As much as I try to make my writing simple enough to be digested, it seems I’ll still need to try some more. I’ll start tomorrow though, today’s topic is hot, and I won’t want to dilute it with simple words. I discovered that writing the way I write generates a lot of questions in people’s minds, and that’s fine, the pathway to knowledge and wealth is to ask. Everything you need in this life, is a question away. You don’t have, because you don’t ask. So if you need clarity on anything I write, please ask questions. I am online most of the time, and really willing to answer.
Someone once told me that my blog made him to start reconsidering his philosophy about the existence of God. He was a very cerebral guy, and had thought his way into believing that God didn’t exist and the spiritual was just an extension of the mind, e.t.c. Somehow without my saying anything directly, he had gotten some questions thrown at him that his philosophy could not explain and moved him into the path of working out a relationship with God. In my little journey on the Internet, I have found out, that he is not alone – many young people have had no experience of God, and are on a journey of questioning, testing and experimenting, and trying to find out for themselves if the world banged into existence or if there is a God somewhere. Is there proof that God exists? Do they need their research? Can it bring results? Is there any research that has been done that they can read and leverage on?
YES! the answer is yes. There is a book I enjoy reading a lot, I must have read it more than 20 times. It’s the book of Ecclesiastes. I recommend that book to any soul searching for answers. It’s a book reputedly written by the wisest man that ever lived. His quest was simple, “what is the most important thing to do on this earth, and what gives happiness and joy”. He wasn’t only a man of wisdom, he was a man of means. He had abundant wealth, and the capacity to not only think, but try out his thoughts and know for himself. He tested everything and documented his findings, earning the sane ones amongst us a reason not to have to subject our lives to experimentation. Everything he felt could bring happiness, he tried. Wisdom, wine, women, folly, wealth, slaves, achievements, progress, inheritance, he pursued them all, and gave a powerful summary of all that he had seen. It will be futile to summarize the 12 chapters of already condensed work of the quester or preacher in one post. Maybe I should indeed do a series on Ecclesiastes, just maybe. Here however are some opening and closing thoughts from the Quester himself.
Ecc 1:1 These are the words of the Quester, David’s son and king in Jerusalem:
Ecc 1:2 Smoke, nothing but smoke. [That’s what the Quester says.] There’s nothing to anything–it’s all smoke.
Ecc 1:3 What’s there to show for a lifetime of work, a lifetime of working your fingers to the bone?
Ecc 1:4 One generation goes its way, the next one arrives, but nothing changes–it’s business as usual for old planet earth.
Ecc 1:5 The sun comes up and the sun goes down, then does it again, and again–the same old round.
Ecc 1:6 The wind blows south, the wind blows north. Around and around and around it blows, blowing this way, then that–the whirling, erratic wind.
Ecc 1:7 All the rivers flow into the sea, but the sea never fills up. The rivers keep flowing to the same old place, and then start all over and do it again.
Ecc 1:8 Everything is boring, utterly boring– no one can find any meaning in it. Boring to the eye, boring to the ear.
Ecc 1:9 What was will be again, what happened will happen again. There’s nothing new on this earth. Year after year it’s the same old thing.
Ecc 1:10 Does someone call out, “Hey, this is new”? Don’t get excited–it’s the same old story.
Ecc 1:11 Nobody remembers what happened yesterday. And the things that will happen tomorrow? Nobody’ll remember them either. Don’t count on being remembered.
Ecc 1:12 Call me “the Quester.” I’ve been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Ecc 1:13 I looked most carefully into everything, searched out all that is done on this earth. And let me tell you, there’s not much to write home about. God hasn’t made it easy for us.
Ecc 1:14 I’ve seen it all and it’s nothing but smoke–smoke, and spitting into the wind.
Ecc 1:15 Life’s a corkscrew that can’t be straightened, A minus that won’t add up.
Ecc 1:16 I said to myself, “I know more and I’m wiser than anyone before me in Jerusalem. I’ve stockpiled wisdom and knowledge.”
Ecc 1:17 What I’ve finally concluded is that so-called wisdom and knowledge are mindless and witless–nothing but spitting into the wind.
Ecc 1:18 Much learning earns you much trouble. The more you know, the more you hurt.
Ecc 2:1 I said to myself, “Let’s go for it–experiment with pleasure, have a good time!” But there was nothing to it, nothing but smoke.
Ecc 2:2 What do I think of the fun-filled life? Insane! Inane! My verdict on the pursuit of happiness? Who needs it?
Ecc 2:3 With the help of a bottle of wine and all the wisdom I could muster, I tried my level best to penetrate the absurdity of life. I wanted to get a handle on anything useful we mortals might do during the years we spend on this earth.
