World views, presuppositions and logic

I have often been asked how I, a mathematician, could possibly believe in God.  The presupposition behind the question (assumptions that are usually unacknowledged), seems to be that Science (or logic) has disproved God.  In fact, it is part of the propaganda of the world.  And while it is true that some have thrown away the mind in order to believe, such people have failed to obey the commandment to love God with all their mind (Mark 12:30). Actually I do want to say,  that the smarter you are,  the more work you will need to do if you are going to obey this commandment, but then isn't all genuine love work?

In mathematics we call presuppositions axioms.  One of the fundamental axioms of high school geometry is that parallel lines never meet. It is intuitively obvious of course, but we cannot prove it.  When we believe something is true, but can't prove it, it becomes one of our presuppositions. The parallel line axiom and the theorems deduced from it all work in life. They make sense and are used all over the place. In other words this axiom (presupposition)  reflects what we know about reality.  But there is a branch of mathematics called projective geometry.  It throws out the parallel axiom, seeking to know what theorems can be proved without it. Do the resulting theorem reflect reality? Well that's a different question.   

The fact is, that we all have a world view, that is a set of presuppositions out of which we try to make sense of the World.  Of course some world views are better worked out than others. But no world view, like axioms in mathematics,  can be proved.  Naturalism is atheistic in its assumptions (Google the definition), and to say that Naturalism had disproved God is a circular argument of the type “The moon is made of green cheese,  because the moon is made of green cheese.”   The circularity however, is not immediately obvious, because in the supposed conclusion that God does not exist, is hidden a very long way away from the presuppositions.

If we all knew what our presuppositions were when we debate,  we might  have a lot less conflict.  We seem so logical to ourselves, but most cannot say clearly upon what their logic is based. I did not always have the Biblical the world view that I now hold. I came to it at times gradually,  at other times not so much, because I kept bumping up against reality.  The Biblical principle that bad choices have bad consequences (Galatians 6:7) is just one example. Because of the consequence of my bad decisions, I knew I needed to change,  and I tried, but failed miserably. Then I read of Paul that   the good things he wanted to do,  he did not do and the bad things he didn't want to do, were the very things he did (Romans 7:18). You might not know that’s true of you till you really try, not just for a week say, but for a year! And it came to me over and over “This book, the Bible, know me!”  The book I am writing “Genius and Treasures in Genesis”  is designed give weight to my contention that the Bible has the best view of reality!

A Commandment to obey: Love the Lord with all your heart,  mind,  soul and strength (Mark 12:30)

A Promise to claim and to test: You will search for me and find me when you search for me with all of your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).