Does God Exist?

Mizuki Endo
Discussions & Debates
2 min readJun 20, 2024

The question of whether God exists is complex and has been debated for a long time. It involves philosophy, religion, and personal beliefs. As someone who doesn’t follow any specific religion but lives in Japan, where Shinto and Buddhism are a big part of daily life, I find my relationship with the idea of God to be complicated.

In Japan, Shinto and Buddhist traditions influence many aspects of life. People visit shrines and temples during festivals, holidays, and important life events. Even though I don’t believe strongly in a deity, I often find myself praying when I visit a shrine. When I studied very hard for enter university, my friend and I go to shrine near my high school for every week. Also I buy a lucky charm called “Omamori” every new year for a good year. This action is more about connecting with my cultural background and finding comfort than it is about a firm belief in a god.

My skepticism about God’s existence comes from a modern, scientific way of thinking. There’s no clear evidence that an all-powerful, all-knowing being exists, so I lean towards an agnostic view. However, this doesn’t stop me from participating in cultural practices that involve prayer and rituals. These practices offer a sense of community and connection to something greater, even if it’s not a specific god.

In conclusion, the existence of God is a question without a simple answer. Living in Japan, the concept of God is tied to cultural traditions and practices. While I don’t firmly believe in a deity, these traditions remain an important part of my life.

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Discussions & Debates
Discussions & Debates

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This publication serves to showcase students work from a politics and philosphy class. These are the views of the students themselves, and submissions have not been edited or altered by the publication editor.

Mizuki Endo
Mizuki Endo