Philosopher Frederick Copleston asked atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell what Russell would say if, after death, he faced God who asked him why he didn’t believe.

Russell responded, “I would say, ‘Not enough evidence, God; not enough evidence.’”

This exchange highlights the problem of the hiddenness of God. That is, if God exists, why does He not make that existence obvious? The contention is that many people would gladly believe in God if presented with sufficient evidence of God’s existence.

That it is proper for one to base one’s beliefs on evidence is not in question. God offers substantial evidence for people to believe what He says. Even “Doubting Thomas” had appreciable evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead. (Jesus had foretold his resurrection and the other disciples had testified of it.) But Russell voiced the common complaint that the amount of evidence for God’s existence is insufficient for justifying belief: If God wants people to believe in Him, He should provide more evidence that He exists.

[caption id="attachment_39820" align="alignleft" width="165"] Walter Johnson[/caption]

Christians have suggested various reasons why God might not make His existence more obvious. Maybe God desires to force people to acknowledge that they cannot find God on their own, creating an attitude of humility. Or maybe a minimal amount of evidence would foster a sense of urgency and desperation in people, resulting in a passionate search for God.