Few statements about modern unbelief are as revealing as philosopher Thomas Nagel’s famous confession about God:
> “I hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that.”
— Thomas Nagel, The Last Word
Nagel wasn’t rejecting God because evidence was lacking — but because his desires pulled against the possibility of God being real.
This honest admission opens the door to a deeper discussion:
Why do some resist the idea of God, and why, despite this resistance, is belief in God still deeply rational, evidential, and fulfilling?
Below we explore 10 reasons people resist God, 20 reasons we can be confident He exists, and a final reflection on the emotional wellbeing belief brings.
Why Some People Don’t Want There to Be a God 😬
Below are ten common emotional, cultural, and personal reasons people may resist the idea of God — regardless of evidence.
1. Fear of Moral Accountability ⚖️
If God exists, then moral truth exists — and we become accountable to someone beyond ourselves.
2. Desire for Personal Autonomy 🧍♂️
A divine authority is seen as a limit on complete self-rule and personal freedom.
3. Pain and Suffering in the World 😢
Many cannot reconcile a loving God with the reality of suffering — so they prefer a world without Him.
4. Negative Religious Experiences ⛪
Hypocrisy, judgement, or abuse in religious settings can push people away from the very idea of God.
5. Emotional Disappointment or Unanswered Prayers 💔
Unresolved pain can lead someone to reject God out of hurt rather than unbelief.
6. Secular Cultural Pressure 📺
Modern Western culture often mocks faith, presenting unbelief as the “smart” or “neutral” position.
7. Fear of Being Judged or Condemned 😨
Some avoid belief to avoid confronting guilt, shame, or the need for forgiveness.
8. Intellectual Identity or Pride 🧠
Belief in God is sometimes viewed as intellectually inferior, so some cling to atheism for status.
9. The Problem of Control 🔧
If God exists, then we’re not the centre of the universe — a challenging thought for many.
10. Fear of Change or Commitment 🔄
Belief leads to transformation, which can feel uncomfortable or demanding.
20 Reasons We Can Be Confident There Is a God — With Evidence ✨
1. The Fine-Tuning of the Universe 🌌
Evidence:
- Physicists identify over 30 fundamental constants (gravitational force, strong nuclear force, cosmological constant, etc.) that must be set with extraordinary precision for life to exist.
- For example, the cosmological constant is fine-tuned to 1 part in 10⁵³ — like throwing a dart from light-years away and hitting a target the size of an atom.
Chance cannot plausibly account for this.
2. The Origin of the Universe 🚀
Evidence:
- The Big Bang theory confirms the universe had a beginning.
- Everything that begins to exist has a cause.
- The cause of space, matter, energy and time must therefore be spaceless, immaterial, powerful, timeless, and intentional — qualities that align with the classical understanding of God.
3. Objective Moral Values ⚖️
Evidence:
- Across cultures, humans share a core moral instinct:
- Murder is wrong, honesty is good, justice matters.
- These are not invented; even societies that disagree on specifics recognise shared moral “laws.”
- A moral law implies a moral lawgiver beyond human opinion.
4. Consciousness and the Human Mind 🧠
Evidence:
Neuroscience can track brain activity, but cannot explain:
- Self-awareness
- Rational thought
- Intentionality
- Subjective experience (“qualia”)
Materialism fails to account for consciousness — but a spiritual, personal Creator does.
5. The Complexity of Life and DNA 🧬
Evidence:
- DNA contains 3 billion characters of ordered information — comparable to a vast library.
- Information, in every other context, originates from intelligence.
- Random mutations cannot explain the origin of the first encoded, functioning biological systems.
6. The Laws of Logic and Mathematics ➕
Evidence:
- Logic and mathematics are abstract, universal, unchanging — not material things.
- Yet the universe behaves mathematically and rationally.
- This strongly suggests a rational Mind behind nature.
7. Humanity’s Desire for Meaning 🎯
Evidence:
- Every culture longs for purpose, significance, and hope.
- Desires typically point to real fulfilments — hunger to food, thirst to water, loneliness to relationship.
- Our universal desire for meaning suggests meaning exists — ultimately found in God.
8. Beauty and Aesthetic Experience 🎨
Evidence:
- Beauty is unnecessary for survival, yet humans universally experience it.
- Why do sunsets move us? Why does music stir the soul?
- Beauty hints at a Creator who enjoys beauty and built it into reality.
9. The Historicity of Jesus ✝️
Evidence:
Virtually all historians (Christian, secular, and atheist) agree:
- Jesus lived
- He was crucified
- His followers genuinely believed He rose from the dead
- Jesus’ impact on world history is unmatched and inexplicable by naturalistic means alone.
10. Evidence for the Resurrection 🪨
Evidence:
Scholars recognise the “minimal facts”:
- Jesus was buried
- The tomb was reported empty
- Multiple groups claimed to see Him alive
- Early Christians were willing to die for this belief
- Alternative explanations (hallucinations, legend, conspiracy) fail to match the historical data.
