Science sees a universe that does not look like it needs a God to make and sustain it. Science describes how things happen but does not typically make claims about the necessity of God - yes. But think about this. You say there is a black cat in the garage. Science by testing all it can in the garage but saying nothing about the cat is as good as treating it as if it does not exist. It may not say it. And it does not need to. Same with God. God is considered to be hugely important and science by forgetting him is hinting at atheism.
Ignosticism holds that the concept of “God” is so unclear or ill-defined that meaningful discussion or belief about God is impossible until a coherent definition is provided. This position is valid because:
Without a clear, consistent definition, debates about God risk talking past each other, making agreement or understanding difficult. God has to tell you the definition personally especially if he does not want man's ideas being mistaken for his truths.
Many theological claims rely on ambiguous or contradictory attributes of God, undermining meaningful dialogue.
Ignosticism encourages precise thinking and clarity before engaging in faith claims, which strengthens philosophical and theological discussions.
Science has to be implicitly ignostic. Surprisingly religion is as well though it does not want to think about it.
When religion says there is a God of perfect love and absolute power who made all creation, it may say he does miracles as signs of his loving presence. If so, if God hides, then miracles must be hoaxes or untrue. Why hide and then do miracles? Miracle claims are accusing God of being a strange entity. Science certainly shows that God, if he exists, has no right to expect us to believe. It is unfair and manipulative of religion to make it a requirement for us to believe miracles.
Christians say we damaged ourselves by cutting off from God and thus we have damaged cognitive powers and our reason is impaired. If that is true then God has to work hard to show he is real. He may get us to work hard so that he might be shown to be real. We know by gut instinct that we do not see God and the problem is not our rational cognitive powers.
The claim that because we don't want to see and that is why we do not see is a rationalisation. It is like saying that a person with terribly bad eyesight has an excuse for not knowing when the floodlight is shining in her face.
Top theologian William Lane Craig said, "Whether God gives a booming testimony or writes in the sky, it doesn't necessarily guarantee that people will come into relationship with him; it might even have the opposite effect." In fact if the Christian doctrine that God is supreme and nothing is his equal is true then when God's love is presence there is no point in fearing sin or demons or their power. He is bigger than sin and has conquered it so he can conquer problems over our fear of being ruled as well. That would be easier. If there were booming testimonies and signs in the sky Craig would not be arguing the way he is. He is only rationalising after the event. If people are that easily put off nothing he does is going to win them. Craig's argument is not a vote of confidence.
In conclusion, the claim that God hides yet performs miracles to reveal Himself is difficult to reconcile logically. Science, while silent on God's necessity, operates in a way that often overlooks God’s role, indirectly leaning toward atheism. Ignosticism highlights the need for a clear, consistent definition of God before meaningful discussion can occur—something both science and religion struggle with. If God is truly loving and powerful, the hiddenness combined with sporadic miracles raises questions about the fairness of expecting belief without clearer evidence. Rationalizations for God’s hiddenness, such as impaired human cognition or unwillingness to believe, fall short of fully explaining this paradox. Even prominent theologians acknowledge that undeniable signs might not foster faith, underscoring the complex relationship between evidence, belief, and divine presence.
TOPIC FOR ANOTHER CONVERSATION: The New Testament claim that God was hidden in Jesus - who emptied himself and became like a slave....