Why Are You Here? Because God Wanted You. | John Lennox at Brown

John Lennox (Oxford) explores how Christianity defines purpose and meaning. | Brown University, 2013 | View full forum at • Why Are We Here? God, ... | Explore more at www.veritas.org.
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[@platinumboy89]

This man is truly blessed in the way he witnesses. Praise the Lord

[@tresitadollyropra3399]

Professor John's way of explaining things has always blessed me & drawn me closer to God. May God continue to bless him 🙏

[@louisebester1660]

His tenderness and his polite nature are rare qualities These days! Love Jesus for giving us a John Lennox ☺️

[@stevemills1481]

Wish I had met this man 70 yrs ago......overwhelmed.

[@PeaceFan1]

This just makes me CRY Tears of JOY!! That JESUS LOVED ME and Wanted me to Exist, to BE with HIM and so HE CREATED Me for that end!! HALLELUJAH!!! PRAISE JESUS for HIS LOVE, Mercy and GRACE!!

[@johnbugnoii]

Awesome and Amen!! Jesus definitely loves us and wanted us because “[f]or God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

[@bobwilkinson2008]

Any evidence of that?

[@anodakatoda6902]

@@bobwilkinson2008 Do you have any evidence they are wrong?

[@bobwilkinson2008]

@@anodakatoda6902 There is no evidence of your supernatural beings. You seem to believe in them so you have the burden of proof.

[@phoenixgirl11]

@@anodakatoda6902beautifully answered

[@susanhummel2179]

I love John Lennox! Listening to him always leaves me feeling uplifted and more hopeful.

[@anaccount8474]

That's because he panders to your delusions - lovely.

[@davidclark573]

Lennox is way off the mark. No one on planet earth knows what god is. I will debate anyone on this point. Lennox runs from me.

[@519921702]

I'm sad for you. I' m just a little older than John Lennox and if, in the end we are wrong about this loving God who cares for us, I will have lived a full and joy filled life. And dare I say I've known many whose lives have become more joyful and who reach out to others in need in so many ways.

[@isabellafoliacomontilla7159]

❤

[@phoenixgirl11]

@@davidclark573it must be nice that you are so knowledgeable when it comes to GOD lol

[@jkcookie8841]

Genesis is packed with meaning, wisdom and truth

[@bobwilkinson2008]

and contradictions and lies

[@jkcookie8841]

@@bobwilkinson2008 proof it

[@bobwilkinson2008]

@@jkcookie8841 You and/or Lennox is the one claiming a god exists. The burden of proof is on you

[@phoenixgirl11]

@@jkcookie8841what are you doing on this channel? Trying to proof that you are wrong?

[@RPJARDIM]

That's my God.

[@gknight4719]

does your god allow 15,000 children to die every day?

[@karlbevan3698]

What an amazing answer. Truly uplifting.

[@angloaust1575]

God said go forth and multiply!

[@curiousgeorge555]

Lennox is the man!

[@angloaust1575]

God the Holy Spirit surpasses All other teachers We are all unprofitable servants doing our duty!

[@Sunny-pr1qw]

God gave man work before he fell, so it was intended to be a good thing

[@judepaiyagala507]

Brilliant . ❤ to listen to you

[@ryngrd1]

Brilliant 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@dorotaa6933]

This beautiful Truth makes me cry.❤❤

[@bobwilkinson2008]

What truth?

[@nonoysumugat218]

It's so wonderful to know and feel that I am wanted.

[@anaccount8474]

Like a snugly security blanket.

[@arthurwieczorek4894]

When we listen to 'an authority', whether as believer or as an atheist, we might be wise to ask ourselves, 'Is what this person saying true, or is it just something that makes me feel good?' Now I guess a person can only really do that to the extent that they have learned what makes something true as opposed to something false. Without that, how something leaves us feeling is the only judgement criterion.

[@javeesteva9922]

everytime John lennoxs opens his mouth.it blows my mind..❤

[@anaccount8474]

It blows me away he can actually open his mouth without shoving a pie in it.

[@larrywilliams5490]

Revelation 4:11. We were created for his good pleasure and to please him.

[@dagwould]

Better translation: Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created. Clearly from Genesis 3:8 Gd created mankind for mankind's good: to know Gd and enjoy him for ever.

