www.DoYouKnowWhy.org
Has Anyone Seen
Or Heard God?
Response idea:
"What do you mean by seen or heard? Is the existence of something only verifiable by someone seeing or hearing it? If something can't be see or heard, does that automatically disqualify it's existence? Gravity can't be seen or heard. If the answer to these questions is yes, how do we then consider a person's mind, which is different from their brain? Doesn't this very limited criteria as the proof of the existence of something ignore a number of characteristics that prove something exists? What about logic, reason, truth, etc.?"
In one of Greg Koukl’s radio call-in programs he mentioned an encounter between a professor and a student who Greg knew. The professor used a line of reasoning to prove to the students in the class that God didn’t exist. This line of reasoning initially sounded valid. The professor gave the following reasoning to the class this student was in:
Professor: “Does anyone believe in God?” - a few hands raise
Professor: “Has anyone seen God?” - Silence
Professor: “Has anyone heard God?” - Silence
Professor: “Has anyone interacted with God?” - Silence
Professor: “Since no one has seen, heard or interacted with God, I shall conclude that God must not exist”.
After the professor finished talking, the student raised his hand, and the professor acknowledged him.
Student: “Can I ask the students a few questions?”
Professor: “Go ahead.”
Student: “Has anyone seen the professor's brain?” - Silence
Student: “Has anyone heard the professor's brain?” - Silence
Student: “Has anyone interacted with the professor's brain?”
Student: “Using the professor's own logic, the professor’s brain must not exist.”
Greg Koukl indicates that you want to have a very good relationship with your professor before you attempt such an answer to this type of challenge by your professor, but it effectively demonstrates the faulty logic of the professor’s claim. If you are in a similar situation and you don’t want to give the impression that you are challenging your professor you could make your point effectively by asking questions similar to the following:
“Professor. Are the only evidences for the existence of something being that we be able to see, hear, or interact with it? Wouldn’t it be valid for someone use the same reasoning to question the existence of a person’s brain?”
HOW SOME POSTMODERN KIDS USED LOGIC IN BERKELEY
www.str.org/blog/how-some-postmodern-kids-used-logic-berkeley#.XCAWmGhKjDc
Berkeley Mission Student Interviews (March 25, 2014)
www.str.org/podcasts/bulletproof/berkeley-mission-student-interviews#.XCAYP2hKjDc
Berkeley Mission Trip Phone Call With Michael Licona (Part 1)
Berkeley Mission Trip Phone Call With Michael Licona (Part 2)
Next Section: God Is A Jealous God