Some people ask: Can a rational person believe in God?

We could turn the question around and ask: Why should we be rational? Why does reason work? Why should there be a rational order in the functioning of nature? If, as materialism would have us believe, nature has resulted from unguided processes acting on fundamental particles, why should it feature a rational order?

When science investigates nature, it does so with the faith that nature has a rational order. What explains this faith? The most reasonable explanation is that nature reflects a divine intelligence. The Bhagavad-gita (09.10) states that material nature works under the supervision of the ultimate reality, Krishna.

Consider what science does when it can’t discern the order in a particular natural phenomenon. It still perseveres in its quest for order with the faith that some deeper order may be uncovered by further research. We need a similar faith when we can’t make sense of why things happen in a particular way – why, say, bad things sometimes happen to good people. By remembering that our reason is finite, whereas Krishna’s reason is infinite, we can acknowledge that our reason may not always fathom his reason.

Does this mean we reject our reason? Not at all. As Krishna has given us our reason, we are meant to use it in a mood of service to him to understand things as much as possible. But when we can’t understand, we need the faith that he has a plan and a purpose. With such faith, when we stick to our God-given purpose of serving him, we eventually discern his sublime plan for our ultimate well-being. The Gita (04.39) indicates that faith opens the door to knowledge.

Thus, faith bridges the gap between our finite reason and Krishna’s infinite reason.

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