[@rtrouthouse1506]

Oh, Thank You Lord for creating John Lennox!

[@johnhammond6423]

The problem with John Lennox is he has never given us any good testible verifiable evidence for his Gods existance. He just preaches and bloviates. Surely God could do a bit better than this!

[@michaelthompson1379]

Thank you for your insight!

[@ryngrd1]

I'm reading the comments here and I'm seeing a few people actively fighting against God. It is to chuckle. My friends, you must understand, you can not fight God and win.

[@bobwilkinson2008]

By "fighting against God", do you mean "not convinced he exists"? Prove he exists first and then we can fight such a monster.

[@jaybo420]

If I could like it 4ntwenty times I would.

[@mikechambers3920]

We are here to experience life with in a physical body to choose good over evil. To multiply and replenish the earth. This is a probationary period, which we chose in the pre-existence so that we could return to our Heavenly Parents. To keep the commandments and have faith in Jesus Christ, His son.

[@davidroberts7996]

I’m so moved

[@JamesRichardWiley]

I am here because I formed myself from a single cell composed of formless energy which multiplied into a complete human body. I just don't know how I did it.

[@dorotaa6933]

JUST BRILLIANT!!!!

[@brb1050]

God bless you, brother John.

[@lauriemaitiq8957]

The reason why God created "man" was to serve the true and living God. For without having God in our lives we are considered as nothing --- is what the Scripture says.

[@chrisp9500]

Incredible!!

[@abelyerikaguerra1540]

I love hearing Mr. Lewis, very smart knowledgable Christian man....

[@abelyerikaguerra1540]

Sorry Mr. Lennox

[@jeffangelo5447]

Please take a moment and pray for Jeff and Shay to be reconciled in marriage. Thank you.

[@dorotaa6933]

The true love comes from God and only from Him.Let His love unite you .❤❤❤

[@elizabethr818]

Not all marriages are meant to be ....

[@jeffangelo5447]

Please take a moment and pray for Jeff and Shay to be reconciled in marriage. Thank you. @@elizabethr818

[@jeffangelo5447]

Please take a moment and pray for Jeff and Shay to be reconciled in marriage. Thank you. @@dorotaa6933

[@nathancook2852]

@@dorotaa6933 Tell that to all the nonbelievers who have had very happy, successful marriages.

[@patrickcieslak7858]

A new reality turn and Liv

[@suzyq1948]

I really hate it when people ask that question. Seems like they're too ignorant to figure that out! I've always (when something bad happens) say to myself that God wanted us to learn what it is to be human. All the hardships, happiness, the love for one another (which very few actually do and, if they did, war would not happen) is brought to Heaven when we die. It's easy to say "read the Bible", and actually reading it. As for me, I could only read the 4 Gospels. I enjoy watching John explain things with an atheist. Love this channel!

[@truth7416]

Remember this is not a sub heaven that needs to be fixed. It is a bootcamp of testing. It is here that the citizens of Heaven are determined. It is a momentary time of troubles that are not comparable to eternity. Our purpose in living this small sampling of life we experience, is to make the ultimate decision, do we follow God because we want to, or reject God because we want to. Observing the Creation alone makes it impossible to not know that there is a Creator. and so it goes from there. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 1 Timothy 2 : 3-6 Acts 16 29-34 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” Truth in Love

[@dagwould]

​@@truth7416 Heaven? No, its all about the New Creation, when heaven and earth are renewed and where we are in Gd's presence for ever. This life is not a 'testing ground'. It is the fallen world where we get a small taste of 'not-God' to turn us to him in repentance and only makes sense with Christ's triumph over death and evil which he shares with us in our re-birth.

[@goshi132]

“'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. '” - Jeremiah 29:11.

[@Sirrus-Adam]

Yes, we're here because God wanted us to be. But there's more to the story. Why did he want us to be? Because as an existential being who knows the end from the beginning, he is incapable of having "experience." So, by creating us, and sending his spirit fragment to indwell our minds, he gets to share in all our experiences. These experiences go even further, to create the experiential deity God the Supreme (a bit like "the force").

[@vivekoswal]

Thank you for elaborating on John's idea further. Could you expand/clarify on the "incapable of having experience" part. Thanks once again.

