**Meaning and morality comes from something bigger than ourselves. Deep down, I think we can sense this...** There are many interesting arguments for the existence of God, the [ontological argument](https://www.britannica.com/topic/ontological-argument) and Aristotle's [prime mover](https://www.britannica.com/topic/prime-mover-philosophy) argument among them. It is obviously impossible to argue this case perfectly and succinctly here, as this is an age-old debate. However, I think the most convincing case for there being a higher power is that human beings are already attuned to this truth. - A higher power gives the universe meaning and a 'why' that really doesn't exist without it. While many people describe themselves as nihilists and can confidently say that there is no meaning to the world, do they really live according to this belief? Do we really continue to live our lives sincerely believing that there is no point, nothing beyond what we see, and no meaning or reason for anything? I personally don't think that many people who have any sense of hope or satisfaction in their lives go about wholeheartedly believing this, even if they advocate for it intellectually. - Many argue that we create meaning, morality, and purposes for ourselves and that we don't need a higher power for this. Again though, I don't think people can sincerely believe in principles that they also believe they have just created for themselves. - Personally, I think it is very hard to make a convincing case that morals exist without a higher power, as there is nothing in science that can ascribe moral status to anything or give rights of any kind to anyone. I think meaning comes from something beyond us, and that that something can be sensed by human beings.

**I tend to lean heavily towards agnosticism, but sometimes I wonder if we aren't the higher power, ourselves.** - I think it's unlikely we could literally ever be certain when it comes to anything like this, so I have to start by saying that. The opinion I'm writing here is nothing I ever inhabit as a belief for longer than a certain period of time :D But it's just one possible option: - Some people subscribe to the notion that consciousness is [absolutely fundamental to the universe](https://www.organism.earth/library/document/out-of-your-mind-2), with the separate locales in which it appears to occur separately being experienced one at a time (even though, looked at from a certain perspective, it is all happening "at once".) - The notion makes available the possibility that consciousness is some kind of higher power itself - one that is fundamental, and one that has created itself with the activity of being "split up" in order to experience many bounded lives. - There are countless other strains of ideas where our consciousness itself is the higher power. (See any ideas involving the [Oneness](https://chopra.com/articles/what-is-oneness) of the universe, any type of [God being each of us individually](https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/eco.2020.0022), etc.) - Nonetheless, this particular notion is a popular Eastern notion. [Alan Watts](https://www.organism.earth/library/document/out-of-your-mind-2) was a famous proponent of it in the West. - Further reading: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/what-would-happen-if-everyone-truly-believed-everything-is-one/