1.)One paragraph summary of the key idea summarizing the major idea of the section.
The major idea of this section was that even though we have no absolute proof of the existence of God, apologetics, or "defense of the Faith by showing that the weight of the evidence--scientific, philosophical and theological--favors Christianity."(RB pg 151) Through teleological arguments like "The Watch and the Watchmaker", the Golden Ratio, and the Anthropic Principle, as well as The Kalam Argument and the Argument from Degrees of Perfection we are presented with an overwhelming amount of evidence that points to the existence of God. Ultimately, I think the question of whether or not there is a God is simple to answer because of all the evidence. The answer is overwhelmingly YES!
2.)List and explain three of the most important ideas you want to remember from this week.
A. Firstly, I want to remember the argument of the "Watch and the Watchmaker," presented by William Paley. According to this argument, every complicated thing, like a watch or the universe in our case, has a designer. Something as complicated as a watch, with all it's parts and gears could not have just materialized on its own, therefore someone, a watchmaker must have created it. Likewise, the universe is so complicated that it couldnt have just appeared without divine help, so there must have been a god or great designer who carefully planned and created the universe along with everything in it.
B. Secondly, I want to remember the argument from degrees of perfection. This argument out of all the rest has made the most sense to me. Basically it states that through our use of words we imply that things can be better or wrse than other things, however nothing is ever perfect. Since something is always better than the next thing we are always approaching perfection, therefore perfection must exist, but it is not something that can be found on our earth, so it must be something the transcends our world. The Reading Book gives an example of the varying degrees of perfection found in the hierarchy of the natural world. First comes the "Non-being" which is simply nothing. Next is "matter," the simplest form of being, inanimate, and only possesing physical characteristics like weight. Then follows "Vegetation" which has all the characteristics of matter but also has life which means it can grow, respond to stimuli and reproduce. Fourth comes "Animal" which has all the afore mentioned characteristics along with consciousness, or sense perception, instinct, and memory. The last understood degree is the "Human Being" which has all the characteristics of animals along with spiritual qualities, abstract thought, reason, and free will. Finally there is the "Pure Being" or God. No living person can possibly comprehend what this pure spirit is like, but suffice it to say that it possess all the human characteristics as well as many qualities that are beyond anything that humans could fatham.
C. Finally, I want to remember the five basic inclinations of human nature. All humans have a desire to seek happiness. Like the degrees of perfection there are degrees of happiness and also God is the highest object of every persons desire. All people seek to preserve their existence. People will always do whatever is necessary in order to survive. All people are driven to preserve the human race by uniting sexually. This sexual drive can change the way men and women think or interpret situations. All people want to live in community with others, that is, no one wants to be alone. People have a natural desire to interact with each other and a community provide us with the opportunity to do so. Finally, all people want to use intellect and will and to know the truth and to make free decisions. Inside all people is the desire for knowledge and understanding that will lead us to a greater truth.
3.)Images that remind me of the main topics of this section:
click image for source
click image for source
4.)One question that I will keep with me to ponder.
How am I or am I not like the Human Jesus? What can I do to follow in His Human example?
5.)What should I try to do to make myself a better person, a more faithful person, from this study?
Firstly I need to realize that not all people share my faith, but I should always be respectful and open to other people's faith. Secondly I need to find Jesus is my own life. What I mean by this is that I need to relate his teachings and stories to my life. Jesus spoke in words that could be easily understood by the people of his time. I need to take his teachings and parables and think about them in a modern day sense. After I have done that I think that I will gain a greater understanding of His teachings, and only then can I start to live by them.