11. Fulfilled Prophecy 📜
Evidence:
The Bible contains detailed prophecies:
- The rise and fall of empires (Babylon, Persia, Greece)
- The birthplace of the Messiah (Micah 5:2)
- The manner of His death (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53)
- Many were recorded centuries before fulfilment — defying probability.
12. Archaeological Confirmation of Scripture 📖
Evidence:
Archaeology consistently affirms biblical history. Examples:
- The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm Old Testament accuracy
- The Hittites, once considered fictional, were discovered exactly as described
- Archaeological evidence supports figures like Pontius Pilate, King David, and Hezekiah
The Bible has an extraordinary historical reliability unmatched by other ancient texts.
13. Universal Religious Experience 🙏
Evidence:
Across time and cultures, humans independently report experiences of:
- The divine
- Answered prayer
- Conviction
- Presence
- Guidance
These experiences are consistent, widespread, and deeply transformative — not random hallucinations.
14. Documented Miracles and Healings ✨
Evidence:
Medical journals (e.g., The Lancet, BMJ) contain documented cases of:
- Sudden tumour disappearance
- Unexplainable recoveries
- Verified healings following prayer
Even sceptical doctors often describe such events as “medically inexplicable.”
15. Transformed Lives 💡
Evidence:
Millions testify that encountering God led to:
- Freedom from addiction
- Restoration of relationships
- Inner peace
- Radical moral change
Sociologists note the profound resilience and flourishing among committed believers.
16. The Existence and Power of Love ❤️
Evidence:
- Love cannot be reduced to biological survival.
- People routinely sacrifice their lives for others — something evolution cannot fully explain.
- Love looks like a reflection of a relational, loving Creator.
17. The Sense of Moral Duty 🫡
Evidence:
- We don’t simply recognise good — we feel obligated to do it.
- This sense of “oughtness” points beyond social conditioning to a deeper moral anchor: God.
18. The Beginning of Time ⏳
Evidence:
- Space-time had a beginning (confirmed by the Borde-Guth-Vilenkin theorem).
- Whatever created space-time must be timeless and immaterial — attributes that align perfectly with God.
19. The Improbability of Naturalism 🎲
Evidence:
- The odds of a life-permitting universe arising from unguided processes are so astronomically low that even atheists like Fred Hoyle admit it appears as though “a super intellect has monkeyed with physics.”
20. Personal Encounter with God 🙌
Evidence:
Millions report:
- Forgiveness
- Answered prayer
- Supernatural peace
- Deliverance
- A sense of God speaking or leading them
While anecdotal, the sheer volume, consistency, and life-changing nature of these testimonies provide cumulative evidence that God is real and active.
Final Thoughts: The Positive Impact of Belief in God on Emotional Wellbeing 🌿
Belief in God is not only intellectually credible — it is emotionally transformative.
1. Reduced Anxiety and Greater Peace 😌
Studies from Harvard and Oxford show that regular prayer and faith reduce stress levels, increase emotional resilience, and lower anxiety.
2. A Sense of Purpose and Direction 🎯
Belief in God gives life meaning beyond daily pressures.
People with a sense of divine purpose show higher life satisfaction and stronger mental resilience.
3. Comfort in Suffering 💛
Knowing God is present in hardship provides deep emotional grounding. Believers consistently report stronger hope and quicker emotional recovery from trauma.
4. Reduced Loneliness 🤝
Through prayer, fellowship, and a sense of divine presence, believers experience far less loneliness and social isolation.
5. Increased Gratitude and Joy 😄
Faith encourages gratitude — a major predictor of emotional wellbeing.
Believers frequently report more joy, optimism, and emotional stability.
6. A Foundation of Unconditional Love ❤️
Many find emotional healing in the belief that they are known, loved, forgiven, and valued by God — something no purely material worldview can offer.
Conclusion 🌟
People may resist the idea of God for many reasons.
But the weight of evidence — cosmic, biological, historical, philosophical, moral, and personal — points strongly towards the reality of a Creator.
And beyond the evidence, belief in God brings profound emotional wellbeing: peace, purpose, hope, community, and love.
God isn’t just a concept to debate — He’s a reality who transforms lives.
Further Reading – (Amazon)
15 Rules To Strengthen Mind And Body
52 Weeks of Wellbeing: A No Nonsense Guide to a Fulfilling Work Life
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Don’t Believe Everything You Think: Why Your Thinking Is the Beginning & End of Suffering
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Steven Lucas MBACP PNCPS (Accred) is a professional counselling psychotherapist working in Northamptonshire. Read Full Bio.
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Other Posts
If you found this page useful, you might also enjoy reading these posts:
Emotional Wellbeing: A Biblical Perspective
How To Start Addressing Relationship Difficulties
Being Positive In Difficult Times
How Can I Get A Better Night’s Sleep?
How Can I Improve My Self Esteem?
Being Assertive And Managing Boundaries
Coping With Symptoms Of Stress, Anxiety And Low Mood
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Disclaimer:
I am not a doctor so this guide should not be considered a replacement for seeking medical advice. It is also not a substitute for obtaining therapy as other factors, such as trauma, need to be considered.
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