If you’ve admitted in the public space of social media that you are a Christian, you no doubt have been attacked by the filthy pests of social media which I call Roach Clowns in an exchange that sounds something like this (once you remove the profanities and name calling):

Roach Clown: You believe fairy tales! I’m a man of science! I only believe things which can be proven scientifically with 100% mathematical certainty!

You: You can prove atheism to be true then?

Roach Clown: Uh…I don’t have to prove anything! Don’t try to push the burden of proof on me! You’re the person believing in fairy tales! I only believe things which can be proven scientifically with 100% mathematical certainty!

You: You mean, for example, evolution?

Roach Clown: Evolution is a scientific fact! We don’t need to prove it, we KNOW It’s true!*

You: With 100 % mathematical certainty?

Roach Clown: Evolution denier! Heretic! OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!

Roach Clowns all the time be demanding “Scientific Proof” for God’s existence, which to me is just another way they prove how much they don’t know. In this case, they are admitting that they don’t understand the nature of God or science. You’ve got to hand it to the Roach Clowns. They cover all of their bases.

Problem 1: Science is a search for truth and understanding based on observation. This is why its full name as it appears on its driver’s license is “Observational Science.” We observe with the five senses, and thus we are doing science on things which can be seen, felt, heard, smelled, or tasted- things like bacon, wombats, trees, or dwarf planets.

Just as an example, the number five is a real thing, but you cannot “do science” on the number five. It’s not made of atoms, it doesn’t take up a certain amount of space, and it doesn’t taste like anything. If we could get it to taste like bacon I would be more anxious to spend time balancing my checkbook, but I digress. The point is, to do science on something, that something has to be part of the material world which can be experienced, interacted with and measured with the five senses.

Problem 2: God is not a part of the physical, material universe. He is not made of atoms, doesn’t take up space, etc. Like the number 5, He is REAL, but He is not material**. He is Spirit, not matter. He Created matter. The material universe is the effect we can study, He is the cause of our universe.

Problematic Conclusion: Demanding “Scientific Proof” for the existence of God is like demanding to know what the number five smells like, or how much the color blue weighs.

When someone demands “Scientific Proof for the existence of God” what they are really saying is, “I don’t understand God or Science or what it means to prove something.”

It would be sad if it wasn’t so funny.

So when the Roach Clowns demand scientific evidence for the existence of God, politely explain to them what is meant by “God” and “Science.” Next time I’m going to blow your mind by presenting scientific evidence for the existence of God. Until then, remember: #JesusLovesYou

* Roach Clowns actually say this kind of thing all the time. Be sad for them.

**Except for the incarnation and various post resurrection appearances of Jesus, but that material appearance is his human nature and not his divine nature and thus is not by definition characteristics of God.