Atheism

Is Atheism a complex? — Why would anyone want to live in such a random universe in which nothing has any sort of significance beyond its own immediate effect?

Atheists: Uninformed or obstinate? — As someone who interacts regularly with skeptics of all stripes, it never ceases to amaze me the number of times I find myself having to “re-educate” them on certain subjects.  There seem to be two subjects in particular that skeptics rehash over and again: can Atheists be good without belief in God? and failing to differentiate between the Old and New Covenants.

Is our culture becoming more or less moral? – Just an upfront question.  Do you think your culture is on the right moral path?

Contrived offense – Many activists for Atheism routinely complain of being victims of people pushing their religion, especially when it comes to children.  But is there really anything to worry about just from seeing religious imagery or speech?

Should I know this about you? – A good number of Atheists seem to be conflicted on where their atheism stands in their life.  On the one hand they claim that their atheism isn’t a belief and is not in any way a foundational part of who they are.  And on the other hand they seem to wear it as a badge of honor, proudly displayed.  So why is this so important for others to know about you?

Naturalism and ethics– For those Atheists concerned with the “problem of evil” the question of why we don’t hold human evil with the same moral neutrality of survival of the fittest, should be more concerned that it isn’t answerable via their worldview rather than blaming someone else’s.  Does a non-arbitrary answer to this exist?

God and gratuitous evil – Here I go over an argument presented to me which is purported to show that given the existence of gratuitous evil, it is probable that God doesn’t exist.  It seems though, that whether we presume for the sake of argument God exists, or that he doesn’t, either way, the argument fails.

Why arguing about “gratuitous” evil may be fruitless – While discussing the idea of gratuitous evil and whether it’s compatible with God’s existence is a worthy enterprise, it may not be very fruitful.  For one thing, we all have different perspectives as a result of our worldview and it seems they gets in the way of progress, here’s why.

The Miracles Of Jesus – Have you ever considered why the miracles of Jesus aren’t more spectacular?

Does God Disappear As Gaps In Knowledge Disappear? – With new scientific discoveries skeptics will boast that the need for God as an explanation is reduced.  Is this true?  Is this something science is capable of?

How Should God Be? – Some skeptics claim to reject God because He doesn’t meet some personal standard.  They often claim that if God existed, He should be like _____.  But often how they think God should be isn’t how He is described by any religion.  So how can they fault God for not acting in a way that only they describe?

Raising The Bar On The Bible – When trying to determine the historicity of the Bible, many skeptics impose a more stringent standard than they do for other ancient works.  Is this a fair way to judge the Bible?

God, And Other Improbabilities – Is it reasonable to believe God doesn’t exist because you believe it’s improbable?  Not as reasonable as you might think.

Why Aren’t There Non-Religious Sources Confirming Jesus And His Miracles? – Some skeptics demand to see examples of non-religious accounts for Jesus, His life, and His miracles in order to corroborate the Gospel accounts.  But this demand has a severe flaw.

The Bible is just a book of Fairy Tales and Myth – What is it about the Bible that induces skeptics to liken the Bible to fairy tales and myth?  Are they really that similar?

The Bible Is Just An Old Book – Some skeptics dismiss the Bible as a legitimate source of theological and moral information because it’s just an old book.  Is this argument reasonable, and what other implications does it carry?

Arguing Against The Existence Of God – For those Atheists who complain that you can’t argue that a thing doesn’t exist, here is me doing just that in my own argument against the existence of God.

If Good Evidence For Your God Exists, Then Why… – are there still Atheists and other religious believers?  This objection to the Christian’s claim to have evidence for their religious convictions has petard hoisting implications.

Atheism as a lack of belief (and reason) – The majority of vocal Atheists assert that the position of atheism is that of reason.  I ask then, does the Atheist have reasons for their position?

Why I no Longer Believe God Exists – A quick explanation on why I have changed my view,

From Which Worldview Does Human Equality Naturally Follow? – Most people believe all human beings are equal.  But for some, this idea does not flow naturally from their worldview itself and must be imported.

What A Relief – Do some Atheists seek comfort in their belief that God does not exist?  I think so, more than is admitted.

In Whose Image? – Some Atheists complain that the qualities and attributes of the God people believe they worship aren’t really the attributes of the actual God — if one exists in the first place — but are instead the individual’s or culture’s own attributes projected onto the God they think exists.  But the complaint seems to be that God isn’t enough like the Atheist.

Answer The Telephone, Part 1 – Has the Bible been edited and redacted over time?  Is the Bible we read today the same as the one which was written by the authors themselves?

Answer The Telephone, Part 2 – Why do some critics believe the Bible has been edited to the point of uncertain content?  Two reasons, and neither are based on the evidence itself.

This Is A Democracy, Not A Theocracy! – Many skeptics protest the idea that Christians seek to impliment “Christian values” onto society.  “This is a democracy, not a theocracy!” is a common objection to these attempts.  However, Atheists are lucky we aren’t a democracy either.

Inclusively Exclusive – Is the impression that skeptics give, that Christianity (because of its exclusivity claims in regards to salvation) is an exclusive, members only — all others keep out, kind of enterprise, true?  Christianity is not as exclusive as you might think.

Infinitely Finite – Some skeptics object to hell because of an infinite punishment being imposed on a finite being.  Is this a reasonable objection?

Sometimes It’s Good To Hear Voices – Moral relativism serves more as a layer of protection from judgement than it does inform moral guidance for moral quandaries.

