If you’re new to the party, HERE are the previous posts in this series. If you want to skip the history and prefer the twitter version, I’m having an ongoing conversation with a born-again atheist. When I say “born-again atheist” I mean he was a born again Christian, but is now an atheist.
Below is AtypicalAtheist’s response to my second question: (CLICK HERE to read my first question and his two-part answer.)
JSM: Why do you view faith in God as unreasonable, illogical and irrational?
AtypicalAtheist: Regarding question #2, I’ll try to answer in a form less than a book this time… 😀
The super-short answer is this – I don’t accept the existence of God, gods, or any documents, books, letters, or anything ‘on faith’ because I reject faith as a valid means to acquire knowledge. The specific object of faith, whether UFOs or gods is irrelevant. Reason is one’s only guide to knowledge. From this position, if doctrines of theism must be accepted on faith, theism is necessarily excluded from the realm of reason.
Further, the entire book is replete with contempt for man’s ability to reason our desire for knowledge. You need go no further than Genesis and the story of Adam and Eve. Beyond this though, is verse after verse of hostility to wisdom and knowledge.
Matthew 11:25
Colossians 2:8
Mark 4:11-12
1 Corinthians 1:18-27 and 3:18-19
1 Timothy 6:20
Add to that the biblical means of tying faith and morality together which ends up equating doubt and disbelief with immorality. Rather, one must believe uncritically, or be condemned as immoral.
Finally, consider the coercive nature of faith:
* The bribery side – if you have faith, you go to heaven ( John 3:!6 )
* The blackmail side – you face God’s wrath if you do not have faith ( John 3:36 ).
Have a quick re-read of Romans 14:23 and one of my favorites … Mark 9:43-48
Essentially, the bible says that you must believe in Jesus, regardless of the evidence on the matter, or be subjected to eternal torture (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).
Threatening punishment for disbelief is strong-arm coercion and intimidation. On these grounds alone, it must be rejected as irrational and unreasonable.
Whew – that one was much shorter than the other one. 😀
AtypicalAtheist
Click HERE to read the next post, “conversations with a born-again atheist: the “shotgun” email (more reasons why faith is unreasonable, illogical and irrational.)”
Click HERE to see all “conversations with a born-again atheist” posts.
NOTE: All comments will be held for approval. This blog is a no-hate zone.
Interesting way of putting it…”Essentially, the bible says that you must believe in Jesus, regardless of the evidence on the matter, or be subjected to eternal torture.” I look at it from the opposite perspective that eternal torture is a given (and something quite deserved given who we are and what we have done), but if we believe that Jesus died for us, we are spared that.
Also, I don’t think we are condemned for doubting. God is big enough to handle my doubts, which even I as a believer have. What’s the famous phrase? I believe, help Thou my unbelief.