9. Does God really exist?

Q9. Does God really exist? And if so, where is the proof?

A9. This is the age old question that many grapple with. Happier are the ones who already know the answer. For the rest of us, the inquiring mind is restless.

Let us begin with an extract of a speech by Gandhiji on this subject on October 17, 1931 at the Kingsley Hall in London:

"There is an indefinable mysterious power that pervades everything. I feel it, though I do not see it. It is this unseen power which makes itself felt and yet defies all proof because it is so unlike all that I perceive through my senses. It transcends the senses.

But it is possible to reason out the existence of God to a limited extent. Even in ordinary affairs we know that people do not know who rules, or why, and how he rules. And yet they know that there is a power that certainly rules. In my tour last year in Mysore, I met many poor villagers and I found upon inquiry that they did not know who ruled Mysore. They simple said “some God ruled it”. If the knowledge of these poor people was so limited about their ruler, I, who am infinitely lesser in respect to God than they to their ruler, need not be surprised if I do not realize the presence of God, the King of Kings.

Nevertheless I do feel as the poor villagers felt about Mysore, that there is orderliness in the universe. There is an unalterable law governing everything and every being that exists or lives. It is not a blind law, for no blind law can govern the conduct of living beings. That law then which governs all life is God. Law and the lawgiver are one. I may not deny the law or the lawgiver because I know so little about it or Him, just as my denial or ignorance of the existence of an earthly power will avail me nothing. Even so, my denial of God and his law will not liberate me from its operation. Whereas, humble and mute acceptance of divine authority makes life’s journey easier even as the acceptance of earthly rule makes life under it easier.

I do dimly perceive that while everything around me is ever changing, ever dying, there is underlying all that change a living power that is changeless, that holds all together; that creates, dissolves, and recreates. That informing power of spirit is God. And since nothing else that I see merely through the senses can or will persist, he alone is.

And if this power is benevolent or malevolent, I see it as purely benevolent. For, I can see that in the midst of death, life persists; in the midst of untruth, truth persists; in the midst of darkness, light persists. Hence I gather that God is life, truth, light. He is love. He is the supreme good.

But, he is no God who merely satisfies the intellect, if he ever does. God to be God must rule the heart and transform it. He must express himself in every smallest act of his votary. This can only be done through a definite realization more real than the five senses can ever produce.

Sense perceptions can be, and often are, false and deceptive - however real they may appear to us. Where there is realization outside the senses, it is incredible. It is proved not by extreme extraneous evidence, but in the transformed conduct and character of those who have felt the real presence of God within. Such testimony is to be found in the experiences of an unbroken line of prophets and sages in all countries and climes. To reject this evidence is to deny one-self.

This realization is preceded by an immovable faith. He who would in his own person, test the fact of God’s presence can do so by a living faith. And since faith itself cannot be proved by extraneous evidence, the safest course is to believe in the moral government of the world and therefore in the supremacy of the moral law, the law of truth and love. Exercise of faiths will be the safest where there is a clear determination summarily to reject all that is contrary to truth and love.

I confess, that I have no argument to convince through reason. Faith transcends reason. All that I can advise is not to attempt the impossible."(End of Gandhiji's speech)

Here are a few points to consider:

Point 1: The “Effect” is the “Proof”

The "effect" has become the basis of several known and proved scientific phenomena.

The Big Bang theory (though generally accepted) still does not pass rigorous scientific proof. Black Holes and Dark Energy (making up 96% of the Universe) are still believed to exist based on indirect proof only. That proof being: we perceive their effect, hence, they must exist. And their properties are conjectured based on the observed effects. All of this is acceptable to most scientists, even though skepticism does persist.

Take Electromagnetism, for example. We have not seen it, heard it, spoken to it, touched it, or smelled it. But, we have felt the effect. We know it exists. Same goes for Electricity. Their existence is fool-proof, because their observed effects are compelling!

Now, let us take the example of a wrist watch. No one will believe that its existence came into being accidentally. It is known that in order to make a wrist watch, someone should conceive, design and manufacture it. It is obvious that there is some intelligence behind it, without which, the watch cannot exist.

Similarly, let us look at the world and see how it operates. It has the known forces (gravitation, electromagnetism, strong force, weak force, etc.) that act in a predictable manner. It has the evolution of life from a small cell. How about the complexity of the human body, which is millions of times more complex than a wrist watch? And beyond that, the complexity of the entire universe and how it works. If a wrist watch required intelligence, could such complexity be possible without some intelligence? And if so, can that intelligence (or Energy, or Force) be named God?

