1. God (i.e. a Supreme Being) does not exist.
2. God exists, and it is impersonal.
3. God exists, and he is personal.
a - God exists, and he is good.
b - God exists, and he is bad.
c - God exists, and he is me.
2. If God does exist and is impersonal, I cannot pursue a relationship with it.
3. If God is personal…
a - …and good, I should honor him and pursue a relationship with him.
b - …and bad, I should oppose him and avoid him.
c - …and me….that is nonsense, and I can’t believe it.
2. If I am indifferent and God does exist, I could face serious problems as his existence is probably very relevant to me.
3. If I pursue a relationship with God:
a - I will need his help since I am not divine.
b - I will need to submit to his greater knowledge since I am finite.
4. If I oppose God:
a - Things will not go well for me because he is stronger than me.
b - I may find I am actually in the wrong because he knows more than I do.
1. Indifference (actual or functional atheism) is a reasonable but risky approach.
2. Opposition (satanism and some forms of animism or spiritism) is a foolish approach.
3. Pursuing an impersonal God or trying to achieve godhood (Buddhism, Hinduism, Pantheism, Mormonism) seems like a silly and/or unrealistic approach.
4. Pursuing a relationship with a personal God (Judaism, Islam, Christianity) seems like the most reasonable approach.
a - Religion: Obedience/good works/Law/human effort/man working towards God
b - The Gospel: Forgiveness/unconditional love/Grace through faith/divine self-sacrifice/God saving man
2. I am so far from divinity that I cannot possibly hope to work my way into a good relationship with God apart from his grace.