The Existence of God Common questions about God: Who is God? What is God? Where is God? How did he come about? When did he come? Why can’t we see Him? Does God really exist or is he Man’s imagination to fulfil a need to believe in someone superior? How do we answer these questions? How do we meet this criteria? Man recognises and learns about material things through the 5 Senses – Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste and Touch In a material world the existence of God, who is Spirit form, cannot be proven – therefore there is no proof.

The Existence of God --- cont’d --1 Mankind The world is a mix of people of various religious and non- religious persuasions roughly divided into the following groups. Believers --- Solid to Moderate commitment --- Believe totally in their scriptures --- can be extremists --- recognise their own religion as the only true religion --- consider their duty to convert others to their own faith / wily / nily --- believe that they are God’s chosen people --- can be hostile to other religions / can have good will towards other faiths. No Faith --- No commitment to any one faith --- humanitarian beliefs – See some good in all religions – various degrees of commitment Non – Believers --- Atheists ( someone who denies or disbelieves in God )--- Agnostic ( someone who believes that the existence of God cannot be proved or denied ) --- need proof to believe --- can be cynical or hostile --- can ridicule --- can be indifferent to religions --- unconcerned or uncaring Various Persuasions --- A mixture of general to extreme commitment belong to fringe groups such as Spirituals, Scientologists, various sects, etc.

The Existence of God --- cont’d -- 2 The existence of God is an --- assumption --- something supposed, but not proven, to be true --- presumption --- taken for granted, to accept as true without proof --- Inward belief --- not requiring material proof. Is Scriptural acceptance / Prophet’s teachings / pier perspective / historic perspective / personal experience In Gurmat the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Gurbani– which is the word of the Guru Sahib Ji, is the basis of belief and therein the proofs of the existence of God.