Good Move, Sir – Some Atheists attempt to ground and explain morality with human flourishment or societal consent.  But neither is morality.

For Goodness Sake – Are Atheists more moral than religious believers because they act morally without motivation or fear of divine reward or reprisal?  What is the missing component that makes the answer, No?

That’s Just Your Interpretation! – Does this discussion-ending challenge have any substance behind it?  What is it intended to accomplish?

Cyanide, Aspirin, And Breath Mints – Some skeptics fail to differentiate between religions.  For them, their common “God-ness” is enough to view them as all the same and condemn them all for the actions of some.

The Ontological Argument Against The Existence Of God — Rejoinder – Oscar Rivera from Somemusician.wordpress.com has offered a version of the Ontological Argument as an argument against the existence of God.  The argument appears at first to be compelling, but fails due to some fatal flaws.

Liquid Atheism – Is there anything in the Atheistic worldview itself which prevents someone from moving the moral goal posts?   Not really.  Personal morality binds only those with the will power to submit to themselves.

Six Of One… – What can prior mythologies being true or false have to tell us whether the accounts of Jesus are true or false?  Nothing.  We do not determine the veracity for one story by investigating another.  We must examine each claim and assess them on their own merits.

Just Where Do You Think You’re Going? – Do people really just go to hell because they don’t affirm the correct religion?

I Don’t Not Believe It! – People hold beliefs, they don’t hold non-beliefs.  You believe something is, or you believe something is not.

Let’s Talk Shop – When critically analyzing the concepts and terminology of Christianity, it is important to take into consideration the way Christians understand the terms they use.  Everyone uses ‘terms of industry’ to a fashion, sometimes clarification is necessary before going into the discussion.

Oh, The Humanity – What if God eliminated all the evil in the world, what would that look like?

The World Is Full Of Awfulness – The coexistence of evil and suffering and a loving and powerful God is not logically impossible.  So what makes the problem of evil such a compelling argument for skepticism about God?

College student proves God exists – Irrefutable evidence God exists, by clever college student.

Win By Default – In any discussion or debate, there is no default position whereby someone may sit back with nothing to defend.  Every opinion requires justification.  No one starts from the winner’s circle.

The Impossibility Of Miracles – Is it possible to convince a Naturalist a miracle has occurred?  Not likely, as they believe they are entitled to act as prosecutor, judge and jury on the issue.

Emotional Problems – Double standards can sneak up on anyone.  Unfortunately the double standard of appealing to emotional reasons for holding beliefs is a trademark of skeptics

Religious Extinction – A new study has revealed a s.comdownward trend in religious affiliation in 9 countries worldwide.  Do these findings have and real significance, or is it much ado about nothing?

Yes, But What If… – Alternate explanations are not refutations.  Not every possible explanation for an event is reasonable or fits all the facts.

The Price Of Tea In China – In my experience dealing with skeptics, I find that even though they claim logic and reason are on their side, they routinely fail to make logical arguments.  Most objections they offer in an attempt to show God does not exist, tell us nothing of whether God exists, even if their objections are valid.

Who Did You Say You Were Again? – There is a real difference between atheism and agnosticism.  Most Atheists are actually agnostic in their theological position, but claim the Atheist label, but with a slight (invalid) change in definition.

Not A Shred Of Evidence – The existence of evidence is not the same as the degree to which the evidence is compelling.  Just because someone is not compelled to concede their position based on a certain evidence, doesn’t mean it isn’t evidence.

Why Did The Atheist Cross The Road? – It seems Atheists look for any reason to be offended any more.  Any display of religion causes offense.  How do Atheists escape the label of intolerant?

Funny Thing About Surveys – A Pew Research study has found that Atheists know more about general religious knowledge than theists.  How much more did they know, and what exactly does this mean?

Who Is The Moral Monster Under The Bed? – What do the atrocities attributed to God throughout history actually mean?  Is it a reason to doubt the existence of God if in fact God is responsible for the genocides laid at His feet?

Don’t Take It Personally – The universe had a cause, and that cause must be personal.  Why?

Consensus Schmensus – Beware when someone attempts to refute an argument with the phrase “scientists agree…”.  Why Scientific consensus is not always a good thing.

A Burden The Hand – In any debate or discussion, someone shoulders the burden of proof.  But sometimes this burden shifts.  Never let the skeptic off the hook when its his turn to support his position.

Prove It! – When someone demands proof for a position, it is often an impossible task.  Heres why you should be skeptical when someone demands you prove what you are arguing for.

The Complaint Department Is Closed – A series of articles addressing the complaints offered by GodisImaginary.com.

Who Needs Morality? – Does the idea of morality, in any sense of the word make sense on a naturalistic worldview?

Never Quite Enough – “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence” is a regular claim of skeptics make in regards to evidence used to support religious claims.  But is it a reasonable expectation?

Borrowed Capital – The atheist worldview, in order to compete must borrow from a theistic worldview.  It cannot stand on its own merits with the consequences of what a naturalistic worldview necessarily entails.

Natural Blindness – If naturalism is true, then we have enough reason to doubt the truth of naturalism.  It is in fact its own defeater.

Not At All Lacking – Read why the move by Atheists to make the claim atheism is merely a “lack of belief in a God” is both intellectually dishonest, and doesn’t actually help their position.

Atheist Discrimination…Where? – Sometimes Atheists claim to be persecuted.  I’m not seeing it.  In fact the only acceptable ridicule is that of Christianity.