Atheism is growing in America and around the world. But is there a good reason for its popularity? Do they know something we don’t know — or do they just not want some supreme being or a “God” to tell them what to do and not to do?
Is it reasonable to be an atheist? Which takes more faith: atheism or theism (belief in a God)?
I gave a talk a while ago called “Atheism: What You and Your Kids Need to Know.” You can purchase the MP3 of this talk here. The talk was fun and hard-hitting. In a simple way I helped the audience understand the reasons and implications for atheism and theism.
OK, you are the detective and you have clues. There are very few possible options so it is really quite easy. My 3-page chart below helps you work through the clues.
I used this chart in my talk to help people look at the clues and decide for themselves. Hope you find it helpful. (To have this talk at your parish or conference, visit www.InviteSteve.com)
Click image to see the whole 3-page chart below.
This Post Has 4 Comments
Before any scripture is offered, the first question has to be answered, and so far it has never been answered. This question is “Is it possible for a god to exist?” If the answer is yes, then the person making that answer has to then show evidence that it is possible for a god to exist. They have to describe and define the god, providing reasoning for this description and then point out such a god as defined for examination. No theist in the history of religion has yet managed to do this and this is why there are atheists in the world.
Your holy books are the claim and not the proof. You need to realize this because it is the truth. Just like you hold other religions to this standard, your religion also has to pass this test.
STEVE RAY HERE: funny thing is from this argument around and you have to ask your self can you prove there is no God. And if you cannot prove there is no God, which you certainly cannot do, then the other possibility is an option.
Evidence Certainly is on our side. If you see a painting a wall you assume someone painted it. If you look at creation you have to ask the question why does anything exist and why does this exist. It presumes it was created.
Or, one could believe that:
1) Billions of years ago, there just happened to exist these abstract “somethings”
2) Which just happened to be atoms
3) Which just happened to get together
4) In ways which just happened to look like natural laws
5) That some of these configurations of atoms just happened to develop into stars
6) That some other configurations of atoms which just happened to be planets
7) Just happened to form around these stars
8) That one of these planets just happened to be exactly the right distance from its star that water could exist
in a liquid state
9) That this particular planet just happened to have certain exact concentrations of carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, and nitrogen
10) That some of these molecules of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen just happened to get together
to form amino acids
11) That some of these amino acids just happened to develop the ability to reproduce themselves
12) That some of these organisms just happened to develop the ability to evolve into more complex
organisms
13) That some of these organisms just happened to develop self-awareness
14) And that one of these self-aware organisms just happens to be you.
Bother, if you can believe that, all I can say is: “Great is thy faith!”
Mike De Fleuriot February 13, 2016 at 11:07 PM
Before any scripture is offered, the first question has to be answered, and so far it has never been answered.
I beg to differ. Its been answered many times. There’s a difference between, “the question has not been answered” and “I reject the answer.”
This question is “Is it possible for a god to exist?”
Yes.
If the answer is yes, then the person making that answer has to then show evidence that it is possible for a god to exist.
Exhibit A – the universe.
Exhibit B – our existence. If God does not exist, how did we come into being? Certainly not by random accident. The definition of random is that no two events are related. If that is the case, and we have a limitless number of possibilities, then how can any one random event lead to another? Not possible.
Therefore, under those circumstances, the expansion of the universe is not possible, life is not possible, genetic transmission is not possible, and mutation is not possible. Which means that there is no such thing as evolution.
Exhibit C: Order-There are universal laws which govern how creation behaves. There are invisible ideas, mathematics, which help us predict and discover these laws. These are only discovered by intelligent beings and lead to the conclusion that they were placed here for us by an even more Intelligent Being.
There’s more, but a text box is not the place to list them all.
They have to describe and define the god, providing reasoning for this description and then point out such a god as defined for examination.
The Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three divine Persons in one God. He is all loving and all wise. He transcends time and space. We live, breathe and move in Him.
No theist in the history of religion has yet managed to do this and this is why there are atheists in the world.
Your holy books are the claim and not the proof.
On the contrary, our Holy Books contain the eyewitness testimony of people who have seen, heard and interacted with Him on a one to one basis, like I am interacting with you. This evidence may not convince you. But it is convincing to most who take the time to try and understand them.
You need to realize this because it is the truth. Just like you hold other religions to this standard, your religion also has to pass this test.
Our religion has passed the test. Christianity has been around for 2000 years and if you add its foundation in Judaism, 7000. And no, there is no other religion which even comes close.
Hi again, Mike. In my previous response, I missed this statement of yours.
Mike De Fleuriot February 13, 2016 at 11:07 PM
No theist in the history of religion has yet managed to do this and this is why there are atheists in the world.
Actually, Jews and Catholics have answered all those questions for the past, approximately, 7000 years. Atheists exist, not because a lack of answers, but because they do not like the answers.
Atheism is a philosophy of doubt and skepticism. Atheist revere this attitude and seem to believe that the attitude of disbelief is enough to disprove anything. They’ll say, “I won’t believe until I see it.” And yet they many of them believe in the existence of their spleen even though they may never see it in their lifetime. How do they believe it? On the testimony of others.
We believe the testimony of our Forefathers which came before us. You reject it. But your rejection of their testimony is not proof of anything except your skeptical nature.
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