“The universe exists because it’s the only way it can exist”

This phrase, or variations of it, is starting to appear in debates with atheists.

This is a very unscientific statement. It ignores probability and science for special pleading.

No scientist looks at a functioning system and asserts “it works because it works”; that’s tautological.

That is, we have a good understanding of the variables required to have a universe like ours and what level of precision it requires to function. Therefore, it is reasonable to examine the likelihood of those variables converging from unguided processes into the finely tuned system in which humanity (and human consciousness; another highly improbable event!) exists.

A minor example is the probability of these words having appeared as a result of unguided processes. We know that likelihood is so close to 0 that there’s practically no difference, yet here they are! The only reasonable conclusion is that there is an intelligent cause for the coherent appearance, thus obviating all improbability.

God, as the intelligent designer and prime cause, made the anthropic universe’s probability 1 vs a number so close to 0 that it is practically indistinguishable from it. “It works because God made it work” (I.e., Creatio, ergo Creator) is therefore the only reasonable and evidential conclusion.