[@Jones607]

What is mind blowing is, before the creation of the Universe and Man, God knew that man would fall. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. 1Peter 1:20. The verse above speaks of Gods Redemption Plan for mankind.✝️ This confirms God is Omniscient (Knows everything), Omnipotent (All powerful-created everything), and Omnipresent (Is everywhere in space and time (Throughout all time!!!). Praise God!🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@markb3786]

God created man. If God knew man would fail, then he also knew he made a mistake. This is really illogical.

[@Jones607]

@@markb3786 Not Gods mistake, that’s an impossibility. God gave man “free will,” it’s was mans disobedience.

[@yukonjack8103]

God bless John Lennox!

[@onyeilonyeil9468]

Dat was just simple & brilliant. Would never have thought to relate the question of why are we here? To why a parent would want to have a child. Amazing analogy. We are here, b/c God wants us here. Amazing

[@nathancook2852]

There are any reasons why a parent might want to have a child. To relate those to the supernatural is ridiculous.

[@onyeilonyeil9468]

@@nathancook2852Am guessing wat u wanted to say is, "there are MANY reasons..." & not "any reasons..." Dat being said, am confused as to how Dr Lennox giving an answer as simple as, we are here b/c God wants us to be here, sounds ridiculous to you, in light of d context he said it. Please explain why it's ridiculous

[@zainulabideen6812]

God

[@mikedunningham9614]

Still repeating grandma’s bedtime stories Jono. Cheers Mike

[@johnbugnoii]

God is definitely real, created universe defined by time, space, and matter and governed by laws and Bible is true through Christ transforming people’s lives then and now. And the First Law of Thermodynamics, energy cannot be created or destroyed. Light (photon) is package of energy and the Bible tells us in Genesis 1:3 that God spoke it into existence by saying “‘Let there be light,” and there was light”, only God could have established it.

[@bobwilkinson2008]

What drivvel. You can't expect anyone to be convinced the bible is in any way scientific or true. You'll have to try harder.

[@arthurwieczorek4894]

Why are you here? Ans.; Because God wanted you to be here. Meaning of that answer; I haven't got the slightest idea about why you are here, but this is a good opportunity for me to pretend that I am wise. 'Why are you here?' To really answer a question you have to first concider what the question means. And, and, to answer a question is to have assumed one or another understanding of the question.

[@arthurwieczorek4894]

Dr. Lennox, is there any state of being whatsoever that is not a case of 'God wanted it so'?

[@UKS12345]

God is the only one who wants me then

[@TruceForChrist]

Romans 5v10 " For if , when we were enemies , we were Reconciled to God by The Death of His Son , much more , being Reconciled , we will be Saved , By His Life ". Amen 💯🙌🙌🙌❤️🙂

[@ericmalone3213]

The people who have religious psychosis appear to enjoy it a great deal.

[@dagwould]

@8:54: naming things: the great wonder of Genesis 1 is that Gd creates by naming things. Only his naming is done with limitless power and those things named come into being (we can name things inventively too, but we use the material intermediaries to hand to bring them into being). Because Gd named things, we know that the cosmos is subject to propositional explication. As JL says, we can examine it, learn it, know it, come to understanding of it. Moreover, Gd's naming occurs in the days of our history which set the calibrated frame of reference for our congress with God. This is the importance of the days of Genesis 1, its dominating literary structure. They de-mythologize creation and place it in history. This is not a pagan 'creation' of nonsense causality, but a set of real events in real time-space, continuous with our historical experience of that same time-space. In this time-space we experience rational causality that is amenable to propositional examination to gain communicable knowledge. Part of our calling to be stewards of and to subdue it (to bring under our 'rule' not its destruction but its fruitfulness). Cut Genesis 1 loose from the real world it is obviously placed in and dimensioned by, and we are in the nonsense land of either deism, with a distant and unknowable god, or pantheism, where god is merged into the cosmos and unidentifiable. Either way the god of these conceptions is not a relating god, a god of fellowship, not the Gd who is love.

[@Sammy-lv5gw]

One more thing! Based on what I tapped out in my forgoing post, there is no reason for theists to prove anything, including Lennox, because we will all be restored to the Trinity at the Apokatastasis!

[@robertl.6919]

Well, if it so important for God that we all praise Jesus and his faith, it would be about time to send him back down here. It’s been 2000 years since his last visit, in times where no one,actually living with him, reported what they have witnessed and experienced with Jesus. Asking rational educated scientific minds of the 21rst Century to just « believe » what an old book claims is a long stretch. Time to bring back the guy to talk to us.

