1. Imagine you got back home from school and suddenly saw a rabbit eating carrots at your kitchen table. What would you think ? Some crazy neighbour snuck in and put the rabbit and carrots there I’m going mad, dreaming, or hallucinating.. My sister/brother has been at the rabbit rescue centre again This is not my house Someone left the back door open, and the plate of carrots on the table. My mum is going overboard looking after someone’s pet The “You’ve been framed” camera crew must be lurking about Put the causes in order to explain what happened.

2. God as Creator - the First Cause To explain why the universe needs a First Cause To explain why God is the First Cause To consider alternative explanations to the First Cause

3. We always look for causes to explain the things we see – we don’t believe things can just “pop” into existence with no explanation as to how they got there… But if people couldn’t explain it, they used to say “God did it”. This a “God-of-the-gaps” explanation. We have a “gap” in our knowledge, so we say God must have done it. It doesn’t really explain anything at all. People used to think God “caused” storms because they didn’t know about electricity Or they thought God punished sins by sending sickness, because they didn’t know about bacteria and hygiene. Now we can explain the reasons for most things in scientific ways – we hardly ever say “God caused that to happen”. 1.Explain what a “God of the Gaps” explanation is 2.Give an example of something people thought was caused by God, but now we know differently. ***Is saying that God created the world, a “God of the Gaps” explanation, or not?

4. Big Bang, or God? Do we say God made the world, because we don’t know any better? Or is there any good reason for thinking it really must have been God?

5. All things have to have a cause. Nothing can just pop into existence for no reason. There has to be a first cause, because it’s silly to think there are causes without end. It all has to start somewhere. If there is a First Cause, then this must be God because: Only God is not caused by anything – He is uncreated. Nothing “made” Him. Nothing else in the universe is uncreated in this way. Only God can make something happen out of nothing. 1.Explain 2 reasons why only God can be the First Cause, if there is one. 2.Can the Big Bang be the First Cause? Why/ why not? **Can there be an endless chain of causes, and no “first” cause? GOD

6. First Cause Argument to prove the Existence of God and the First Cause can only be God...(only God is uncaused) 1.Put the pink blocks in order to make an argument for the existence of God. Write it out. 2.What are the strong points of this argument? 3.What are the weak points? **Do you think the First Cause argument proves that God exists? Does successfully prove God exists? If the world has a First Cause.. (an endless chain of causes is just not likely) Therefore God must exist ! (since there is a world!)

7. Tell your partner the First Cause Argument ! Partner: challenge this argument!

8. Watch the clip. Then work out a chain of causes about why you are sitting here in this classroom. Keep asking your partner “how come there is...?” How far back can they go?