If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it still make a sound? If your answer to this question is no, then my argument likely will not convince you of anything. However, if your answer is yes, then that means you acknowledge that the tree’s action produces a sound independent of any observer. Now consider my next question: If God’s will is being carried out and no one sees him, does he exist? Whether or not you believe in the literal existence of God, the influence of belief in God is undeniable.
This world is filled with Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and all other sorts of followers of deistic religions. The most devote of them act in accordance with the faith, and are striving to create the world envisioned according to that god. To that end, laws, cultures, societies are shaped. These are real forces, with real influences on the world. Given that, I’d argue the question of whether your favoured god exists or not is flawed, or rather, unnecessary. The concept of God, like the sound of the falling tree, has real effects regardless of direct observation.
Picture a circle. Any circle. That circle, as long as it fits the proper definition of a circle, is infinitely more perfect than any circle in our reality. A true perfect circle simply cannot exist. It is continuous no matter how closely you look at it, whereas in real life, if you zoom in enough, you will see discrete particles making it up as opposed to a perfect curve. However, that does not stop the idea of a circle from guiding us in reality, whether it be in art, math, or science. We base all our imperfect circles off the idea of perfect circles. Its influence is very real. If you are familiar with Plato’s idea of the forms, then this is nothing new to you. Similarly, the concept of God, though potentially residing beyond our physical reality, guides the actions of millions, shaping the world in profound ways.
Indeed, God should instead be understood as a concept, rather than a physical entity whose existence must be proven or disproven. Gods, even according to their own holy scriptures, typically reside outside this realm of reality, and influence it in subtle ways through people or events. Like the sound of the falling tree, the influence of God’s concept persists, independent of whether we observe or debate his existence. Whether a god truly exists or not would make no matter to the world. It would not change a single thing as much as if a perfect circle existed or didn’t.
The question of God’s existence is secondary to the reality of his influence. Whether he exists as a being or not is less important than the fact that God’s ideals are shaping our world. The influence of the concept of God is as real and impactful as the sound of a tree falling in a forest, regardless of whether anyone is there to witness it, and you can only say that God doesn’t exist when there isn’t a single believer carrying out his will.
