I'm a Freethinker, but Freethinkers doesn't necessarily have to be an Atheist or Agnostic right?
I'm a Theist but I consider myself a Freethinker because I am not your ordinary Christian who just believe anything from their pastor.
Here are my views:
Belief in God
I believe in God simply because I chose to. I believe that the issue is not about "proof" or "logic", it's all about the heart's orientation. Belief in God is a presupposition as much as non-belief. This presupposition is the starting point of my overall worldview.
On the Issue of Evil
Evil was never God's purpose. But in order to create "Free" creatures, he must allow its possibility. The worst happened with Lucifer as he chose to be independent from God.
Satan conquered this world, and this world has become a battleground and also an example of the results of Independence from God. God withheld some of his controlling power, thus resulting in evil and chaos. The Bible says, a time will come when God will fully withhold his power from this world, and I think it's happening now, little by little.
Is God doing something to fix this mess
Many atheists think that if God is there, why is he not doing anything to rid the world of famines, wars, diseases and crimes. Actually he's doing something about it. But not in the way that we think is best. Here's how God is fixing it.
- The Mess in this world is the result of Man's desire to be independent from God. However, God doesn't want the world to stay this way.
- God the Son became incarnate as Jesus to educate us, and show us an example of perfection. God wants us to be conformed in Jesus's image.
- Jesus's death allowed sinners to be Justified. I know how silly this process is to non-believers but Soteriology is too deep a subject to discuss here. Suffice it to say that I think this is the only way to go as far as mercy and justice is concerned.
- God's followers are implored to alleviate the results of evil in this world. God chose not to use supernatural means. He chose his people to do something about it because this is one of the ways for them to be conformed to his Character.
- Suffering in this world is superficial, and thus less important than the real issue, which is a spiritual one. If "after life" is true, then this life is nothing more than an experiment, or a colossal school in preparation for the "real life". God is more concerned about our character than food in our belly yet it doesn't mean that human needs are not important to him. Sometimes he can use our needs as a bridge to get inside our heart. Like Jesus healing first, then teaching.
- One day, this world will be destroyed and recreated. Then everyone will see what God's ideal place really is.
On Miracles and Prayers
I do believe in Miracles, but I think miracles scarcely happen now. When someone prays for the sick and the sick gets unexplainably healed, I am inclined to attribute it to an unknown natural process than a supernaturally answered prayer. But it's an answered prayer nonetheless.
In another thread I asked "Why wouldn't God heal amputees", this came from an atheistic website http://www.whydoesgodhateamputees.com. The website concludes that since God doesn't and can't heal amputees, he doesn't exist. My take on this is that, he will heal amputees, but not now, and not just any amputee, but a deserving one. We should not expect God to do a supernatural show off of his powers because he doesn't want us to be too reliant on that. The only way for us to grow is understand what he has already given us, and search the truth for ourselves. God is not Santa Claus or a Genie. We can't expect him to act the way we would have acted.
I think that God has done enough Miracles for this world. And I think that the best and only miracle that matters is "EDUCATION". Education is the catalyst of all other good things. Education is the best way to fix much of the problems in this world. But in order to see really good results, one needs a really good education. I believe that true education can only come from a Biblical worldview.
Why I reject atheism
If there is no God, then there's only the Universe. If there is no God who is beyond nature, then everything loses its meaning. Freedom of Choice will become meaningless, our thoughts and reasoning are just nothing but an inevitable result of the random movements of atoms in our brain. I can't even describe with words the vanity of the implications of Atheism.
For our thoughts to be "free" and "meaningful", it should be beyond nature. It should not have to be a result of the random movements of atoms in our brain. If we're a result of mindless natural evolution, then we ought to be mindless. And the very concept of freedom is nulled by the inevitability of randomness. But if we're created by a great mind, who is above and beyond nature, and if this creator has given us the capacity to think beyond nature, then freedom and reasoning are valid concepts. Mind, Freedom, Choice, Love and other metaphysical concepts should exist beyond nature, and it should always have existed apart from nature. There's is only one who is beyond nature and that is who I call God.
In short, you can only be a Freethinker, if you believe in God.