I read chunks of two books yesterday.
One is a book edited by William Lane Craig--a series of essays arguing for the existence of God, the existence of a Good God. The authors are among the great philosophers alive today. As I read (slowly) conviction about the reality of God grew. The complexity of the natural world, the reality that things don't arise uncaused, the inability to explain consciousness from merely material origins, the presence of a very real sense of right and wrong, a uiniversal appreciation of the value of life--and more.
I believe. The best arguments for atheism and materialism are weak by comparison.
But.
I've also been reading Notes Left Behind, a first-hand account of parents who watch their six-year-old girl die of brain cancer. I read this book to its completion late into the night. Heavy. Cold. Heart-wrenching.
And the father of this little girl writes about the "cheap" answers Christians give for this unspeakable tragedy.
I believe there is compelling and convincing evidence for God's existence and His goodness. I also believe the horrors of this life cause questions in us that cannot be easily dismissed without care and compassion.
I once asked William Lane Craig what the greatest argument against God would be. I wanted to see if he would answer honestly. He didn't hesitate: the problem of pain and suffering in this world. Craig, one of the great defenders of the Christian Faith, being honest about the darkness we feel in this era of sin and heartache. Faith amid the darkness.
Belief in the Basement.
