What makes something real? Does God exist? Does the fact that people believe in God mean that he's real?
Claiming God exerts no influence in the world is an indefensible position, even for those who don't believe such a being exists. Appeals to God have been justification for both altruistic and self-interested behaviors and attitudes. People have done both much good and much evil in God's name (loaded terms, I know). God has been the topic of much philosophical and artistic expression throughout human history and across cultures.
So if in no other way than in our own minds, certainly God exists, and God's influence is felt around the world. I'd like to think a belief in God inspires more altruism than self-interest, more love than hate, more good than bad--but all that would be hard to quantify.
Claiming God exerts no influence in the world is an indefensible position, even for those who don't believe such a being exists. Appeals to God have been justification for both altruistic and self-interested behaviors and attitudes. People have done both much good and much evil in God's name (loaded terms, I know). God has been the topic of much philosophical and artistic expression throughout human history and across cultures.
So if in no other way than in our own minds, certainly God exists, and God's influence is felt around the world. I'd like to think a belief in God inspires more altruism than self-interest, more love than hate, more good than bad--but all that would be hard to quantify.
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