Does the Physical Universe Prove the Existence of God?

Does the existence of the natural world--in all its order, beauty, and variety--prove the existence of God?

I was studying this, the opening paragraph of Gospel Principles, Chapter 1, "Our Heavenly Father" (p. 5):

Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet, wrote, “All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” (Alma 30:44). We can look up at the sky at night and have an idea of what Alma meant. There are millions of stars and planets, all in perfect order. They did not get there by chance. We can see the work of God in the heavens and on the earth. The many beautiful plants, the many kinds of animals, the mountains, the rivers, the clouds that bring us rain and snow—all these testify to us that there is a God.

It is important to note that "to testify" and "to witness" do not mean "to prove." The Saints and other believers sometimes act as if the existence of the physical universe somehow 'proves' that there is a Creator, and as if those who do not accept the physical universe as proof positive that God exists are somehow mendacious, stubborn, or simply dense. This is neither true nor fair.

The fact that honest, rational, intelligent people have devised ways to account for the existence of the physical universe without positing the existence of God is itself sufficient to demonstrate that the existence of the physical universe does not conclusively prove the existence of God. To say otherwise is to fall into the trap that believers so often fall into:

1. We know, spiritually, that something is true.
2. We insist that nonbelievers accept our testimony as proof that it is true.
3. By insisting that evidence- and logic-driven people accept a spiritual testimony as conclusive proof, we actually disqualify our spiritual truths from serious consideration by nonbelievers.

Far better would it be to take the prophets at their word, and put forth the existence of the physical universe as a "witness" or a "testimony" of the existence of God.

We LDS share our testimonies, for example, at Fast and Testimony Meeting. We Saints often stand as witnesses of various Gospel principles, in classes, private conversations, and so forth. But no sane Saint expects that this is somehow conclusive proof to someone else hearing that testimony or witness.

Hearing or reading someone else's testimony or witness is, in a logical sense, merely suggestive evidence. In a sense, someone else's testimony or witness is an invitation to the listener to inquire of God as to the truth of that which is testified or witnessed. For only that personal testimony, a gift of God alone, can really stand as proof of any spiritual truth.

And that is as it should be. If spiritual truths could be conclusively proved by logic, that would damn any logician or scientist (or any other rationale being) who refused to follow that truth. Besides, logic shifts according to its premises, sometimes supporting this conclusion, sometimes that. Only truth is eternal--and the final word on truth can only be instilled, with convincing power, within the heart of the seeker, by God alone. That is personal revelation, the foundation of personal testimony.

So, yes, the physical universe testifies of and gives witness of the existence of God--but it does not conclusively prove that existence. Let us believers not demean those nonbelievers who insist that the physical universe does not constitute conclusive logical proof. Rather, let us agree with them, offer the witness and testimony found in the physical universe as suggestive evidence, and then help them to gain that personal testimony through spiritual revelatory means that lead to the only conclusive proof possible in this world. (See Moroni 10:3-5.)

[The photo of Hopetoun Falls in Australia was taken by David Iliff, who posted it to Wikimedia Commons on 27 July 2005. It appears here under License: CC-BY-SA 3.0 .]

Copyright 2012 Mark Koltko-Rivera. All Rights Reserved.
Permission is hereby granted to share this content non-commercially with this author's attribution.