Allow me to start with some arguments FOR the existence of God, arguments FOR a belief in Christianity. Then we'll move on to the fun stuff. (note: a great deal of this is taken from other sources and not my own original thoughts, just my interpretation of others' ideas)
1. First-Cause Argument- This states that everything in the universe has an origin, a cause, and in order for this to be so, there must be a first-cause; God.
2. Natural Law- The laws of nature, the way nature operates, are in accordance to a plan executed by God.
3. Argument from Design- The design of the univerese requires that there be a God. Everything in the world is made just so that we can manage to live in the world- if anything was slightly altered about the world, we could not live in it.
4. Moral Arguments- There are two main forms of moral arguments for God's existence: there would be no right or wrong unless God existed, and God brings justice into the world.
5. The Ontological Argument- Proposed by St. Anselm in the form of a proof. The condensed form basically states that God must exist since we can conceive of His existence.
Alright, now let's critique.
1. First-Cause- If everything in the universe must have a cause, then God must also have a cause.
2. Natural Law- In [url=http://www.positiveatheism.or...]"Why I Am Not A Christian," [/url] (which is admittedly where I am getting a good deal of this) Bertrand Russell argues that natural laws are a description of how things actually behave, and you cannot argue that there must be someone who told them to do that. Also, it is inconsistent to argue that God imposed these natural laws because there is then the questin of why God would issue only those specific natural laws.
3. Argument from Design- Consider adaptation, evolution, science in general. If the world was to change, we could adapt.
4. Moral Arguments- [i]a.) there would be no right or wrong unless God existed.[/i] As someone who operates under the assumption that God does not exist, I must argue that I do exercise morality, I do distinguish between right and wrong, and I do not need God to consider the moral implications of any given situation. [i]b.) God is necessary to ensure justice in the world.[/i] What justice? I cannot comprehend how God possibly has anything to do with justice. Russell's argument is that there is injustice in the world, and to say that there must be heaven and hell to ensure that, in the long run, there is justice, is absurd because, scientifically, it makes no sense to state that something unknown may have certain attributes uncommon to the object that is known. Meaning that since there is injustice on earth, it is absurd to say that there may be justice in heaven and hell.
5. The Ontological Argument- This proof operates solely on assumption and does not actually prove anything. I can conceive of purple unicorns, but does that mean they must exist?
Now, there have been countless philosophers who have given reasons justifying or countering religious belief. I will not attempt to summarize them all, just those above. The arguments given for Christianity, or for any religious belief, are easily questioned, easily dismissed. Reasons against religion tend to go unanswered. The most basic concept for not believing in God is that there is no proof, no evidence, no real reason to justify a belief in God. Pascal's wager, the idea that the risk of not believing in God and taking the chance of eternal damnation if there turns out to be a God is not worth it, so we might as well believe in God, seems to be a little lame to me. And if I were a Christian, I would be offended by that concept, not embrace it.
The most logical justification for a belief in God is to have an esoteric approach at faith. The esoteric approach focuses on an internal belief in which the world is seen as a manifestation of God- God is in everything; God is realized through spiritual practice (not belief, ritual, and ethics); Heaven and Hell are states of being, not actual places; the Bible is not taken literally but is considered to have many stories in it to be interpreted symbolically; and knowledge is stressed rather than faith. This approach allows for a more loosely defined God, one in which the main attributes are based on an internal and individual belief, not on anthropomorphic ideas of what God is.
To accept religion in terms of the exoteric approach (basically the opposite of the esoteric approach outlined above), is to base all thoughts of God on faith and accept the Bible as literal. It is this approach that many people embrace and it is this approach that scares me. Religious fanatics who focus on the Bible as 'the word of God' and do not attempt to question their faith and gain knowledge are the ones who cause problems. Wars have been fought in the name of God, in the name of religion. I don't think God would approve, unless he is the sick, vengeful God depicted in the Bible.
I am an atheist. I have plenty of reasons to disbelieve in God, the most basic being that there is no proof that God exists. Can I prove that God [i]doesn't[/i] exist? Probably not. But consider this. What if there is no God? What if the universe was not created by some being, but came into existence on its own accord. What if there is no external award in the afterlife, what if there is no afterlife? What if heaven and hell are only imaginary? What if there is no God looking out for you, making sure you are taken care of? Well, you would have to live your life for yourself, make your own decisions and trust them as being your own, and you would have no one to count on except for yourself. What's so bad about that?
[LINE] Mark Twain, as Satan, on the Bible: "It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies." -[url=http://www.positiveatheism.or...]Letters From the Earth[/url]
"My father taught me that the question 'Who made me?' cannot be answered, since it immediately suggests the further question 'Who made God?'" -John Stuart Mill
"In the so-called ages of faith, when men really did believe the Christian religion in all its completeness, there was the Inquisition, with its tortures; there were millions of unfortunate women burned as witches; and there was every kind of cruelty practiced upon all sorts of people in the name of religion." -Bertrand Russell, "Why I Am Not A Christian"
"I don't mind Jesus or his squad. I'm not afraid, I'll face anybody's god. Follow your own creed, If my freedom's guaranteed. I don't mind - no, not I. I don't mind, why should I ? Follow any creed, If my freedom's guaranteed I don't mind." - "I Don't Mind" by the Hoodoo Gurus
"I believe in nothing, everything is sacred. I believe in everything, nothing is sacred." -Tom Robbins, [u]Even Cowgirls Get the Blues[/u]
Hooray, I inspired a blog!
Very good job of trashing the major arguments in favor of Christianity in an extremely concise manner.
Quite frankly, I am surprised that neither of us have gotten any comments that disagree. Of course, I'm not sure what they would say.
Reply to: therealspartacus007
Haha, yes, you are my inspiration ;).
At first I was expecting comments disagreeing but, as you said, what would they have to say? I've known plenty of religous people- I'm from VA, my grandparents are Southern Baptists, quite possibly the scariest form of Christianity lol. And in questioning my friends' beliefs (I'd never dare question my relatives), I've never gotten any fact-based explanations, just that they've always believed...
Maybe one of us will get some comment to prove us wrong, but let's not hold our breath.
hey that was pretty intresting.. and i agree with what you had to say.
ohhh green day. i like.
posted by: sardonic (reply)
post date: 11.21.03 (7:18 am)
"Well, you would have to live your life for yourself, make your own decisions and trust them as being your own, and you would have no one to count on except for yourself. What's so bad about that?"
Hmm... So if everyone thinks this way, wouldn't that mean that the moral system would disintegrate? Therefore, I can do anything I want. I can loot, murder, steal. Because I can only count on myself and make my own decisions. If I decide to shoot you any time it would be justified that I am just counting on myself and thinking that this is right... Is that so?
Reply to: sardonic
No, that does not in any way mean the "moral system" would disintegrate. To claim that would be to assert that we have no free will as it is, that our morals are dictated to us by God or religion. Moral standards are necessary to ensure that you don't go around killing people and such, I agree, but morality is not exclusive to religious belief. Just because I'm an atheist, it does not mean that I am amoral, and it certainly doesn't mean that I am immoral. Have some faith in humanity.
"Tragically, a nation that was created by intellectuals and visionaries has now been completely taken over by venal corporate gangsters, delusional Christian fruitcakes and hopelessly shallow Texas shit-kickers." -Tom Robbins