Ecc 2:4 Oh, I did great things: built houses, planted vineyards,
Ecc 2:5 designed gardens and parks and planted a variety of fruit trees in them,
Ecc 2:6 made pools of water to irrigate the groves of trees.
Ecc 2:7 I bought slaves, male and female, who had children, giving me even more slaves; then I acquired large herds and flocks, larger than any before me in Jerusalem.
Ecc 2:8 I piled up silver and gold, loot from kings and kingdoms. I gathered a chorus of singers to entertain me with song, and–most exquisite of all pleasures– voluptuous maidens for my bed.
Ecc 2:9 Oh, how I prospered! I left all my predecessors in Jerusalem far behind, left them behind in the dust. What’s more, I kept a clear head through it all.
Ecc 2:10 Everything I wanted I took–I never said no to myself. I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing. I sucked the marrow of pleasure out of every task–my reward to myself for a hard day’s work!
Ecc 2:11 Then I took a good look at everything I’d done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke. Smoke and spitting into the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.
When he was done with 11 Chapters of experimenting and analyzing, he came back in the ultimate chapter, and utterred these golden words.
Ecc 12:1 Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young, Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes,
Ecc 12:2 Before your vision dims and the world blurs And the winter years keep you close to the fire.
Ecc 12:3 In old age, your body no longer serves you so well. Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen. The shades are pulled down on the world.
Ecc 12:4 You can’t come and go at will. Things grind to a halt. The hum of the household fades away. You are wakened now by bird-song.
Ecc 12:5 Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past. Even a stroll down the road has its terrors. Your hair turns apple-blossom white, Adorning a fragile and impotent matchstick body. Yes, you’re well on your way to eternal rest, While your friends make plans for your funeral.
Ecc 12:6 Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over. Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends.
Ecc 12:7 The body is put back in the same ground it came from. The spirit returns to God, who first breathed it.
Ecc 12:8 It’s all smoke, nothing but smoke. The Quester says that everything’s smoke.
Ecc 12:9 Besides being wise himself, the Quester also taught others knowledge. He weighed, examined, and arranged many proverbs.
Ecc 12:10 The Quester did his best to find the right words and write the plain truth.
Ecc 12:11 The words of the wise prod us to live well. They’re like nails hammered home, holding life together. They are given by God, the one Shepherd.
Ecc 12:12 But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There’s no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you’re no good for anything else.
Ecc 12:13 The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what he tells you.
Ecc 12:14 And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil.
No doubt God exists. It is when diminishing returns set to intellectualism that we become fools and deny his existence. Now that we are young is the best time of our lives. It’s time to serve, to fear God and obey his commands. God speaks, and the wise hear. God is real, and those who have experienced him bear witness.
I’ll close with a story I heard that gave me a hearty laugh. An atheist takes a lawyer and sues the city for not giving the atheist community any public holidays. His lawyer argued the case vehemently, Christians have their days – Easter and Chrismas, Muslims have thier days – Salah, and the prophets birthday, all other religions have their dates, but they don’t have a day to commemorate their belief. After minutes of endless arguing, the judge slammed his hammer 🙂 and dismissed the case. The lawyer was insistent and wanted grounds for the dismissal. The judge called him to approach the bench and assured him that atheist already have a public holiday and that his client was ignorant. The lawyer consulted with his client, and they were still not happy with the state. The judge then decided to explain it to him them, in Psalm 14:1 it reads, a fool says in his heart, that there is no God. Atheist are therefore fools, and they have April 1, which is fools day!
32 thoughts on “God or No God?!”
True talk.Its only a fool that says that there is no God!
True talk and please don’t stop writing the way you do. I think a lot more people like and understand your style than those who don’t. Besides, they can always ask.
Solomon was said to have had a hundred wives and three hundred concubines coupled with a stupendous wealth. In the process of obtaining all that, if a man does not get wisdom then he would never get it. (Imagine toasting ALL those women!)
In the final analysis, true wisdom comes from recognizing the futility of our human knowledge and acquisitions; from knowing that it’s all GOD.
‘A wise man is a fool for GOD.’
Think about that.
Thanks Adeolu for this insight. However in my interactions, i have met more pple who actually believe there is God, but its how to maintain a relationship with him is the problem. I recently encountered this rastafarian who says that because many books have been removed from the present day bible, its not authentic enough!!! And the role Jesus came to play on earth is just another matter entirely
Oga Dee, I love this translation you used (The Message).
