The Question of God: Part Two

Good job on the last one! Most people had a lot to say. Remember, opinions are great, but need thorough explanation.

Don't use fictional characters to prove a point.

Directions: Answer one or more of the questions below thoroughly and intelligently. Be thorough. Give examples. If you have an opinion, please share it; however, make sure you explain why that is your opinion. Do not repeat what someone else has already said unless you are expounding on their point.

1. Most of us think happiness when we hear the word Joy; however, Lewis describes Joy as, "an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction." In other words, within every one of us are desires that we find so great and inspiring that we are overwhelmed and awed by them. From where do you think that feeling or sense comes? Have you ever experienced this Joy? How did you respond to it?

2. The rationalist approach says that the immensity of the universe and the seeming magic of life is enough to naturally cause what we call "Joy," "God," or the "Supernatural." The spiritual worldview says that a Higher Being put this feeling in all of us so we would desire or at least acknowledge His existence. What do you make of this? Who is right? Who is wrong? Why? Does either side have a weakness in its argument? Does either point have a stronger basis?

3. When Lewis's mother lay dying, Lewis, as a young child, believed that if he prayed hard enough to God, his mother would live. His mother ended up dying. Did the prayer fail? Was Lewis's view of prayer correct? Have you ever experienced the feeling that no matter how hard you prayed, God didn't seem to care about you? What conclusions did you draw?

4. When was the first time in your life that you remember being "awakened"? In other words, what was the first moment in your life as a child that you remember thinking and being aware of things around you? Was it something beautiful, ugly, kind, scary, or something else that created your first memory? Does this memory still affect you today?

5. After Lewis's mother died, his father became a very threatening person in Lewis's life. Lewis would wake up in the night, afraid that his brother and father had gone to America without him. How do you think this affected him as a child? Do you have any memory of being lost from your parents when you were young? Of course you are older now, but do you still have fear of being abandoned?

6. Mothers.
a. The first object that most infants recognize is their mother. In the video, some of the panel mentioned that this maternal relationship may prime babies for a relationship with a Creator. Do you believe this is true? Do you believe it's even worth discussing in the "Question of God" debate?

b. If you remember what happened to Freud in his youth from the video two weeks ago and compare it to what you learned about Lewis this week you might see that they both suffered losses of their mothers and maternal figures at very early ages. Think about how much your mother has influenced you growing up. If you had lost your mother at such an early age, what would you think of God? Would you doubt His existence, turn more toward Him, or would you be about the same in your beliefs?