Before the Renaissance, which began the scientific revolution, no explanation for the world existed outside religion. Then as science grew and expanded, people decided that GODs were (a) inconvenient (b) too diverse to pick one reliably (c) – you get the point.
So for someone who does have a strong faith, it’s no longer merely important to persuade someone who already believes in a god, it’s required to explain GOD to someone who believes that science already answers every question.
It may not answer “meaning” or “purpose” or give you comfort when everything is blowing up in your face, but then from a standpoint where “GOD” as a concept is already a non-starter, discussions must be long and intimate, friendships of years’ duration, before the religionist gets very far sharing his/her answers to those most important questions.
Me? I am a Christian, for a thousand reasons, none of which involve any argument with science. For one, the universe we inhabit is exquisitely tuned such that particle physics permits a table of chemical elements, which themselves are so finely tuned that DNA life virtually explodes (once there is a first cell.)
Getting that first cell to form is an immensely long shot – but then we have two hundred sextillion stars, so that makes the odds a little easier. And if GOD decided to create that first cell, who am I to argue? Doesn’t matter to me either way, because the existence of GOD is, for me, a complete certainty.
That trust and confidence exists on the inside, supported by so many minuscule details no friend would ever spend the time listening. But it is vastly more probable that Jesus lived than that he did not; and it is vastly more probable that he died on the cross than that he did not. And it is very demonstrable that the odds against any of the non-resurrection scenarios are very much on the long end of the spectrum compared to the odds that he really did return from the tomb.
If that last idea is a non-starter, fine. But you also accept hugely long odds on several bets in sequence to place your money on that outcome. Rather, IF there is a GOD, then all of the above come together beautifully. And IF there is a GOD, then Jesus’ resurrection is clearly possible. In other words, to take the position that there is no GOD, you wind up betting on the long shot of all long shots.
As it says on late nite TV, “But wait, there’s more.” Because there is more. A beautiful DVD called Star of Bethlehem presents the birth (and death) of Jesus in context of numerous Old Testament prophecies: using a “star gazing” app the DVD demonstrates what the “wise men” would have seen, and when, that set them on the road to Jerusalem. Further, when they arrived, what took them five miles south to Bethlehem. Yes, it’s that close.
So if you want science, I offer up the stargazer app, via the DVD, to see for yourself whether there is a reason to believe based on facts. Real facts.
Oh, and Another Thing 