Ngendakuriyo 1

Alex Ngendakuriyo

Professor: Israelsen

Course: Philosophy 1000-03

Date: 04/28/2017

The Existence of God

With humans cognition we see many things that occupy this planet like living organisms

and many other kinds of natural objects. Living organisms, like people, animals and plants, have

some unique things they share in common in order for them to live and those things are water, air

and sun. Humans, animals and plants need water for hydration and air for respiration, and the sun

provides most of the energy required for survival in this solar system. The humans have bodies

of flesh and bone, as well as souls, and they are privileged to live on this planet. After observing

all the facts about these living organisms, we must ask ourselves where all these things come

from? Is it possible that they happen to be on this planet by chance? What does Anselm argue

about this? Anselm (Psalm 14:1,53:1), where, the fool has said to his heart, There is no God ,

however Anselm answers that God or a creator, must exist, otherwise all these things that we

observe could not happen to be. Many people argue that there is not God because of the

challenges and struggles they face, but this is not true because, God did not will the evil

therefore, people cause bad things.

All things exist through something or through nothing, but nothing exists through

nothing, so whatever exists, exists through something, thus, everything exists through one thing,

and that one thing is God. He is a creator of everything. Anselm argues that God is that than
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which nothing greater can be thought. God exists in the understanding. God cannot exist only in

understanding and for, if God exists only in understanding, he can be thought to exist in reality as

well, which greater. (Anselm, pg#100). Because there is nothing exists through nothing, then

any thing that we can see, touch, or hear exist through something. The world system we have

today has things that are created through something and that thing is God because nothing exists

through nothing and things dont cause each other to exist.

St.Anselm responds to the question that, now who would doubt that this thing, through

which all goods exist, is itself a great good. If anyone does not know, either because he has not

heard or because he does not believe, that there is one nature among all existing things, who

alone self-sufficient in his eternal happiness, who through omnipotent goodness grants and

brings it about that all other things exist or have any sort of well-being, and a great many other

things that we must believe about God and his creation. I think he could at least convince

himself of most of these things by reason alone, if he is even moderately intelligent. (Anselm

pg #12). God is the wise and good first cause, therefore, it follows that God wills everything that

happens, including the existence of each individual so nothing occurs by chance. Humans have

tried to do things such as science to make world better but no one was able to create living thing.

God created humans and gave them power and authority to do certain things, but because His is

the only one above everything, no one can create a person or all other living things. If God could

not have existed then, things could not have existed and maybe people could have done

something differently rather than denying that God existed while there is nothing they can do

better if they are no satisfied with the fact that God created everything.

As I observe the living nature and many other natural objects, I can say with no doubt

that God must have made them to be as they are. We cannot make any changes on them, even if
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we try to, nothing significant that we can do better than what originally God created. As human,

we may choose not to believe in God, but we can at least understand that God exists. As Anselm

claims, So whoever understands that God exists in this way cannot think that he doesnt exist. If

anyone did not want to believe that you exist, he could not fail to understand that God exist. Now

if there are several, either they are traced back to some one thing through which they all exist, or

each of them exists, through itself, or they exist through each other. But if they exist through one

thing, it is no longer true that all things, exist through several things, rather all things exist

through that one thing (God) through which the several things exist.(Anselm page 12).

There are many things that are beyond our imagination and it is amazing how the planets

waters move and change. It is interesting how the earth is divided into two pieces, water and

surface. There is one thing that reasoned to have the entire world not to be created with only

water or surface. If the world was only occupied by water, then the living things could not have

been existed, and it is the same as if it was only by surface.

Humans and animals have five senses, sight, hearing, seeing, touching and tasting which

we use to familiarize ourselves with our surroundings. As humans, we can move from place to

place because we can think but trees, mountains and objects cannot move because they dont

have minds. There is a God who created all things and thats why things are made specifically.

