelief in God.
But where does faith stand in regards to those two questions? Has God created the world and decided to leave no sign of His existence? Is the human race His abandoned project?
You’ve probably heard that ‘faith without works is dead’. We need look no further in the Bible to see that atheists actually have a point. This Bible verse means that faith has to bear fruit, it must have something to show for itself. In other words, if I have faith in God, this faith must bring me benefit – otherwise it is dead.
So the Bible itself says that one must not simply say he has faith in God and yet have nothing to show for it. This would be foolishness. God does not expect us to believe in Him without any reaction on His part. But many religious people, unfortunately, insist on practicing a blind, unintelligent faith that brings them no results whatsoever. That’s why I understand the atheist guy when he says that religion doesn’t make sense to him.
Of course God is very keen to show evidence of His existence – just not as some people would like to see it. Some would like to see God show off His power by intervening in world events and in particular, blocking what is evil.
Such people fail to understand how God works.
It is easy to say the problem of evil in the world and God’s apparent inaction is proof that He doesn’t exist. However, what this argument ignores is that people must take responsibility for their actions and hold accountable those who practice evil. If God were to step in every time someone was about to do something bad, then what would happen to mankind’s freedom of choice?
So no, God does not manifest by imposing Himself on us… He does not interfere with our lives when He has not been invited to. But He is indeed eager to respond to our faith with clear, unquestionable evidence of His power. God wants to appear to us on an individual level, giving us a personal and direct experience with Him. And not only should you look for such direct experiences with Him, you should absolutely refuse to have a faith that brings no results.
If you want proof of God’s existence, then come to Him on His terms, not yours. Take off the cloak of religion (or atheism), and forget all the rubbish it has taught you. Lay aside your preconceptions about Him, if only because you don’t know Him yet, and be absolutely sincere about what you are looking for: personal evidence and experience that He exists.
Don’t change a thing about you; come as you are, warts and all. And if you exert half the effort that Jodie’s character did in contacting aliens into contacting God, you can be sure you will not be disappointed.
Bishop Renato Cardoso
Want to make contact with God? Need some pointers? Whilst I don’t have His e-mail, you can This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for a chat.
