'I believe in God!'

I have been watching the dialog and comments about God, atheism, reason, science, design, et al. Frankly I am surprised by many of the comments. I have been watching the online chart showing the "voting" over whether or not the residents of Kootenai County believe in God - any God - and find the statistics unsettling.

As an observer, now I feel the need to speak up. So, I first chose to do a poll of my own. I went and began a simple survey. I took a print copy of the pie chart from the CDAPress.com website, and asked people here in the community if they thought the chart was a fair representation of the county. I was pleased to find that the people I spoke to in the community were both startled by the poll, and did not believe it to be an accurate picture. I also learned that the percentages of those I polled were in favor of God. Ninety-seven percent of the people in Coeur d'Alene (I spoke to) believe in God. Just as I expected!

This brings me to my thoughts.

Is it true that those who don't believe in God really want others to join them? Why? Does faith in God really cause all the trouble they say it does? Is it possible that there are some who believe in God who misbehave and cause problems for others and that God or their profession of faith in God is not the issue? Is it really true that those who don't believe in God cause less trouble? Are those who choose to believe we are a big cosmic accident the ones who are the best proponents of love, hope, and peace? Is it true that those who believe we are an unintended occurrence the happiest people around? If so, why? Is it because they believe this life has no purpose and no meaning? Is it because they believe that "truth" is relative, and that moral values are the result of situational ethics? Are they really convinced that the consequences for "wrongdoing" are without foundation? Really?

The choice to believe there is no God is given freely to those who choose not to believe. They have every right to refuse to look at the evidences supporting the faith of those who do believe. However, if they are wrong ...?

Those who believe have less to lose than those who don't. If there is a God, then He is greater than we are, and to Him we must give an account. If there is a God and we are called to account, and fall short, we are in serious trouble. If there is no life after death, those who believed simply lived a life of peace and hope in the Eternal and will finally lay down to death and be forever no more. If there is a God and there is life after death then those who choose not to believe will be sadly disappointed at the result.

I am not inciting the dialog. I am simply saying I believe in God. My name is Paul Van Noy, my wife, Brenda, and I live in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and yes, I believe in God!

Paul D. Van Noy is pastor of Candlelight Fellowship.