No proof that God exists

I drove through a red light today. Don't worry, I was allowed, because the siren was on. I didn't drive myself, the ambulance did that. After a few days with migraines, the GP did not want to take any chances with my history of my brain haemorrhage and immediately sent me to the emergency room. My brothers were quickly informed, help was offered from all sides and many prayers were said for me. Apparently they helped, because I'm back home, but I have no proof.

Yet that was a question that came to mind as I was waiting for a spot under the scanner. I then read a tweet on X (formerly Twitter) from philosopher Maarten Boudry, a man whose opinion I respect:

Er zijn met moeite argumenten die bewijzen dat "Jezus" echt geleefd heeft en echt gekruisigd is door de Romeinen (➡️ nauwelijks historische bronnen). Dat er "talloze rationele argumenten" zouden zijn om te geloven dat zijn lijk drie dagen later weer rechtveerde, is bespottelijk. pic.twitter.com/KSZrC1qmsL

— Maarten Boudry (@mboudry) April 29, 2024

Immediately from my sickbed I wanted to look for all kinds of sources, dig up research and all kinds of other things, when I thought 'Why exactly? Does God want Him to be proven?'. And the answer is actually very simple and easy to understand: no. Look, everyone chooses for themselves whether they believe in God, but let's take a moment for God's sake assume that He exists as a supreme being. No problem then to pull off a trick that will make His existence clear to everyone once and for all. So logic then says that if you believe in Him, you can simply see that He does not want to prove Himself. And for those who do not believe, it is of no use.

So it just comes down to He letting you choose. Faith is a free choice. It's not about proof, it's about choosing. Even a philosopher should be able to understand that. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we firmly believe in that freedom of choice. It is a foundation of our faith. Faith is not science. Evidence is not necessary in your faith. Anyone looking for proof of God may be looking for the wrong reasons or in the wrong place.

Because precisely because of my faith there is sufficient evidence for me. All creation is a miracle and the more science reveals how everything came into being, the more I believe in the miraculous why the earth was created for us. When I look at how much happier I am because I believe, I have ample evidence that my life is better with faith than without it. Prove that that is not true.

So yes, Boudry is right: there should be no rational arguments. For me there are, but they are a consequence of faith, not a cause. That the total vision that I find in the teachings of the church and of Jesus Christ gives me sufficient reason to believe is more than enough for me to say 'Come on, ask me any question and I'll tell you what I believe'. That is a positive choice and not rational evidence.

So put the evidence of God aside for a moment and search within yourself to find out what you believe or want to believe. Let the Holy Spirit do its work. If you don't feel anything, it's a shame, but it can still happen. I certainly hope that you are as happy as I am, even while you may be in an emergency room.