On more than one occasion, I have had a skeptical-atheist ask me ...

Isn't it unreasonable to believe in God today (in this modern world)...

And on occasion, I have had a skeptical-atheist tell me that it is unreasonable to believe in God (particularly given everything we know today from Science).

Here (below) is my response.

Skeptic => Isn't it unreasonable to believe in God today (particularly given everything we know today from Science).

You may (or may not) be aware that there are significant examples of Atheist intellectuals who moved away from Atheism as they examined the evidence for the existence of God (e.g., C.S. Lewis, and more recently Prof. Anthony Flew who was considered by many to be the leading atheist intellectual in the world for many years)…

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I am a wholly convinced Theist. As I sincerely examine my thoughts, my mind and my conscience, I find that I am completely convinced of the existence of the Christian God.

If I may make a few clarifying comments in this context (see below)…

Christian "faith" is not primarily "belief"; it is "trust". It is willingness to take a risk in a relationship. It is willingness to take a risk in "trusting" what the Christian God has said.

Just like a relationship with a woman you are dating. If you are willing to take a risk, in trusting the woman, this is a possible basis for relationship.

We all know people who have been "bitten" through past bad-relationships, who lose their ability (or their willingness) to trust another person in relationship... and you may know how wearying that is, to be in a relationship with a person who is not willing to take a risk and trust you (and so you have to always keep proving yourself to her)...

I think there is something of this in the Christian relationship with God.

And, Christian “faith” is “trust” that then grows as we continue in relationship with the Christian God… “trust” which grows with continued experience with God, with continued experience with his “trustworthiness”

… just as in human relationships…

It is not unreasonable to believe that there is a God. In other words, given the evidence of the universe, it is not unreasonable to suspect that there is a Mind behind the Universe... It is not unreasonable to seriously consider Theism as a reasonable hypothesis to explain the evidence of the universe.

So, I think first there has to be a willingness on our part, to consider the possibility that there is indeed a Mind behind the Universe.

Proposition #1a: We first have to be willing to accept the proposition that there is a God (a Mind behind this universe).

This does not mean that we switch off our brains. It just means that we are willing to accept the proposition (if at first, provisionally, or tentatively).

I find that it truly does NOT take switching off of our brains to accept this proposition, that there is a Mind behind our Universe (see points below).

I truly intellectually think that there is evidence that points to (or at worst, is consistent with) there being a Mind behind the Universe:

• big bang origin of all matter-energy,
• the enormous depth of the Anthropic coincidences,
• the fact that the Anthropic coincidences have had predictive power,
• non-observer-survival-centric Anthropic coincidences,
• the Aesthetic coincidences,
• the “beauty” of the mathematical equations that govern our universe,
• the fact that this mathematical “beauty” has had predictive power,
• the “beauty” of astronomy and the night sky,
• the “beauty” of the microscopic world,
• the “beauty” that we observe present through our whole universe from very large scales down to very small scales,
• other forms of non-sexual beauty,
• overdesign of human brains for mere-survival,
• design of human brain for science and knowledge about the universe,
• design of human brain for knowledge about galaxies 14 billion light years away (information which could in no way improve our survival-chances),
• design of human brain for aesthetic non-sexual expression,
• design of human brain for mathematics,
• design of human brain for appreciation of non-sexual beauty,
• design of human brain for mystical relationship with God,
• design of humans with a moral-requirement for God,
• design of human brain for philosophy and theology about God,
• most of these being substantial overdesign if viewed from a pure survival viewpoint,
• the amazing understandability of the universe,
• the design of the human brain to be able to take advantage of this amazing understandability of the universe,
• the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the natural sciences,
• the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the biological sciences,
• the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in describing our universe,
• the indications that belief in God, and in particular, the Christian God lead to increased sanity, peace of mind, improved relationships, joy in individual lives and societies,
• the effectiveness of committed relationship with Christ to radically transform criminals and reduce criminal recidivism -- its almost as if humans were designed to have relationship with God,
• the effectiveness of committed relationship with God to radically transform drug addicts and reduce such addictions -- its almost as if humans were designed to have relationship with God,
• the moral effectiveness of Christianity and Christians in many third-world cultures who reduced temple prostitution of little girls, burning of widows, killing of children and infants, maiming of children for purposes of begging, for helping the poor, the widow, the orphan, the lepers who are rejected by the rest of their societies,
• and so on…

Thinking through some of these areas that I have mentioned above, I found (over a period of time) the atheist explanations I was presented with (for so much of what is “real” in our universe) to be shallow and trite and almost solipsistically reductionistic… and I found atheist explanations for most things that are meaningful and beautiful in life to be near-solipsistic in nature…

… to the extent that I finally concluded that I was not able to intellectually be an atheist…

Proposition #1b: We have to be willing (at least tentatively) to accept the proposition that the Christian God exists.

E.g., given the amount of care taken to design our universe (assuming some of the points I made above, depth of Anthropic coincidences, Aesthetic coincidences, care taken in design of humans for beauty, science, math, relationship with God etc) it is not unreasonable to accept the proposition that the Mind behind the universe is one who cares, who is personally involved with the universe, and who would be interested in being involved with human beings etc.

Proposition #2: We have to be willing (at least tentatively) to accept the statement of the Christian God that he will reveal himself to those who seek him with sincerity, humility and perseverance.

Consistent with the comments above (presented with proposition #1b).

Our Response: Seek God with perseverance.

Action based on the propositions: Then, we act on these propositions, by seeking God with sincerity, humility and perseverance… And he says that he WILL reveal himself to us.

And this is what happened in my life (and in the lives of many Christians I have met and otherwise come across).

Theism is NOT unreasonable, and it is intellectually consistent with the Evidence in our Universe.

I don’t find the propositions presented above (and acting on them) to be unreasonable.

I invite you to seek the Christian God with humility, sincerity and perseverance.

I invite you to commit your life to Christ.

All humans are inclined towards things that are displeasing to God. This is called sin. (Romans 3:23).

The consequence of these things we do (sin), is separation from God, both now, and for eternity. (Romans 6:23).

Jesus died on the cross to demonstrate his love and his commitment to us (to enable forgiveness for our sins), so that whoever believes in him (and commits their lives to him) will not spiritually die, but will have eternal life (John 3:16).

Jesus stands at the door of your heart and knocks. If you open the door and let him in, he will enter and become your friend for life (Revelation 3:20).

If you would like to be saved, and have an eternal relationship with God, please pray to ask him into your heart: "Dear God, I have sinned against you. I ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my life and be the boss in my life. Accept me now into your family. Be my friend now and for evermore, and take me to heaven to be with you when I die. Help me now, to live a life that is pleasing in your sight. In Jesus name I pray. Amen".