Philosophical Failures of Christian Apologetics, Part 11: The Holy Spirit

[Cepheus Ace]

ACX has made another video

 

[Sal]

Not seen the whole video yet, but off the bat WLC readily admits that he's not convinced by logic or reason, but by "inner witness of the Holy Spirit". As people have been saying for so long, that which you haven't been reasoned into, what logic and reason will you use to convince those who are not convinced by logic and reason, ala Sam Harris?

[Cepheus Ace]

what logic and reason will you use to convince those who are not convinced by logic and reason, ala Sam Harris?

I recommend blunt force trauma which produces the desired effect of lack of consciousness, results may vary based on the amount of force applied and location on the body where its applied

[Simon Moon]

Not seen the whole video yet, but off the bat WLC readily admits that he's not convinced by logic or reason, but by "inner witness of the Holy Spirit". As people have been saying for so long, that which you haven't been reasoned into, what logic and reason will you use to convince those who are not convinced by logic and reason, ala Sam Harris?

I have a problem with that.

The vast majority of theists aren't reasoned into their theistic beliefs, yet the vast majority of theists that become atheists (deconvert), are reasoned out of their theistic beliefs.

[Fake Messiah]

William Lane Craig is like a character from The Wizard Of Oz: a philosopher who doesn't know how to think. He considers reason to be completely subservient to faith.

[The Grand Nudger]

"Inner witness of the holy spirit" is performative language. He would likely be insulted if someone asked him flat out if he heard voices - like any other christian who uses terms of art. It probably does reflect a cognitive truth, though. He believes, because he strongly believes. He didn't argue himself into it, and he won't be argued out of it.

It's also possible that deconverts have a mistaken impression of what led them to their current state. Post hoc, ergo propter hoc. They realized they were atheists after hearing some argument, but the argument was only compelling because they had already ceased to believe and the argument provided them with semantics for whatever internal doubt they already felt.

[Fake Messiah]

WLC should read a science book to see how mind works or at least look at Julia Sweeney's play "Letting Go Of God" on YouTube because she figured it out just by educating herself:

Then, I started reading about all about these experiments on the function of the temporal lobes. These doctors figured out how to stimulate, electromagnetically, the right temporal lobe. People who wore this helmet experienced a sense of transcendent understanding, an overwhelming peace and connectedness, and sometimes the presence of God. Or, of, Aliens. This was often accompanied by a white light. Everyone has certain right temporal lobe sensitivity, and we're all susceptible to these experiences.

So, this could have been what was happening to me when I had my "Heal me, Heal me" experience. Of course that doesn't mean that God just doesn't use this physical way to allow us to experience Him, or Her, or Whoever. But that sure was interesting.

I learned that because our brain is in some deep, fundamental ways, unaware of itself, hallucinations like I had, or like that people have of angels or ghosts, or out-of-body or near death experiences are perceived as real encounters or actual events. And so most people, including me, instinctively think of the mind as something separate from the body. Even though there is no evidence that they are separate.

But WLC will never educate himself because he's a snake oil salesman who is counting that people will stay away from science and listen to him instead. Just like Deepak Chopra will never read a book on quantum physics although he claims that God is energy and the quantum field to people who will believe him because they won't check what scientists actually say about that.

[brewer]

christians would be happier if there were more NDE's.

(no, no, not the autoerotic kind, bunch of perverts)

[Fake Messiah]

christians would be happier if there were more NDE's.

WLC would be much happier if more people were suffering from mental disorders because he would sell more books

[The Valkyrie]

christians would be happier if there were more NDE's.

(no, no, not the autoerotic kind, bunch of perverts)

I thought "autoerotic" was sex with cars?