ANGER as a CLUE to Pointing Us to God

Could anger be a clue to a deeper reality of this universe? I would argue YES. Here’s why:

Why are we morally outraged by the gas chambers of the Nazis? Why are we morally outraged by the hard-working farmer getting ripped off and cheated of his wages? Why are we morally outraged by the weak being taken advantage of by the strong? Why aren’t we neutral about such injustices? We are outraged because some things are right or wrong regardless of human opinion. Regardless of who is in power, there some things which are wrong and we OUGHT to be angered about.

Here is how anger might be a clue to a deeper meaning to reality: we get angry because of the REAL presence of moral standards that we know are universally binding on humans (standards that binding regardless of their culture). The presence of these REAL and TRUE moral standards point to something or someone above humanity.  For there to be moral realism—the view that some things are right or wrong regardless of human opinion and which all humans are morally bound to keep—there has to be some personal mind above the universe who is morally upright and able to inform us of REAL and LEGITIMATE morality. This leads us to God, who made us in His image, gave us a conscience, revealed moral truths in our heart, and informs us in His revelation of Himself in the Bible.

Anger then is a clue pointing to the existence of God. We are not merely evolved apes following our preferences. We are image-bearers of God, a God who has graciously informed us about what is good and what is evil.

Former atheist C.S. Lewis recognized this. Before he was a Christian he complained about the unfairness of the universe, but then he realized that if the world seemed unfair, there much be some kind of standard that transcends human opinion. He came to recognize the reality of objective morality, something only God could account for. To hear more of his arguments, see ‘Mere Christianity’ or “Abolition of Man.”