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5 Questions To Ask An Atheist
"If God exists,why is there so much evil?"
"If God exists, why all the hypocrisy amongst Christians?"
"Why isn't there more evidence? Why is God so hidden?"
If you are a Christian who is vocal about your faith, you've probably been asked these questions. If you are an atheist, agnostic, or skeptic, you've probably been on the other side of those questions. It is common for religious believers to be in the hotseat when it comes to intellectually justifying their beliefs, but some don't recognize that non-believers also have a fair share of 'splainin to do.
Rest assured, the questions above have good answers, but they shouldn't be the only focus; the skeptic should be in the hotseat too:
1) Why is there something rather than nothing?
When it comes to scientific and philosophical evidence, the "big bang" is where it's at. If the "big bang" happened, the universe has not always been--it began a finite time ago. Herein lies the rub for the atheist, though: how could our universe happen uncaused? Out of nothing, nothing comes. When it comes to the beginning of the universe, we only have a few options. A much better bet is that something outside the physical universe brought it into being.
2) What is it for something to be "good"?
This goes much deeper than the common atheist rallying cry: "you can be good without God." If the material world is all that exists, then the atheist and believer alike might *think* they are acting good, but "good" is without robust meaning. All that exists are preferences, pragmatics, and the herd morality. Upon what basis do you say racism or homophobia is wrong? Not wrong "for you," but wrong, period. What would you say to someone who comes from another culture who holds those things to be good? Is *anything* wrong universally (rape? murder? judging?), and if so, what are you prepared to do to enforce that morality? Why should someone be concerned, on atheism, about obeying the herd morality and following our evolutionary past, especially when he can get away with it and benefit from it personally?
3) Matter stays inanimate no matter how complicated you arrange it. In the absence of an immaterial mind, how can consciousness arise from a chunk of complicatedly arranged material (i.e, the brain)?
Causally or correlatively linking a brain state to a mental state is not sufficient. You cannot reduce the mental to the physical because the former states possess properties the latter do not. For instance, mental states are first person, whereas brain states are third person.
4) If the physical world is all that exists, how can you explain free will?
5) The last one comes from another blogger: if Christ appeared to you and said that He really rose from the dead and is God, how would you respond? Witnesses and tests confirm you weren't dreaming--it was really God! What's next?
The skeptic's answer to this one will shine a light on his heart and motivation. Some will not follow God no matter what the evidence, and that renders their complaint about lack of evidence as a smoke screen. Their attitude, not the evidence, is the problem.
If you are a Christian, don't feel bashful about asking tough questions to skeptics! Skeptics, don't feel bashful about thinking about these questions--the answers might surprise you.
About the Author Rich Bordner is a teacher in California who earned his B.A in English an Philosophy from Ohio State University in 2002. He blogs about philosophy, religion, spirituality, and politics at The Pugnacious Irishman and is currently obtaining an M.A in Philosophy from Biola University. If this article sparked your interest, or if you want to talk about politics, sprituality, or philosophy, click on over!
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