Thinking God's Thoughts: Yeah, I went there

Brennon, I'll go there along side you. I wanna know what the answer is but I think I already know what the answer is: They have no good arguments. They have things they believe is true despite any contrary evidence.

Thinking God's Thoughts: Yeah, I went there

FacePalm of the Day #57 - Debunking Christianity: Failure by Divine Design (A Christian Construction of Unbelief)

John Loftus posted a video recently in which the video's author tries to explain why believers believe.

He first sets up the argument that faith is mis-defined from Bible basically that Faith is believing the Bible and the Resurrection even if we have contradictory evidence. FacePalm number 1: This is not how God defines faith and the video presents no contradictory evidence but instead says that believers wouldn't stop believing even given contradictory evidence. I would say that I believe and I cannot find contradictory evidence. I agree that someone would raise the objection that presenting contradictory evidence was not the point of the video but it assumes that there is contradictory evidence without proof.

He then tries to say that unbelievers are a threat to believers and that we need theological reasons to explain why they don't believe. The fact that such videos and books as this one exists tells me that unbelievers are feeling just as threatened by believers (if not more). The question must be asked by both sides: There are intelligent people who disagree with me about my religion being true - why am I right and they are wrong? Of course the first Christians had to answer this just like we do today. The video's author does recognize that the Bible gives answers to this question - regarding Jews rejecting Christianity and people in general. He admits that the Bible teaches that a person who turns away from God was never really a Christian. Of course instead of taking the Bible's words as true he attempts to suggest that it's PR stunts that Paul and the Apostles used that people should be too smart to fall for today.

When the video turned to speak of reaffirmation, I was struck at the tone. Does this guy really think that atheist don't experience or seek reaffirmation in their disbelief? Some people are fighting tooth and nail to hold on to their atheism. FacePalm #2: There is so much evidence against atheism that some people find it hard to accept and yet the author takes atheism as the default truth.

FacePalm #3: Aside from mis-defining "faith" (which is trusting God based on the relationship with Him you are building on) and a few other things, the author's exegesis of scripture is better than most atheists I have read and spoken to. The Bible does indeed tells us that people who fail to believe fail because God has hardened their hearts and minds but it also states that the minds of men are already hostile to God (he conveniently leaves out Romans 8). Without God's intervention no one would believe.

FacePalm #4: The author of the video misses asking the fundamental question. It's not why do people not believe or believe for a time and then fall away? The question that needs to be asked is why do believers believe? The author does not answer this question but instead contends that believers are reaffirmed.

FacePalm #5: The author contends that the Biblical answers to why unbelievers do not believe are not reasonable. I don't understand that conclusion. The Bible never actually says that God's purpose is to save every single human being for hell. Therefore why is it not reasonable to just say we don't fully understand why God has set these thing up the way He has? You don't know who is chosen and who isn't outside of what God has done in you, personally. You can't believe on your own or keep yourself. God does it and gets all the credit. All we deserve is the blame because our sins are really that bad and without his intervention - and under most circumstances - hell is the only place you can expect to go!

This video is an exercise in reaffirming and encouraging atheists that they are truly okay and not missing anything - how is that any different that what the video's author accuses Christians and the Bible of doing in pointing out that people who don't believer are incapable of believing? It's not.





Debunking Christianity: Failure by Divine Design (A Christian Construction of Unbelief)