[@msmd3295]

“Why” assumes an ultimate “purpose”. Life doesn’t need any other purpose other than to survive and that’s not necessarily a Why question. Why also implies for most people there is some “divine” purpose and there is no rational reason for belief in anything supernatural, even on the question of the origin of life.

[@summerthieves8850]

It is perfectly reasonable and logical to ask why a universe created you only to survive. It is also perfectly reasonable and logical to ask why a universe that has no reason to exist, then gives you the ability to reason if you don't need it other than the ability to survive in a universe that has no reason. (your survival has no reason, there is no reason why you would even need reason, your survival is valueless) That is extremely inefficient and the universe is always, in every scientific case, efficient. Your logic contradicts the universe. Furthermore, you are asking us to agree that the universe has made the chess pieces but not the chess board, and you think, that is reason enough. In essence, you just made a reason, which, by your logic, we cannot have. Lastly, you have used reason("Life doesn’t need any other purpose other than to survive") to claim we have no reason, a very sorrowful use of logic indeed.

[@msmd3295]

@@summerthieves8850 I don't believe you understand "logic" and science. Logic is just a method of ordering one's thought and it orders thoughts in such a way to make a "convincing" argument. Using logic per se does Not make for a justified conclusion. For example a logician could formulate a logical argument for the existence of purple unicorns that looks consistent. The problem however is that to make a Convincing logical argument the premises must be true for the conclusion to be true. There is NO empirical evidence for the existence of purple unicorns. Thus no one can make a convincing argument they exist because there are no empirically true premises anyone can use. The same principle applies to the existence of ANY supernatural entities, such as gods nor supernatural events. Not one thing thusfar revealed by science has been convincingly disputed by a belief in the supernatural. Not ONE. If it wasn't for science you wouldn't be texting on this platform because it wouldn't exist. Theism for centuries revealed few or no advancements in human knowledge because of its dogmatic view of the natural world. In just 400 years of the scientific revolution it has revealed far more empirical facts/truths than religion ever thought possible. So it's pretty obvious you don't understand the function and purpose of logic and likely are thankless for everything science has made your life easier. And I suspect you believe what you believe for no other reason other than your fear of death. That you want an "out" on your deathbed and that fear is alleviated to some extent because religion promises things it can't really deliver. But of course once you're dead it doesn't matter what fairytale you bought.

[@nathancook2852]

@@summerthieves8850 You assume "the universe" had forethought for doing what it did. That is a really dumb assumption.

[@summerthieves8850]

@@nathancook2852 "You assume "the universe" had forethought " The universe is what it is regardless if there is forethought or not. All forces in the universe are completely and utterly indiscriminate. Not a single force cares one iota if you survive or not. But yet these forces crated you, the most discriminate being possible. That begs the question, how does an indiscriminate universe create discriminate beings. That question has nothing to do with forethought. You will have to prove where the "discriminate" force comes from in order for you to exist.

[@logical5780]

Technically...😅😅😅😅...you were a shot in the dark.

[@zainulabideen6812]

though we havent the abalities to find Gods in and out why eg an aeroplane can have the abilities to come to known who made an aeroplane an aeroplane cannot find who is creator of an aeroplane likewise just feel lots of difficulties impossibilities do exists likewise we cant discovers our creator

[@ecanet]

I rarely disagree with Dr Lennox, but God does Not accept us just as we are. This quote explains it best. “Once we accept Christ as Savior, and He adopts us into the family of God as His child, then His unconditional love accepts us as His child. Further, His desire is that He keeps on changing us so that we become conformed to the image of His Son (2 Cor. 3:17-18). God completely accepts us as His children without any threat of being cast out of the family, but God desires to keep on changing our character and nature. This way we become less like the person we were saved from and more like the image of His Son.”

[@zainulabideen6812]

why we are here reason many but to recognize our selfs if we recognised ourself meaning our limitations then you look starts looking on God your creater

[@tonygoodkind7858]

You have to decide if truth is your goal. Truth is the set of facts about reality, so if truth _is_ your goal reality itself must be the basis for your beliefs, and if you don't have sufficient evidence (detections of reality) that indicates god exists you shouldn't believe it. No believer I've met has that evidence.

