Evidence God Exists

[AngelThMan]

I've arrived here at a late stage in the debate, but I've read all of your posts and collected most of the evidence you have provided for god's existence:

* Humans are the only species, out of millions of species, which have evolved into an intelligent life
* the fact is that no other species have been able to develop science, literature, art, music and intelligent thought process as humans have. Isn’t this evidence that God exists?
* Yes it is
No, that is not evidence for god's existence. All you have said is that Man is the only intelligent species on earth and then simply added the statement, "therefore god exists". It's like saying that Kangaroos live in Australia "therefore the Tooth Fairy exists".

lol. Many species live in Australia, so there's nothing unique or special about it. Plus no one has ever believed that the tooth fairy is real.

* For one thing it corroborates what’s written in the bible
The bible cannot be used for evidence of God's existence. I know that sounds tough, but that's the way it is.

I understand the rules. I wasn't using the bible as evidence. I was stating that the claims made in the bible are corroborated by my evidence. Consider this allegory: Someone finds a diary, and a passage describes that a body was dumped in the desert. Is it real, or is it fiction? A team goes out to the desert and indeed finds the body, which corroborates what's written in the diary. Sapient intelligence represents that body. It corroborates the bible's claim that man was created in the image of God, and that animals are inferior.

* I’m sure everyone here is smart enough to understand the difference between animal intelligence and human intelligence. You may find an intelligent trait in one species, and another trait in another species. But you won’t find one single species with all the intelligent traits that humans possess.
Again, that is not evidence for god. All you are saying is man's intelligence is different from animal intelligence and there is no reason to add the final "therefore god exists".

All I'm saying is that this points to a deity. It would be too much of a coincidence that only humans were given this advantage. Other species would have benefited from intelligence, yet natural selection did not provide it. Not to mention that while man needed intelligence to survive, he did not need sapient intelligence to survive (e.g. Art, Science, Math, Civilization, etc.) Therefore our sapient intelligence is not a product of evolution.

* I claim that God meant for only humans to bear this kind of intelligence.
Here you are assuming God's existence - the very thing that you are trying to prove!

Man is the only creature that serves God. So is it just a coincidence that the only animal that worships God inherited sapient intelligence? Maybe to some it is, but to me it isn't.

* Basically what you're saying is that our intelligence is a survival tool that we developed through evolution. So now explain what the development of art, science, entertainment, etc. has to do with survival. From an evolutionary standpoint, why are those needed for the preservation of our species?
Evolutionary changes do not occur with a purpose. The changes occur and the organisms deal with it as best they can. In today's modern society there are many artists and entertainers who would die of starvation if they had to live off the land, but instead they sell their talent to members of the public and live a life of luxury - that's a survival tool if if ever there was one.

It's only a survival tool in a civilized society. If civilized societies did not exist, that artist would have learned how lot live off the land. My point is that a brain that can develop civilization is not an evolutionary necessity.

* Why are humans the only species, out of millions of species, who developed sapient intelligence?
I'm guessing the question is rhetorical, but I'm also guessing you are implying that "we have sapient intelligence because god gave us sapient intelligence" - and once again you assume the very thing you are trying to prove.

How else would we have gotten sapient intelligence? Looking at the evolution of other species, very little happens that does not pertain to survival and preservation. I've made a point that sapient intelligence is not an evolutionary necessity. So if our sapient intelligence did not happen through evolution, then who gave it to us?

I realise that you are attempting to prove the existence of the Christian God, but just for the sake of clarity, could you describe it for me - otherwise we won't know what we are talking about. In discussions with other Christians I have been told that God is ineffable and beyond the understanding of mere human minds - yet they insist they know and understand god! I can't figure out how they do that. Perhaps your version of god is not ineffable.

I don't really have a particular version of God. There is only one God, though people practice religion in different ways. There's a difference between God and religion. God is a being that can only be experienced through faith, and not scientific experiments.

* I'm obviously dealing with very young people here, because their arguments remind me a little bit of kindergarten.
I know you weren't referring to me because I wasn't here at the time, but just so you know: I'm 64.

It is good to speak to an adult here for a change, and thanks for addressing the subject, which is what I've been trying to get the kiddies on this forum to do.