Who is tending the Garden?
2. June 2008 by BruceSmith.
Is There a Gardener?
In philosophical and scientific terms the issue of God’s existence is often expressed and debated in terms of metaphor. One metaphor which has engendered a great deal of debate and inquiry is that of the “Gardener”. Of course, the thought of a gardener presupposes the idea of a “garden”. In academic settings this discussion of the “garden” refers to creation as a whole. We are all aware that a garden exists. The critical question, which rises from this awareness is, “How did the garden get here?”
Naturalism, the belief that what we see is all there is, suggests that we live in a “closed” system. There is nothing beyond the box, the world. Furthermore, one way or another, this closed box system just “is” and exists without the help of a creator. We must ask, “How does nothingness become something, anything at all?”
Theism, or belief in a creator, on the other hand, suggests that the garden, or world, exists as a result of a Gardener’s action. Theism suggests that the Creator desired to bring something into being and thus it was. This Gardener is the First Cause.
Those are the basics of the academic discussion. Two completely divergent views of the world. You are probably already asking yourself, “So how does this apply to real life in the real world?” You may also be asking, “What’s difference does it make in relation to my attempt at living life to the full?” Those questions could not be more important to the focus of Optimus.
So, let’s get right to it. The significance of these two competing worldviews is nothing short of staggering and life defining. If any of us are to have any hope of living a life worth living, we must resolve where we stand in relation to the Garden and the Gardener. If you, like many in our culture, embrace the idea that the garden is all there is, then I would suggest that inevitable realities await you. Some of those realities include a lack of purpose, meaninglessness, limited focus, moral inconsistency, and a selfish pursuit of life which will distance you from peace in the truest sense. Lived out logically speaking, to its conclusion, it takes us all to places we would never want to go.
If we are willing embrace the idea that no gardener exists we also run the risk of a total loss of hope amidst the great struggles of life. What is one to do, where is one to turn when life throws you a curve? How does one make sense of the death of a child or loved one? Further, what is love if no ultimate standard of love really exists? Hitler, so what? Enron, so what? Murder, rape, slavery, …so what? If no gardener exists then why is there any sense of “ought”? If there be no ultimate source of truth, who has any claim of morality over us? This, of course, leads to a world of chaos.
If, on the other hand, we come to find that the Gardener does exist, we realize we have an ultimate source of direction, truth, and comfort. When moral dilemmas arise we have a frame of reference for our conduct. When pain shatters our life we can find care in the able touch of the caretaker of the garden. Our work, our families, our conduct, our desires, all have a reason when the Gardener is brought into view.
More critically, recognizing the existence of an ultimate Gardener secures for us an ultimate sense of reality in a world gone mad. We can make sense of the seemingly senseless, and we can find a footing for the profound experiences of life. The smile of a child which lights up a room makes sense only if the gardener exists. The tender touch of a loving friend brings hope only if there is something beyond atoms and molecules. And purpose arises along the journey and offers us a sense that we are headed somewhere and not into a meaningless void.
These realities provide us hope, passion and purpose to pursue and build a life worth living. The garden we see around us, despite the difficulties that are apparent, offers us the irresistible compulsion that design and order are at play. If you have ever stood in the middle of the Rocky Mountains and viewed a majestic waterfall you know what I mean. If you have ever held a baby or witnessed a birth you cannot deny what must be “beyond”. The sound of music speaks to us in ways so deep we cannot help but sense something beyond what we can feel, see, and touch. Great works of literature (of which this is surely not one) take us to places that science cannot take us. The wonder of this garden gives rise to an innate sense that a Gardener must be present. And the presence of the Gardener suggests, clearly, that there must be a purpose.
Our lives were meant for something. We were created to be in relationship with the Creator. In running to Him we find a life worth living. Hiding from the reality of His presence brings only isolation and despair. Look around you. Notice the wonder. Take time to smell the flowers, and remember the One who gives life to the flower itself.
Bruce Smith
Optimuslife.org