By Randall Smith, The Catholic Thing, Nov. 28, 2023
Randall B. Smith is a Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. His latest book is From Here to Eternity: Reflections on Death, Immortality, and the Resurrection of the Body.
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Are you certain God exists? Are you certain He doesn’t? Who has the burden of proof here? Should believers have to prove that God exists? Or should atheists have to prove that He doesn’t? There are plenty of people who respond by pronouncing themselves “agnostic”: “I just don’t know.”
Fair enough – unless the question of God’s existence is as pressing and relevant as whether the volcano above my house will explode in the next 24 hours. Since I’m not a volcanologist, I could legitimately say, “I just don’t know.” But it’s not as though the upshot of the debate is unimportant to my life and flourishing. To proclaim myself “agnostic” – and then go back inside my house – is not a “neutral” response. With my actions, I show that I am siding with those who claim that this isn’t a relevant concern. …
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