Point 2: Observations and Experiences

Then there are the known experiences of an "unbroken line of prophets and sages". The Sages did not develop a line of reasoning. Consequently, they did not develop a theory, nor did they conjecture anything. They simply reported what they "experienced" or "observed”. It is a different matter if one thinks they were just making it up, or that they were under illusion.

But, what is known is that these experiences and observations are repeated by several of them over and over again (over hundreds of years) - in various forms - all saying the same thing. Some of which is proven by Science through material observations, and rest is not. So, it is not unreasonable to believe what is already proven by Science is to be accepted, and what is not proven yet - one has to be skeptical about.

But, in all this - there is clarity on their part about their "experience". They challenge us NOT to believe them - but to "live" them - "experience it ourselves". And that is the end of it. They are simply telling us "what is" - and prod us "to find out for ourselves".

Science may one day succeed in answering the question, and we hope it does - during our life time. Sages tell us there is also another way to find out - which they did - and reported what they found. They did not provide any reason - because they did not have to. Or, maybe they did not even know what the reasons could be. Thanks to Science that the thread of reasoning can be developed to understand the "why" of "what".

Point 3: Faith

For many, all of the above is compelling enough for God's existence. For purists, it is not. On the other hand, many do not need any evidence. "Faith" is good enough for them. For them, it is not a matter of the Mind; it is a matter of the Heart. Heart triumphs Mind. Heart rules the world much more than the Mind does. And matters of the Heart may defy evidence. Looking for evidence is only a game of the Mind – Heart is already beyond that. Those who want to play the game of Mind can certainly do so, and get tangled up in the trials and tribulations of the game; while those driven by the Heart have already reached the destination!

Point 4: The scientific journey has only just begun

A nagging question - Why can't Science provide evidence of God, if He does exist? Well, Science does not know a lot even about our own Universe, yet. But, it is progressing in its knowledge over time. We began acquiring knowledge when intelligence started (thousands of years ago). Centuries ago, nobody believed in a round earth (it was flat), or Sun being the center of the solar system (earth was), or that there are millions of galaxies and billions of stars. As mentioned earlier, the Big Bang theory (though generally accepted) still does not pass rigorous scientific proof. And our understanding of Black Holes and Dark Energy has only begun. Even though we have made significant progress in understanding the human body, our knowledge in that regard is still severely limited.

Given the fact that the life span of the Universe is at least billions of more years, how long before we know it all? On a "knowledge journey" of 1,000 miles, we have only moved a few inches. We are still almost at the starting gate. We have a long way to go. Is it any surprise that we have not seen the finish line yet? We still do not know the rest of the journey, let alone the destination. In other words, "scientific proof" may take billions of more years.

The whole world is debating what is observed on the surface of the ocean - because that is what is easily visible - without realizing what lies in its enormous depth. On the surface is what we observe as religion and science today - at this point in time (out of a life of several billion more years) - while much of the depth remains unexplored. May be, it is natural that we are prisoners of what we know today, and conclude that what we do not know today cannot be the truth.

Science does not know a lot about the Universe yet. There is yet a lot to know, and we have billions of years left to find out. What a relief!

Point 5: God transcends Senses

It has been argued that the Divine realm is beyond the material world – beyond sense perceptions – beyond the 5 senses, the mind, the intellect. Hence, God cannot be perceived or his existence proven through material means. In Chapter 11 of Gita, when Arjun asks Krishna to reveal His form, Krishna tells him that he cannot see Him with his senses. He grants him “Divine vision” – so he can see Him. Sense perceptions are limited. They can only perceive a few layers of reality – but not all. God is beyond sense perceptions.

Summary

There is no rigorous scientific proof of God's existence. His existence is only observed and experienced, according to the sages. If that does not make us believe in God, it would certainly give us a pause - something to think about - for sure. Not whether it is true or not, but - could it be true?

The believers will say: "God is not to be believed, God is to be understood." And they would say to the skeptical mind: "Give it the benefit of the doubt, pending inquiry".

But, what truly matters is not whether we believe in God, but what we do with that knowledge, or lack there-of.

All of the Vedic philosophy culminates into experiencing and practicing (living) the truths - because that is the only thing of value. Making the mind "believe or not" is only a game, is stimulating and entertaining - sounds good - but, has no value. As a result, our focus should be on living a good life (independent of our philosophical/spiritual/religious beliefs). We don't have to "believe". We only have to "live". That is why when some say they want to do "good" - that is sufficient. And no more is required of life.