These are some of the reasons to believe that I have grappled with and I hope they offer some insights for you or at least open a door for reflection.
- My faith has been a personal journey and so of course the most relevant perspective I can offer is that I have always felt there is a creator – a higher power that watches over me and has a greater purpose for my life. Every time I have asked for help and truly tried to accept the Lord’s will rather than my own desires, I have gained insight.
- Love is difficult to explain through a purely scientific lens. From an evolutionary perspective, love can seem contradictory to the goal of survival and continuation of the species. However, we constantly see examples of people engaged in selfless, loving acts – not only towards family but even towards enemies. The innate presence of love, despite its scientific implausibility, convinces me it exists because we were first loved, before we were even formed.
- Belief in the Christian God can lead to positive personal transformation. There are countless stories of people improving their lives after experiencing God’s love. As philosophers like Aristotle have noted, our thoughts shape our actions. Dwelling on negativity breeds more negativity; dwelling on the positive has the opposite effect. Reflecting on a perfectly good, wise and loving God elevates us to a higher state of being. Of all religious figures, Jesus Christ stands out as uniquely blameless and loving; studying his life and teachings is worthwhile for anyone.
- The universe tends naturally towards chaos, yet we see organized systems and structures all around us. While there is a tiny chance this order arose by random chance, it seems more plausible that the organized complexity of the universe reflects an intelligent designer. This “intelligent design” argument requires some faith, but provides an appealing case for many.
I’m interested to hear your reasons for belief or disbelief – please share below!
-JKG
HopeFul Reflections 
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