Theme C — The Existence of God and Revelation

Atheists may cite science against belief on the grounds that natural explanations have steadily replaced supernatural ones — there is no longer "need" for God to explain the universe.

Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, attained enlightenment (Bodhi) under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, becoming "the Buddha" ("the awakened one").

Atheists often cite suffering — particularly the suffering of innocents — as evidence that God does not exist.

General revelation is revelation of God available to all people through nature and through sacred texts — as distinct from special revelation given to specific individuals.

The Hindu concept of Brahman (in Advaita Vedanta) describes an impersonal ultimate reality underlying all things.

In 1858, Bernadette Soubirous reported eighteen apparitions of the Virgin Mary at a grotto in Lourdes, France — Catholic teaching recognises these as authentic.

Hume's argument: the laws of nature have overwhelming evidence from constant experience; any testimony for a miracle has weaker evidence than the law it contradicts.

Atheists typically reject the Design argument because evolution explains complexity naturally and chance variation across many universes (multiverse) could explain fine-tuning.

Aquinas concluded that this First Cause "is what everyone understands to be God" — God is the uncaused cause.

Atheists may reject revelation entirely because it cannot be objectively verified by scientific methods.