[@123456stronzo]

Because mom and dad got busy ,this guy Lennox must have god on speed dial he is so pompous ,god told him personally why we are here lol

[@yunusjhon651]

You ,animal,plant,and creature are parts from the elements of infinite space,if not having space such creations and the like could not be existed / visible in space.what is Nothing ? Nothing means empty space that without creation.The only logic is uncreated is space of infinity .

[@georgekantstandu4501]

God as a abusive spouse....I love you whack...I love you, whack....If you don't love me you get another whack!

[@michelangelope830]

Emergency. The greatest knowledge of all time is atheism is a logical fallacy that assumes God is the religious idea of the creator of the creation to conclude wrongly no creator exists because a particular idea of God doesn’t exist. You have to understand for yourself the truth. If you don't understand the atheist logical fallacy you can say truthfully you don't understand much. If you understand your life would be infinitely better and if you don't understand to understand you have to read til the end or until you understand. To understand you have to be willing to learn to discover the truth. God is necessary and logically it is impossible the existence of the creation or finitude without the creator or infinitude. Atheists are bad people and would not be able to prove their own existence to themselves if the logical conclusion is that God exists and lose their children believing without questions asked that gambling causes a brain disease, and when they are told they don't care.

[@davidcaldwell4953]

It's so easy to say when you don't have the answer God wanted it . The Bible is written by man and yet some people dangle off its every word . And because they believe the Bible is 100 per cent correct other religious books cannot be . And other religions defend there Holly books that much so they go to war so can all religions be right or are they all wrong.

[@nathancook2852]

The Christians on here only have on book to study and examine, and they can't even agree on why we are here. By the way, there doesn't have to be a spiritual reason for life to exists. And your holy book clearly doesn't even give a clear meaning of why we are here. There are conflicting verses all over this page.

[@zainulabideen6812]

that you will be convinced on existance of your creater God that is too dangerous

[@zainulabideen6812]

because human being kedp inztead of an aeroplane and think the difference exists yes Phrophets got knowledge from God behalf taughts us zometimes with miracles means beyond our human beings limilatations or powers bere lies the difference betwedn God and human being

[@georg7120]

How does he know?

[@timothyw815]

When Christ is believed on, by grace through faith the Holy Spirit is received. He testifies that the Bible is the Word of God.

[@DickusCopernicus]

You might as well ask why anything we experience exists. Only a creature that has conscious reflective self awareness could ask that question. Unfortunately this question all too frequently receives a pompous self important answer, along the lines of, because we [humans] are in some way special. Sadly, the answer is more mundane, just like the WW1 Sergeant's words to a poor private in the trench; "because we are here". We are born, we live, we die. The only meaning we have alive is what others give us. After death, all that exists of us, is the memory of those that survive us, and after they are gone - nothing.

[@tedgrant2]

We are here because God couldn't solve differential equations.

[@thelammas8283]

That answer to why you are here is about as credible as saying we are here because some umbrellas are yellow.

[@lilhoss1]

Let's see if you'll do better? Why are we here?

[@thelammas8283]

@@lilhoss1 Nobody can even remotely credibly claim to know why we are here, or why there should be a reason at all? Least of all me. I like Albert Camus’ philosophy. How to get on with life despite the fact that we can’t answer that question.

[@nathancook2852]

@@lilhoss1 We can't answer that yet. And that is ok. There is no reason to have to know. It is ok to want to know, but not knowing doesn't make life here any different. I will bet that if we were to find out, you would not like the answer.

[@gweilospur5877]

Which god? There are thousands of them.

[@timothyw815]

Jesus said “I’m the way the truth and life, no one comes to Father but by Me.” Jesus is the express image of the Father, He revealed Him to us. Hebrews 1:13. There are many supernatural demonic beings (false gods) but only one loving Father Creator of all. Through false religion or psychedelic drugs, they can be encountered. It’s understandable how they can be viewed as gods because they have supernatural power. They’re evil though, hence why people sacrificed children to them. Just look at the Aztecs.. Also, if believers call upon Christ for deliverance, it is possible to observe the two opposing kingdoms clashing (Jesus has already won the victory for us on the cross). Hence why Jesus said if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Many (including myself) have experienced this. Demonic attacks during a sleep paralysis is an example; the demons flee when Jesus is called on. The difference between their spiritual darkness and His glorious purity is immense.

