RE: How to destroy any argument for God
October 3, 2019 at 11:28 am
(This post was last modified: October 3, 2019 at 11:43 am by The Grand Nudger.)
Depends. Examples of believers are wonderful arguments for atheism and anti-theism, but non seqs for existential claims.
As examples. We'll use Bob. Bob is an aztec priest who rips out hearts to keep the sun, which is a personal and intervening god, alive.
A person can point to Bob and say that it would be impossible for them to believe as Bob does, that ripping out hearts keeps the sungod alive. That susceptibility to these beliefs is unique to Bob's disposition in a comparison between Bob and ourselves. The inability to authentically hold such a belief is all that would be required to justify a persons atheism.
Similarly, a person can point to Bob's actions and their real effects (as well as their complete lack of intended effect) as a demonstration of the sorts of behavior (and failures) that theism predictably amplifies. It is explicitly because of his belief in the personal and intervening sungod that he rips out hearts....and no amount of ripped out hearts fueled the sun.
The example of Bob can competently demolish a range of specific theistic claims, as well..such as the universal belief that theism is soul improving, among the faithful. Clearly, by reference to Bob..it is not. His beliefs in no way improved his person. They are a free riding detriment.
As examples. We'll use Bob. Bob is an aztec priest who rips out hearts to keep the sun, which is a personal and intervening god, alive.
A person can point to Bob and say that it would be impossible for them to believe as Bob does, that ripping out hearts keeps the sungod alive. That susceptibility to these beliefs is unique to Bob's disposition in a comparison between Bob and ourselves. The inability to authentically hold such a belief is all that would be required to justify a persons atheism.
Similarly, a person can point to Bob's actions and their real effects (as well as their complete lack of intended effect) as a demonstration of the sorts of behavior (and failures) that theism predictably amplifies. It is explicitly because of his belief in the personal and intervening sungod that he rips out hearts....and no amount of ripped out hearts fueled the sun.
The example of Bob can competently demolish a range of specific theistic claims, as well..such as the universal belief that theism is soul improving, among the faithful. Clearly, by reference to Bob..it is not. His beliefs in no way improved his person. They are a free riding detriment.
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