Is Belief in the Existence of God Rational?
Much has been written, pro and con, about the belief in the existence of God. Based on my reading of much of it, I have come to the conclusion that the following argument is sufficient to settle the question for me, and perhaps for you. Check it out.
Two arguments have been used to reject the belief in the existence of God: First, the belief is based on faith, which means there is no evidence to support it that can stand up to scientific scrutiny. And second, the belief is grounded in various, often contradictory religious texts that are claimed to be the word of God without any scientific verification of their origins.
These arguments, however, are bogus because the resolution to the question is outside the realm of science. Science only deals with that which is capable of being shown false or capable of disproof. And faith-based beliefs are not capable of disproof, which means scientific reasoning cannot decide the question of whether God exists or not.
Furthermore, as the 20th-century American scientist, Carl Sagan, pointed out, an absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. That is, an absence of evidence in support of the belief in the existence of God that can stand up to scientific scrutiny is not evidence that God does not exist.
So, because science cannot resolve the question of God's existence, individuals are left to rely on faith alone. But is this choice rational?
The answer is yes, if it serves one's self-interest, the driving force behind all human endeavors.
And in fact, the belief in the existence of God can serve self-interest in two key ways. First, it can provide individuals with a sense of comfort and the ability to better cope with life's adversities. Second, and perhaps more importantly, it offers the promise of eternal happiness in the afterlife, assuaging the fear of death.
Of course, God either exists or does not exist. If God exists, there is much to gain from the belief, and if God does not exist, little or nothing is lost. So, individuals who believe in the existence of God are betting on a large gain with little or nothing to lose, a bet put forth by the 17th-century French philosopher, Blaise Pascal. It follows that individuals who bet on the existence of God are acting in their self-interest, and as such, their belief is a rational choice.
Copyright © 2025 Frank Zahn. Published in Adelaide Literary Magazine, No. 78, July 2025, https://adelaidemagazine.org/is-belief-in-the-existence-of-god-rational.