Humans are thinking things, so they exist because God creates them. There are three major parts

about living organisms, birth, life and death. In order life to start, it has to begin from

reproduction, which is the only way we multiply. It is beyond humans imagination about how

humans grow from embryonic stem cell to a birth, from birth to childhood, from childhood to

adulthood and then from adulthood to elderly hood, which is the final phase of living. God must

be a unique essence. Soccio claims that, Thomas reasoned that God willed the universe in order
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to communicate His love of his own essence in order to multiply Himself. (Soccio Pg.235). God

created the universe as a reflection of his love.

Some people may have some hesitation about the existence of God because of the

challenges, pain, suffering and all other terrifying things. We have starvation, molestation and

torture of children in the world. They may argue that there is a problem of evil, if God can

prevent the suffering of the innocent, yet chooses not to; He is not good. If God chooses to

prevent the suffering but cannot, He is not omnipotent. If God cannot recognize the suffering of

the innocent, He is not wise. (Soccio, pg#235). All bad things are not caused by God, but by

people. People, who lack the goodness, do things that can harm others. People do wrong things

because they choose to do it but it is not by Gods will. People are not born to hate, but they are

taught to hate, therefore, they can also be taught to love too. God gave us free choices to choose

right from wrong, but if we chose otherwise, then we have to face consequences.

People who are affected by harm wonder if God exists, and if He exists then why bad

things happen to people. People should be happy, and live peaceful lives if God is wise. By

looking at what is happening in the world these days, we can see that it is dangerous now. Many

countries are in war and facing economic problems. All the problems we see are not caused by

God, but by people. You may argue that you did not cause problems, you are innocent, but also

know that other people can still cause you problems because of their ability, power and control

they use against your will. So if anyone thinks that God willed people to do bad things is wrong

because God gives people free choices.

For instance, a businessman who makes soaps was traveling, and his trip was to study

and learn if his soap works to solve the problem of hygiene. On his way, he looked through the

cars window and saw kids in dirty clothes and the kids looked very badly. He got mad, thought
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that his soap is not working as he anticipated. In this case, what is the problem here? The soap is

not working? The soap itself is not a problem, but the problem is that the kids did not use the

soap. They looked bad because they did not use the soap to wash their clothes and bodies.

According to this case, the problems, pain, struggles we face on earth are not the issue

themselves but people are the problem because people are the one who cause problems. After

people misusing the capability and power they have and cause problems to others, then our

vulnerability leads us to the feelings that God dont exist. If people can do good things and know

how to operate well, then we re free from pain that makes us hopeless.

I agree with Thomas Aquinas solution to the problem of evil. He said, Though God did

not deliberately will evil, He willed the real possibility of evil. The evil must always be possible

when love and goodness are free choice. God wills the good of the whole universe. From the

stand point of whole universe containing free moral choices is better than a restricted universe

without love and responsibility. We are more like God with freedom than without it. (Soccio

237).

The overall perfection of the universe requires a range of beings, some of which get sick,

decay, and die. By virtue of being human, as a union of body and soul, we are subject to physical

pain and suffering. God could have created beings that do not suffer physical death and pain, like

angels, but they would not be human. If God did not exist then I could not be here or exist. If

God is not real, then how could we be on this world? If God did not exist or never existed then

we never existed and will never exist on this world. God exists, therefore we exist.

St. Anselm argues that In one way, to think a thing is to think the word that signifies

that thing. But in another way, it is to understand what the thing is. God can be thought not to

exist in the first way, but not at all the second sense. None who understands what God is can
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think that God does not exist, although he may say these words in his heart with no signification

at all, or with some peculiar signification. For God is that than which a greater cannot be thought.

Whoever understands this properly, understands that this being exits in such a way that he cannot

even in thought, fail to exist. (Anselm page #101)

As humans, we have bodies and souls that is why we feel joy and pain. We cannot be

human without body and soul; those two things have to be together in order human to be human.

We cannot see soul, but we can feel it, therefore, we cant see God, but we can know or feel that

God exists spiritually instead of physically. As you know that bodies and souls cannot be

separated, and if they are separated, then we are not longer humans. If you know that you have a

soul but never seen it then you can also know that God is real because He exists through the soul.
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Works cited

Archetypes of wisdom by Douglas J. Soccio. An introduction to Philosophy Ninth

Edition.
Anselm selections from Monologion and proslogion