Suppose that you were an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent being----capable of all things, knowing all things, and existing everywhere at every moment.
You have decided to create an intelligent race of beings whom you will endow with free will, but very limited power. You put them in this little bubble called a universe, where you can watch what all of them are doing. Thing is, you don't want them to see you, so you choose to be invisible and let the laws of the universe you've created play out according to a set of rules (physics) which you've created to govern this new world.
Now, based on this scenario, do you think there is enough evidence of your existence for your little beaker experiments (humans) to know that their life is not simply a natural function of the universe you put them in?
Let's take it a step further. Would you demand them to worship and praise you, basically dedicating their brief little existence to this task, instead of exploring the world around them and trying to find happiness?---Even though they are the product of your own actions, and you have chosen not to give them any proof of your existence? Is it fair to punish the ones (most of them) who haven't guessed 100% correctly about what you actually want them to believe or do? What about Hell----Is it fair to punish the ones who didn't accept that you existed using flaky circumstantial evidence by inflicting *unimaginable* pain for all of eternity because they didn't worship you?
You have decided to create an intelligent race of beings whom you will endow with free will, but very limited power. You put them in this little bubble called a universe, where you can watch what all of them are doing. Thing is, you don't want them to see you, so you choose to be invisible and let the laws of the universe you've created play out according to a set of rules (physics) which you've created to govern this new world.
Now, based on this scenario, do you think there is enough evidence of your existence for your little beaker experiments (humans) to know that their life is not simply a natural function of the universe you put them in?
Let's take it a step further. Would you demand them to worship and praise you, basically dedicating their brief little existence to this task, instead of exploring the world around them and trying to find happiness?---Even though they are the product of your own actions, and you have chosen not to give them any proof of your existence? Is it fair to punish the ones (most of them) who haven't guessed 100% correctly about what you actually want them to believe or do? What about Hell----Is it fair to punish the ones who didn't accept that you existed using flaky circumstantial evidence by inflicting *unimaginable* pain for all of eternity because they didn't worship you?