[@gweilospur5877]

@@timothyw815 Kirk said: “ beam me up Scotty”.

[@rodrogers6895]

Every hour of every day, 1000 children die of starvation, 168,000 per week. Does God not want them?

[@runyanproperties2302]

That is everyone's fault.

[@zainulabideen6812]

if you dont stay on Jesus sayings you will refuse existance of your creatours God become with no choice other then near remedy go accepts concept religion Aeithest

[@erikt1713]

I would like to ask Professor Lennox how this concept applies to his niece who died at cancer at the age of 22 years as he told us in a different discussion. I understand God wanted her to be, but then at 22 he no longer wanted her and allowed her to die or even caused her to die? How can anybody be content and imagine that he lives in a world in which a merciless god kills people for good reasons which we do not always understand?

[@nathancook2852]

Yeah, they won't answer that one. Many of these people will actually claim that if a person does wrong (in their eyes) , or leaves the church, that they were "never a real Christian." It is sad.

[@maryj74848]

Everyone dies the first death To God a thousand years can be like a day. And a day a thousand years.

[@erikt1713]

@@maryj74848 Ah yes, that's right. Christians expect a life after death which carries more weight than this life also in this tragic case. Thanks for pointing this out. The faith is consistent within itself, even if it is not possible for everyone to believe such things.

[@paulhaynes3688]

What a ridiculous statement how on earth can, anyone make such a statement when impossible to prove

[@rickallen9167]

Why Are You Here..... Cause and effect...your parents fell in love and at one point decided they wanted to start a family. The rest is just postulation.

[@johnbrown6189]

Lennox who?

[@velkyn1]

funny how claiming that some god wanted someone to be at a certain place destroys the common christian claim of free will.

[@jakesmith5278]

Jesus f##kin' Christ. Is everybody in second grade here???

[@rogerclyde2720]

Lousy sound

[@123456stronzo]

Jesus loves me lol how about terminally ill children ,old people with Alzheimer’s walking around like zombies ,if jesus does love me that’s not good enough so he decides who thrives and who doesn’t ,selfish people and this guy makes me sick

[@anaccount8474]

There are parents who have children solely for the purpose of sexually abusing them - just because you're brought into existence because someone wants you isn't necessarily a good thing.

[@zainulabideen6812]

why due to insufficient knowledge and lacks of knowldge leads towards Aethiastizm

[@kreshar]

If we're all where we are because god wanted it that also means when that home invader breaks in your house god wants him there also.

[@Observer413]

Did God want that person to be a home invader, with whatever evil and violence this act comes with?

[@kreshar]

@@Observer413 by the logic of these people nothing can happen that god didnt want to happen so you tell me

[@lilhoss1]

You are confusing free will with some type of weird determinism. If someone invades your house, they're doing so by their own free will. If God did not create us with free will, we would be robots with no choices, and there you would be complaining that you have no choice in the matter for anything. But since people have free will, then you'll be complaining that people do evil things and blame God in the process. I see how that works!

[@jjevans1693]

​@@lilhoss1Free will. lololol😅

[@nathancook2852]

@@lilhoss1 Many christians do believe in predestination. You all can't even agree on simple aspects from your same holy book.

[@paulhaynes3688]

More man made god fairytales

[@j.kbarnett7640]

After 13 billion years, God wanted you to ask why am I here. Maybe that's because he has been busy in other universes and hasn't had time to make an appearance yet. I think mathematics got to your brain.

[@tonygoodkind7858]

As another commenter pointed out: Lennox makes a lot of claims here, and provides absolutely no evidence of them. A falsehood is false, _even if it sounds nice._

[@linusverclyte4988]

That's a nice fantasy, isn't it? In the category 'what do I want to be true and therefore must be true'... Because humans make children God must have made humans: does anyone actually think there's any logical connection between the two?

[@truthgiver8286]

Yes god loves you so much he created Leprosy, Cancer, Cholera, Bubonic Plague, Small Pox, Spanish Flu, Ebola, Aids, Corona Virus etc etc etc just for you.

[@edk484]

Genesis 3:17-19....it is our fault. We disobeyed God. That has consequenses as we experience now. However....there is an escape. Jesus canngive usveternal life... We have 3xd devil death darkness and only Jesus can change that in 3xl love light life You can choose to change your d's into l's. Go to Jesus !

