A Response

Following Something

I don't have "evidence," per se ... just a hunch that somewhere deep in the human psyche we have a need to look for something to believe in ... something bigger than ourselves. For some, that's God. But when God is removed from the equation, people will seek to find something to believe in. For many, that something is the pursuit of material possessions, or environmentalism, or belief in their own victimhood. But something.

That, I think, is a big problem today. There is a tremendous lack of purpose on the part of people, and they're desperately searching for purpose. Honestly, look around ... do you find people to be content and satisfied with their lives?

Here, I think, the first item in the Westminster Catechism is helpful: "The chief aim of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever."

That'll be poo-pooed by many, but there's deep truth in that.

Human Nature

What you've touched upon in your post regarding the "nature of human beings" is precisely why I think "treat others as you wish to be treated" can't ultimately work. That's because selfishness is without question part of our nature. It's not just that we're somewhat selfish ... we're essentially selfish.

That's why the Bible says, paraphrasing: "Love God with everything you're got; put him first ... then as a secondary thing go out and love your neighbor as yourself." As I've stated before, without the first, the second is simply not possible. Human history proves that over and over again.

Note: it's also why the 10th Commandment -- "Thou Shalt Not Covet" -- is there. If one doesn't covet, one won't be selfish. Covetousness takes two forms, remember -- a desire for something, and a desire to deny others something. In the case of the latter, what someone is coveting is the either the deprivation of another, or the elevation of themselves. Covetousness goes straight to the heart of the human condition.

What's the answer? Well, there was this man who came along and healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, drove out demons and helped the poor and afflicted ...

Science, Faith and Opinions

I won't argue with you that once we move out of the realm of repeatable scientific demonstration, we move into the realm of faith and opinions. But ... even though an opinion is just an opinion, it might still be true. I'll agree it's difficult to discern the superiority of one opinion vs. another. But just because it can't be proven, doesn't mean that it by definition can't ever be true.

That, dear friend, is one of the fundamental problems in our world today, and is the product of the "enlightenment" -- if something can't be proven, it can't be deemed true. The existence of God can't be proven, therefore it can't be deemed true.

A more deviously evil concept could not be conjured up. It has wrought misery and destruction for several hundred years.

Next ... machines with emotion, feelings and a "soul?"