God truly exists. He created the heavens and the earth and all that exists therein (Gen 1:)
If you don’t fear God, you have not started to be wise (Ps 111:10)
knowing God exists is quite different from knowing God.
Mr. D,
I would have to meditate through this translation. I’m seeing the whole King Solomon’s words in new light.
Seeking God is truly why we were made and in it alone we find ultimate fulfilment.
Got the closing story in a forwarded mail some weeks back it was really funny but i think there is all truth in the foolishness of not believeing God exists
Thanks D
I get so blessed reading your writings. I truly admire you in alot of ways. God bless you for being a blessing to us.
Without a manufacturer, there can’t be a product. Without a Honda company, there can’t be Honda produtcs. Without a creator, there can’t be creatures. There is God! He is so real. His acts are evident everywhere. I think that is why it is only fools that will say there is no God.
There is one God I believe in Him I’ve got numerous proofs.He is the king of kings His name is Jesus, He saved Me.I love Him.
“Fear God, Do what he tells you”
Thats the Summary!!!Every other thing is Vanity!!!!
Dear Lord, Teach us how to hear what you are saying to us, how much more easier our lives will be….Holy Spirit Help us!!!! Amen.
In the Academia, intellectuals, professors, doctors and their students argue on concepts that could drive one crazy at times. Sometimes their abundance of research “in quote” make them think they are very good and sometimes deny God’s existence. There is however one dilemma they face that makes me happy they say “NO ONE KNOWS THE FUTURE”. Hmmm, i mutter i know the one who knows the future and that is GOD. The Queen of England asked the professionals sitted in a meeting “why is it that no one saw the credit crunch coming….?” .Well i am glad that we know GOD and HE knows us.Our future is secure.Only a fool denies GOD.
Oga D you are blessed.
HE LIVES IN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Deolu. This also reminds me of a long time story I found interesting. A set of twins in a womb had an argument similar to this. Read their conversation:
Taiow: Kehinde, hope you’re preparing for the outer world.
Kenny: There is nothing like that we are in our own world. Where did you get such crap?
Taiwo: I overheard mum discussing it with a friend. She was told we’ll soon be due for the real world. Think I heard her call him Doctor
Kenny: It must be a noise in your head. No mum anywhere not to talk of a doctor.
Taiow: Well I’ll rather prepare and discover later there is no real world aside here than do otherwise and be shocked.
Kenny: What a fool you are. Denying yourself what you can see and enjoy now for what do not exist.
Taiwo: Well I think is okay to be a fool now rather than be later.
Few days after, while chatting away, suddenly there was a rumbling and noise, before they know it, they were both in a strange world. One was crying, while the other was too shocked to cry. Before he knew it the person in white dress holding him gave him a hot slap on his buttocks and I’m sure you know what he did. Welcome to reality…
Only the wise will heed. Joy to the wise!
@ Oba; love your story, but really many of us in life find it hard to prepare for change or adapt to change when it comes.
Reminds me of the book “who moved my cheese”. Reading the book tought me a lot how tight and foolish i had been on some areas in my life when i should have moved on… a small but powerful and insightful book
Good topic, but;
you said “No doubt God exists” probably for me and you, but there are plenty of doubts outside christianity sir. 🙂
Faith and Reason don’t go well together
If you believe in God, that is faith!
If you want some empirical proof, you are venturing into the realm of science and reason, and that is not Faith. period.
Ecclesiastes is a great religious text it will be unfair to assume that it should prove the existence of God for those who are not religious-i.e those who need empirical evidence before they believe
Although Human’s love to engage in this old, and I will venture to say tiring attempt to prove God’s existence using empirical methods. I think it will be more profitable if we can concentrate on our faith rather than trying to prove it through reason or rationality
Thanks my Prophet for this…like Oba’s story, i would rather follow the path, that there is God now and find out in the next life…..that He doesnt exist than live without Him now, and find out that He truly existed with grave consequences later! A lot of people are looking for answers to: if God truly exists and how to serve him as a result of the various world religions and sect… and my answer most times, is if you truly seek…you will find…we all have conscience and do self talk..so if you are that desperate, ask..God if you truly exist..show yourself to me as “YOU” – I AM, that He revealed Himself to Moses in the bible….so that He truly becomes what you know of Him..not what Someone tells you, when you have settled that, then the way to Him will follow! I try not to preach to my friends and thrust my religion down their throat… but the truth is i still find myself living out what my own style of religion preaches..and even when i try not to “preach”, i still end up doing so as its now my lifestyle…and i have had friends of other religion coming to me..to help them pray to get out of sticky situations and i have never ever called them to say…accept Christ, be like me or you will rot in hell! but just being there for them and living my life, with the help of God,His son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit has helped me to preach the message i believe in and it has challenged many to ask me, how i live…and its really not by my power or might but by the only truth that i know that has set me free and is making me free dayly and not ashamed…even when i am not “it”.. i still believe God helps to make me …as i need him like the air i breath and its in Him, i live, move and have my being indeed! Now am preaching!lol!
