The Perspective of Proof

The Loch Ness Monster is an interesting question. It definitely meets the definition of a cryptid; it’s one of those weird creatures which has yet to be seen, but for which there is plenty of circumstantial proof. Almost all of the evidence for its existence has been faked, including the famous 1933 picture, yet enough proof exists for people to believe in its existence. Although it has been searched for, little more than the shadow of a flipper has been found, and even that is up for debate. Although there is plenty of room for it to exist and the loch could easily hide it, and there are even theories about how it could go from loch to ocean, there is little evidence that it actually exists. Yet, hope for its existence persists.

Christians and other believers face a similar dilemma when it comes to God. There are plenty of charlatans who muddy the waters, their “proof” obfuscating any proof that believers could use to prove their case. It doesn’t help that would be legitimate proof, such as the Shroud of Turin, seem to be proven otherwise every day. In short, it seems that proof of God’s existence will never come. Admittedly there is the possibility that this is exactly how God wants it, and He hints at that repeatedly in the Bible.

The problem is proving God’s existence to skeptics. This is a legitimate problem. There is the fallacious argument that keeps coming up is the basic “can’t prove a negative”; you can’t prove that God exists because he doesn’t exist. Although a great statement by the great skeptic James Randi, there is the problem that there is a fundamental disagreement between skeptics and believers, in that one side believes in God and the other doesn’t. By calling upon that manta, a skeptic can point out that you can’t prove God’s existence because of course He doesn’t exist; they don’t seem to understand the logical fallacy in the argument. Specifically, you need to demonstrate that something does not in fact exist; there are too many times when something has been said to not exist and that something makes an appearance; the coelacanth was thought to be extinct until one was captured in 1938. I’m sure an omnipotent being can easily hide as long as He wants to, making the point somewhat moot.

However, there is the problem that the proof is much more subtle than that. The problem is that people don’t like patterns that appear too coincidental; we are geared that way, and it makes us crazy when we encounter a pattern without sense. This runs from something as simple as the cells in our bodies to the dispersal of galaxies. Because of this we believe that we have found God, like the Devil, in the details; we keep seeing, hearing, sensing someone laughing just beyond our reach, and we figure that it has to be some supernatural being. It makes little sense to us that the universe would become ordered on so many levels, that what exists on one level should exist on levels both higher and lower, and that no one could be guiding that organization.

In short, my proof for the existence of God is the universe itself. I look at it, and am truly awed. I recognize the miracle of its existence, of human existence, that we are able to see the order of its majesty. Although there is that part of me that recognizes that the universe would of course become more organized as it aged, it still amazes that it does in fact happen.

I guess I could have argued that the miracles of healing, last-minute miraculous rescues, even the weirdest coincidences that end up protecting people, could be proof of God. But somehow they feel cheap against the enormity of the miracles that we see each night just be looking up…

The Power of Women

Women seem to believe that they get short shrift in the Bible. The problem is that there is that rule that women must do what men say, as well as the proscription against teaching. However, even a cursory reading shows that women are a powerful force within the Bible, and a force that needs to reckoned with. There are a number of powerful women in the Bible, and these women have earned some respect.

Consider Ruth, a humble woman who only wanted to make sure that her mother-in-law was taken care of. Her book introduces us to Boaz, who is a major figure in some rabbinical texts; Boaz seems to be the symbol of the converted Jew. Her book also shows the limitations of Leviticus and Deuteronomy as actual guides to living. Ruth is also almost the definition of loyalty, as she does everything she does out of loyalty to those around her, and eventually everything falls into place as a result of that loyalty.

There is always Mary. If you ever want a biblical rebuttal to the idea that women should bow to men, note the miracle at Cana. As the wine disappears she goes up to Jesus and tells him to do something about it. Jesus originally gives her the hairy eyeball; he feels he shouldn’t do anything. She glares at him, and any parent can visualize the upwards glance and fallen shoulders he gives her as he goes to deal with the wine. Jesus would have been well within his rights to ignore her, but he does what she wants. That’s a powerful woman that can tell the Son of God what to do and expect him to obey. Sure, you can argue the importance of respecting your parents in this case, but it’s still interesting that Mary did this on her own authority, without the backing of Joseph or God.

If you really want to see some power, consider Sarah, wife of Abraham. This is a woman who created two religions with one fell swoop. Although Ishmael was her child by law, when she had Isaac she began to dislike having Ishmael and his mother Hagar around. Eventually she had Abraham send the two away, telling him that Ishmael would have none of his inheritance. Admittedly he did seek guidance from God, but in the end he did as Sarah requested. Yeah; this is THAT Abraham, the common ancestor between Judaism and Islam, and it was a woman’s decision that caused that parting of the ways.

There are numerous other examples of powerful women in the Bible, for both good and ill. However, it’s important to note that women are part of almost every important decision in the Bible, be that decision well or otherwise. Eve and the apple; Noah and his daughters; Delilah, barber of Samson; Achsah, bargainer supreme; Deborah, Judge of Israel: The list of women who stepped up at one point in order to fight for their children, husbands, fathers, whose very actions had very definite effects in the Bible, is a long one and one that contains its own heroines. If someone tells you that women are second-class citizens, just smile at them and remember that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world, and that is power that cannot be denied for long.