[@truthgiver8286]

@@edk484 I have read the bible and it is one of the gods who is credited with lying when he tells Adam that he will surely die on the day he eats the apple. Who would trust him

[@ryngrd1]

Thank you for illustrating pessimism vs optimism. I choose optimism.

[@ryngrd1]

@@truthgiver8286 I should tell you. A part of Adam did die when he eats the apple. The part that died is called 'innocence', you see, when you are an animal you can not know good vs evil, Adam was no longer innocent. The deeper meaning is an interpretation of the very real transition from animal to human which occurres very precisely somewhere in the last 7 million years. . I thought you knew that already?

[@truth7416]

Remember this is not a sub heaven that needs to be fixed. It is a bootcamp of testing. It is here that the citizens of Heaven are determined. It is a momentary time of troubles that are not comparable to eternity. Our purpose in living this small sampling of life we experience, is to make the ultimate decision, do we follow God because we want to, or reject God because we want to. Observing the Creation alone makes it impossible to not know that there is a Creator. and so it goes from there. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 1 Timothy 2 : 3-6 Acts 16 29-34 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household.” Truth in Love

[@colinmatts]

How does Lennox know any God wanted us here?

[@ronaldorivera4674]

Well If God exists and so do we, then it's implied.

[@colinmatts]

@@ronaldorivera4674 "IF". How do we sort out that "if"?

[@ronaldorivera4674]

@@colinmatts obviously he's speaking from the position that God exists, so it's implied when he says it, if you understand his view. If you want to know how to sort it out, study and investigate and look into the arguments made. Don't ask people on KZbin for answers, look at what scholars have to say about it, who are Greek and Hebrew scholars, and what historians have to say.

[@colinmatts]

@@ronaldorivera4674 No scholars of any subject have ever demonstrated the existence of a God.

[@ronaldorivera4674]

@@colinmatts I can tell you the same thing, scientists have never demonstrated that the external world and the past are real, does that mean we shouldn't believe it exists? Scientists have never demonstrated that minds( consciousness) exist, they can't even describe what it is. The reliability of our cognitive faculties and uniformity in nature, along with mathematics and logic are not accessible by the scientific method, does that mean we can't trust them?

[@johnhammond6423]

John Lennox, the king of bloviation. Full of nonsense but has never given us any good testible verifiable evidence for his God's existance. How people are taken in by him is beyond me.

[@charlescarter2072]

Do you have testable verifiable evidence that yesterday existed? Probably not…but I bet you still believe in it.

[@johnhammond6423]

@@charlescarter2072 Are you serious! 🤣

[@MrScaramoosh]

Well beyond you, best stick to the alternative of evolution and modern virology! then you will get "really fooled".

[@truth7416]

Proverbs 18:2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 18:6 A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. Proverbs 29:9 If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.

[@johnhammond6423]

@@truth7416 Quoting from an old religious book proves nothing my friend.

[@haydenwalton2766]

'what a terrific relief it is to DISCOVER that someone in the universe wanted you to exist' almost there john - you meant believe instead of discover. john lennox - selling snake oil once again

[@lilhoss1]

What's wrong with belief? You believe a lot of things.

[@haydenwalton2766]

@@lilhoss1 you mean like I believe the sun will rise in the east tomorrow ? belief is weighed against evidence. and my point was that lennox used the descriptor 'discover' when of course he had no right to. but then, apologists do it all the time. he is an intellectually dishonest individual. If he had said 'believe' I wouldn't have commented

[@lilhoss1]

@@haydenwalton2766 it is totally appropriate for him to use the word "discover." To him and others, the reality of God and why we are here is something that is known. Just because you don't know it, doesn't mean that he doesn't know it. The fine-tuning of the universe alone, is enough for me to know that there is a God. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ shows me that He loves you. You were born to be loved.

[@haydenwalton2766]

@@lilhoss1 seeing as you brought the topic up, and gave your opinion on the matter, I'll give mine. I know that yourself, lennox or anyone else, dont know there is a god. but, of course, you are free to believe you know - which brings us full circle. all the best with your search for truth casey

[@lilhoss1]

​@@haydenwalton2766Thanks. You as well!