In a conversation some time ago with a self-proclaimed, intelligent, atheist, who worked in the field of science, somewhere in Europe, as most, if not all conversations with atheists after finding out I am a devout Roman Catholic, turn to the issue of not being able to prove, scientifically that God exists, and how can anyone believe in something or someone that cannot proven scientifically to exist?
The assertion was made, not only that God did not exist but also love and emotions do not exist. Emotions are nothing more than man made ideas, in order for us to cope with our existence. If one asserts, God and emotions do not exist, simply because they cannot be scientifically proven, how can we prove things exist based only on the scientific method? It is impossible to prove scientifically that time and history exists, as well as proving science itself exists. We can look at pictures, illustrations and read stories of events that took place throughout history, but we cannot assert to know exactly what took place beyond all doubt, hence prove such existence. We must rely upon what we deem to be reasonable assertions based upon recorded historical events, which do and can, lay claim to our intellect that such events can, did or could have actually taken place or exist and have existed.
As was posed to me to me, “So if I told you there was a copy of a DVD movie, orbiting around a planet in the Milky Way Galaxy, you would believe it?” To which I responded, “If you can lay claim to my intellect with some reasonable degree of certainty based upon recorded historical documentation that such did exist, I would have to be open to accepting such existing, in some way, shape or form. However, without any such evidence that assertion is absurd.”
Is it not generally, safely assumed and accepted, the Battle of Gettysburg took place during the American Civil War? Is there not enough historical documentation to lay claim to our intellect that such an event took place? We can assert to some degree of certainty, which allows to lay claim to our intellect what took place in the Coliseum in the city of Rome actually happened. Without seeing it first hand, let alone by scientifically proving what took place actually happened, is it not generally accepted as truth? Is it not based upon recorded history what took place in the Coliseum we allow to lay claim to our intellect?
I assert that as atheists by choice overlook with self-proclaimed intelligence that the belief in God and Christ as utter non-sense, the historical recorded evidence that such existence of God can lay claim to some degree, on our intellect. Do atheists universally choose to believe, against the historical documentation and evidence, God and Christ could not, nor does not exist without scientific proof take “a leap of faith?” Do atheists, not accept and hold beliefs of their own, things and events which cannot be scientifically proven, to exist and/or have existed or will exist? As a good friend of mine, a Devout Catholic, now in a religious order, once said to me, regarding the time in her life when she was having serious questions about God, “I once thought about becoming an atheist, but I do not have enough faith for that.”
The question I did not pose during my conversation with this person from Europe…, "If emotions such as love, anger and sadness are all man made concepts that we use to cope with our existence, where did such concepts and ideas come from?" How can a three-week-old infant come up with the concept of crying out of anger or frustration, because he or she wants to be fed? How does such an infant know what hunger or frustration is and in turn cry because he/she wants to be fed? How can an infant come up with such ideas, as emotions let alone express these emotions based upon, "made up ideas?"
It would seem to me to be safer philosophically and scientifically for that matter, for atheists to stop the mental disconnects, jumping through hoops and word games, in order to justify their self-indulgent, lifestyles and self-proclaimed intellect. Would it not be easier for atheists to state, they do not know or care whether God exists and simply choose to live such lives? However, if they did that would mean they would have to give up all claims to superior intellect, the pride and arrogance and accept and acknowledge that science is not, and cannot be, the end-all-be-all, benchmark of all that has existed, exists, and will exist.
As I accept and respect the vast fields of and in the science profession and for what it is, the means to which to measure, understand and explain the matter that exists in the material world, while understanding science cannot explain those things that exists outside of such.
