Thank you for the question on the existence of God, “How is it possible to know that there is only one God? How can you trust the Bible as your evidence when it is the propaganda of the God making the claim?”
The question on the existence of God or the “proof” of the existence of God has been debated for centuries. If one has already concluded that there is no God, then the question being asked is irrelevant. If one is inquiring about the possibility of the existence of God, then the question is relevant. In the final analysis, it is a matter of faith whether one believes there is a God and that there is one God.
Here are some thoughts for one’s consideration of God and the Bible:
A. As humans look beyond themselves to the Universe and our own planet, there are two conclusions from reasoning: The Universe came into existence or that the Universe self-existed.
For myself and I am not speaking in behalf of anyone else, I find that the self-existence of the Universe difficult to uphold. Cosmologists propose varies theories for the origin of the Universe of which a common viewpoint is the self-existence of the Universe, regardless of the terminology used to describe its variation. Physicists and cosmologists propose the mechanism of the infinite self-contracting universe. It just existed by itself without any cause for its orderly natural laws.
If one asserts/believes that the Universe self-existed without any cause, then a person can also assert/believe that God is self-existing as he claims. That is a valid option.
It is more reasonable for me to accept that the Universe had a beginning and that someone or something is able to control/direct the natural laws that enables our Universe and world to be so orderly. It reasons that the someone or something is greater or more powerful than the Universe. Because of the orderliness and design of the Universe, I don’t believe it is an impersonal force but more so a “being” with intelligence and power since an impersonal force doesn’t control what happens but a “being” does.
Romans 1 says this, “20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (NIV).
Thus there are two general viewpoints as one looks at our Universe and our Earth, the Universe self-exist without any “original” cause or that the Universe came into existence with a cause. That original cause is a “being” that one calls “God.” One debates whether the fingerprint of “God” in the Universe is truly his or just some random act of nature. Each person is free to make their own conclusion and decision based on the Universe.
B. As human beings, one wonders if this “being” who made the Universe interacts with the Universe or more particularly with Earth. It also seem reasonable that the “being” who made it would also care for it otherwise why would that “being” make it.
It would like for us to plant a tree but never allowing it to be watered naturally or artificially. It is more reasonable to assume that the “being” would oversee or care for it. The tree can’t care for itself. It needs water from the sky or from the ground.
As I look at myself with my physical senses, it is reasonable to me that if this “being” made/gave me that ability, it must have a purpose. It is more than just communicating with other humans, but can it also mean some form of communicating with this “being” who made me. I am a limited physical being on Earth. This “being” is likely to have the ability to know and to control what is happening on Earth and in my life. Can I really get to know this “being”?
Others have concluded that one can’t know this “being”. I believe that I can know this “being”. This “being” has described himself as a “spirit” of non-corporeal essence. That seems reasonable to me for if he had a physical entity, he would be limited by “time” and “space” as one understands matter. That being must transcend the physical properties of the Universe.
The Bible declares/asserts that this “being” has communicated with this world. Hebrews 1 says this, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (NIV).
Furthermore, I believe that I can communicate and have fellowship with this “being” because this “being” made his presence known through the person of Jesus Christ. Again, if one doesn’t believe in the existence of God, the question is irrelevant.
My premise is that there is “being” or “God” whom others have called the “Creator God” for being the Universe into existence. Is there more a multitude of “creator gods”? In my view, there is only one Creator God. If there were a multitude of creator gods, the Universe would or may be conflicting designs within the Universe. It doesn’t appear to be unless one assumes there is hierarchy of gods. My difficulty of believing in a multitudes of gods is that it does not seem reasonable to me for the question is how did these gods all existed at the same time. If a “god” is created, then it is not a self-existed being. One may call that created being a “god” but that is not the Creator God.
How do I absolutely know that there aren’t a multitude of gods? From my perspective and reasoning, I believe there is only one Creator God. If someone wants to believe in a plurality of multitudes of gods, that is their belief, but that is not my belief.
B. The second part of one’s question regarding the Bible is the propaganda of God.
If one doesn’t believe in the existence of God, then the Bible is irrelevant. It would be viewed as a fable or mythology written by a writer or a series of writer. There are many people who believe the Bible is a fable, but it is not a propaganda of God. For that phrase, propaganda of God, would assume that there is a God but that what he has written is false.
Thus one has two options: the Bible is false or the Bible is true. If one believes that the Bible is fictional, that none of it is true, that poses a problem. For archaeologists have found that the biblical record has reliability to it. The findings of the Babylonian Tablets affirms the biblical declaration of cities and kings as Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar. It is not contested by historians. The continual diggings in the Middle East are some small evidence of the kingdom of David and Solomon. One can read these recent findings:
The point is that if the Bible is a fable, then the cities and kings wouldn’t exist. The discovery of them does give some credence to the cities and kings. The debate would be whether the narrative or stories are true or false.
One is left wondering, “Would God cite a historical place and give a fictional story to it?” Would the Creator God lie and if he was to lie, what would be the purpose of it? Wouldn’t he know that at some point in time that humans will uncover whether it is true or false? In my mind, I do not believe that God would deceive the people for there is no reason to do. It accomplishes nothings. If God wanted to “control” humans, he could have made humans as robots, but he didn’t.
SUMMARY: If the existence of God is real, then the content of the Bible would be real. If the existence of God is not real, then the content of the Bible would not be real.
For more perspectives: