People often have questions about religion. What if God does not exist? Is Christianity a scam? Is religion in general a scam?
No one has come back from heaven to report on what it is like. Well, one has: Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead. But no one else has. So we don’t really know what heaven is like, where it is, or really anything about it, or even if it exists.
All we have is what we call faith.
What if the Bible is only a collection of stories, articles and observations, with no proof? What if the agnostics and atheists are right? Does this matter to anyone who believes?
Should those who believe, question their faith, because others don’t believe?
For more than 2,000 years people have believed Jesus Christ is the savior. They have learned his teachings, followed his life and the example he set. How many millions of people have done this and are still doing this. Were they, are they wrong, misguided or misinformed?
Can that many people be wrong?
There are people who seriously doubt that Jesus ever lived. They say he was fabricated by rebellious radicals way back when. That people of faith have been brainwashed into believing.
What if we are wrong? What if God does not exist? If this is so, we can forget about mercy, forgiveness, the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule, as well as many other things.
However, the major religions of the world all have in their sacred writings what is commonly known as the Golden Rule: Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. Each religion has different wording, but all say basically the same thing.
Can all these people – all these believers – be wrong? They may have different ideas and different ways of practicing their beliefs, but all follow the universal teachings of the Golden Rule.
Christianity, Judaism, Islamism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism: how many billions of people follow these religions? Can that many people be wrong?
Over the centuries and millennia, belief in God — a supreme being — has flourished and grown.
Is there any explanation to why some don’t believe? They will say they need proof before they can believe in God.
The only proof true believers need is faith.
What if we are wrong, and God does not exist? Is it wrong to live a positive life, doing good, believing in something that gives us hope and satisfaction?
We are not wrong. God does exist. It is up to each individual to follow and practice their own beliefs and faith.
Herb Dettmer is a retired Bowling Green resident, U.S. Army veteran and writes this column representing the viewpoint of “Joe Average” citizen. He is freelance writer and author of “Others,” a devotional book. Call or text “Joe” with comments at 419-494-4641.