Thanks again for the wake up call and for that story on the Atheist/April fool’s day, saw it too and i had a good laugh as the joke was on the guy cos he has to pay his lawyer’s fee coupled with the tag of being called a FOOL!
http://www.bridgetelesinspeaks.blogspot.com
Beautiful piece. On a lighter mood now, pls when you open your ministry, let me be informed, i will gladly be the ussher. I love the fool’s day story. Its interesting.
Woow
@Mr. Onyisi (Chairman)
I was almost saying the Ecc was not the Ecc i know..What translation did you use..It looks new despite the fact that i have five (NIV, NLT NCV, AMP and KJV) other translations..I guess, i will go for your kind of translation too.
Indeed God exist, it is only fools that doubts the existence of God. I believe that He exist and I live my life worthy of a quality relationship with Him.
Those who do not believe needs a heart surgery…How else can they come to believe except by infesting their hearts with the Love of God spelt out in the universe.
I commend your writings..It was one of the things that brought me to you..
I’m not ashamed to be identified with Jesus..That why i’m a JesusFreak…A freak for Jesus..I just pray always to live up to standard…
So help me God..So help us God
thought provoking!nice one.
Dee,
Only a fool can say there is no God and I pity that fool.
God bless u Deolu
@ Olumide,
I see your point. I was thinking though, that the book of Ecclesiastes could have as well been any other book. I just see it as the sojourn of an experimenter.
@Oba,
Cool story – I guess the moral is, if you don’t prepare for tomorrow, you will get smacked to the marrow 🙂
@Otome,
The ministry has started… you can start the job 🙂
@Biddy
Hmmm… I feel you.
That was indeed a long one!
I had to save it on my laptop to really have time to view the whole post over the weekend before making a comment. I think the last story says it all….only a fool will deny God’s existence. He is too awesome to be sidelined or made irrelevant.
God is real… let every doubter taste and see that the Lord is good.
Hmmmm! What an awesome God we serve.
The creator of the universe. Better than the best. Bigger than the biggest. Wiser than the wisest……
God is GOD! not man.
Good thinking, good product!
I believe in God and his son Jesus Christ.Not matter how some claim that there is no God,I bet you right down in their heart they know there is a God.It is now left for them to let the truth set them free.For solomon as rich and famous he was to seek God means he reconised the soverignty of God.nyc job Dee and Oba nyc story.Kip it all up.
True talk!
I have a story too 🙂 can i tell? of course i will!
There was once a renown professor who did not believe in God’s existence. He believed the existence of the earth was by a big bang irrespective of the order in nature. He had his brilliantly and technically laid down theories about the emergence of the earth.
One of his students once embarked on a mini project where she (the student) built a model solar system that showed the planets revolving round the sun with exactly the same accuracy as the real solar system.
When the project was done, the professor saw it and asked the student how she managed to combine all the electromagnetic and gravitational forces with the right formulas in such a rhythm.
Then the student said…it all happened with one Big Bang! 🙂
Of course the story was not in the bible, but it suggests equally that things don’t just fall into perfect place like that – suggesting that someone must have been involved. The professor must have had more than a second thought
Ecclesiastes is an interesting book in that it was written more with a plain mindset. Everyday scenes for consideration… (more like “so that man would be without excuse”)
Though believing in God requires faith, believing there is God doesn’t! 🙂 . There are ideas that support God’s existence and vice versa.
And while some may have to wait till the get to ‘the other side’ to know there is God, some of us will strive towards leveraging on all that God is willing to give on this side of eternity…
God invites us all to taste and see… (men, this was long o 🙂 )
@ Tunde Opaleye
I like your story 🙂
Anyone who think there is no God is doing so because of ignorance of certain cogent facts
the question of God’s existence has been in debate from quite the ages if u’ll all agree with me. well God does not need anything to prove Himself but sometimes He does show us some evidences out of His mercies. many at the point of a life threatening experience came to a conclusion that there could actually be a supreme being somewhere.
well i don’t think i can prove God’s existence to anybody. i can only hope thru the development of my character and the manifestation of unequaled results in my life, many atheists will ask questions and hopefully come to a conclusion that there is a God
Only a fool says there is no God! Good work,sir.
God is God. there is no controversy over this matter. only a man without senses say there is no God. great post