What is Christian Apologetics?
Why would God allow potential confusion about His revelation, resulting in many religions?
Undoubtedly, there are a variety of worldviews practiced today in our world. We see from the study of these diverse worldviews that, although they agree with each other on a superficial level, they all differ fundamentally in their view of God and His nature. Now, if God is unchanging, eternal and is perfect, why are there so many worldviews? If it’s the case that they all talk about the same God, why is there such a drastic difference in their core beliefs? For instance, how could one worldview, for example, say “God is personal,” and another say “He is not!” Why would God allow this massive misinterpretation of His revelation to prevail? In other words, the challenge can be put forth like this: given that there are a variety of worldviews, all being fundamentally different, and that God is perfect, why would He allow potential confusion about his revelation, resulting in many religions?
Now, God could have easily made his existence more clear and obvious. Perhaps have his name written in the sky, or have every atom or molecule inscribed on it the statement “made by Yahweh.” But, he chose not to. Why didn’t he? If he did, it could have, perhaps, solved most of the problems that exist today. We wouldn’t be fighting over which religion is the correct one. Most importantly, it could have saved many from eternal damnation.
In order to answer this, let’s look at three key premises that are fundamental to answering this challenge. First, it is logically impossible for God to reveal himself in mutually exclusive ways. Because God is a morally perfect being, and that he cannot lie, it makes perfect sense to conclude that this premise is true. For, to reveal himself in mutually exclusive ways is to “deceive” humanity, and to “deceive” cannot be an attribute of God. Second, it is not plausible that there exists unresolvable uncertainty over God’s revelation. If God has revealed himself so that we discover him, He would definitely provide the means and the power to His honest seekers to be able to find him. Otherwise, why would he reveal Himself in the first place? If God has revealed himself, His existence and persona is certainly resolvable, at least to some degree if not completely. Third, it is plausible that there exists resolvable uncertainty in the process of human’s search for God. Now, this is the more difficult premise.
Why would there be resolvable uncertainty in the search for God? Now, follow me on this: in the attainment of any virtue, the necessity of choice is fundamental. In other words, in the absence of choice (good or bad), virtue cannot be attained. Similarly, in order to attain the true knowledge of God, there ought to exist a possibility of attaining a false knowledge of God. In order to meet that end, God endowed humanity with libertarian freewill. Furthermore, God being all-good and all-loving, there cannot be a violation of libertarian free will granted to humanity, which, perhaps, could lead the individual to reject God Himself.
Now, consider a naughty five year old at school, for example. Assume that his strict dad keeps a watch over him all day, noting his behaviour in class. The kid is totally robbed of his freedom to act freely. He “behaves” himself not because he wishes to, but because he is under the watchful eyes of his strict dad. Imagine his dad is away one fine day. He now has the freedom to act according to his wishes. He has the option of choosing to do both good and bad, which was not the case earlier. Earlier, he didn’t have any option other than to “behave” because he was under his dad’s watchful eyes.
Similarly, what if God keeps popping into your bedroom every night? What if He walks by you, physically recognizable, wherever you go? Wouldn’t you be irritated by his intrusion? You would be forced to believe in him even though you might not like it, won’t you? You are robbed of your freedom to choose him wilfully. Now, this is important! God is not interested in merely getting people to be saved or to believe in him, but to come to him willingly, entering into a communal relationship with him. This means that he keeps himself at the right distance, a distance not too far away that we don’t recognize him, nor, too near that we are forced to believe in him. This distance allows the possibility of misidentifying and misrepresenting Him.
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