Could anger be evidence of God’s existence?
Studies recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology affirm that, not surprisingly, people get angry with God. A lot.
Bob WeathersThe studies, reported by CNN Health online, surveyed people of various ages and stages of life. As expected, people were angry with God when they suffered major disappointments or heartaches. Those most likely to get angry with God over life’s disappointments included college students who were stricken with injuries or who had suffered an academic disappointment, a personal rejection, or a heartbreak. Also most often angry at God were people suffering from cancer or other debilitating diseases, and people struggling with poor mental health.
The scientists behind the study acknowledge that people can respect God and be angry at Him at the same time. This is usually the case with believers who wrestle with unfair, painful, or disappointing circumstances and express their anger toward God. People who already accept that God is sovereign feel angry, but nevertheless can concede that His purposes and intentions are good.
But the biggest surprise of the study was that “atheists and agnostics reported more anger at God during their lifetimes than believers.” The authors of the study surmise that unbelievers are expressing anger toward a “hypothetical image.” But even so, that image represents God.
It’s not hard to see a problem there. How can a person disavow the existence of a Being and be angry at the Being at the same time? The answer, while not very satisfying to an atheist, is revealed in the Bible.
The Bible teaches that human beings are wired not only to believe in God, but also to have a relationship with Him (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The assumption of His existence is rooted in our very nature. And nothing exposes this innate sense that God exists and that we need Him more than being angry at Him. Anger is an emotional response. We can control what we do with it, but we cannot stop it from happening.
And anger must have an object. An atheist can train her intellect to deny the existence of God, but her emotions betray her.
In life’s unfair moments, we universally plead for justice from our Maker. But will we be open to His answer?